Looking for more information on a swordsmith

[swordnoob]

Hello, I have a katana signed Mino Kuni junin Shōhei Saku (美濃國住昭平作). I've been told that Niwa Shōhei, born in Tomika-cho in 1927 and passed away in 2015, was the smith's personal name (I believe the kanji for his name is 丹羽昭平), and that his smith name was Kanenobe. In addition, I was told that his master was his father, smith name Kanenobu (兼延), real name Niwa Shūji (丹羽修司), who was designated as a prefectural treasure of Gifu (https://nihontoclub.com/smiths/KAN1777).

 

I'd be grateful if anyone could share more information on this smith such as the kanji for his smith name, references to his him, or examples of other works of his.

 

EDIT: Another possibility I have is that this is the smith Akihira (昭平) (signs his mei with 濃州亀井昭平作 https://nihontoclub.com/smiths/AKI39) and that his real name was Kamei Shōhei (亀井昭平). The reason I have for suspecting this is that The Index of Japanese Swordsmiths says that Akihira was born in 1927 and that he studied under Kanenobu.

[BIG]

Hi Viktor, here is a katana from sanmei ..

 

http://www.sanmei.com/contents/media/G38301_S8869_PUP_E.html

 

Best

[swordnoob]

Thanks Peter. I've also taken a look at http://www.nipponto.co.jp/swords/KT126412.htm and the way 昭平 is written is different compared the the mei on my katana (especially 昭). I guess the smith wasn't Akihira... Please let me know if you've drawn a different conclusion.

[BIG]

Same conclusion, mei looks strange..

 

Best