kanji on spine of tang

[rich j]

I have had no luck at all in the databases at my disposal and am very hopeful that someone out there can read this. the kanji look to have been there for quite a while and the sword is koto. rich

[SteveM]

Looks like a name: 樋口進  Higuchi Susumu

[rich j]

thank you very much for your rapid responce , does the second kanji have a meaning?

[SteveM]

Hmmm - they all have meaning.

 

If my reading is correct, the top two kanji are the surname, and the final one is the personal name.

Higuchi is a fairly common last name consisting of the kanji for 樋 (water inlet or channel or gutter) and 口 (mouth or opening). 

[SAS]

I would have guessed  ___Masa Michi

[rich j]

some time back this same image was sent to  Harry AFU Watson and he thought that the last kanji meant ( advance ) but did not recognize the first or second . rich

[SteveM]

Yes, 進 means "advance".

 

In this context it is used as a name. 

Perhaps the parents chose this particular kanji because of its meaning: advance, go forth, be intrepid.  

[rich j]

as in most things context is everything. many thanks Steve.  rich