Need Further Mei Translation

[bond_fan]

Hi Forum!

 

I am posting here for additional translation help for a mei on a purported gendaito WWII Japanese katana. Darcy Brockbank provided the below translation, but suggested I contact the forum for a complete translation of the character she wasn't sure about and for a further clarification of the smith and his history by one of the many gendai collectors.

 

According to Darcy it says:

 

Noshu Seki Ju Niju San dai Fujiwara Kane [?] Saku

 

Where I put the [?] in I'm not sure of the character.

 

The whole thing means:

 

Noshu (province) Seki (city) Ju (lives) Niju San (23rd) dai (generation) Kane-whatever (name) saku (made this).

 

She said it is probably going to be one of Kaneuji, Kanesada, Kanemoto, Kanefusa, or one of the other Mino line smiths.

 

Any help you could provide would be greatly appreciated!

 

Thanks!

Tim

[Nobody]

The [?] is 房.

The whole mei reads as follows;

 

濃州関住二十三代藤原兼房作之 (Noshu Seki ju ni-ju-san dai Fujiwara Kanefusa saku kore)

I assume that you already know its meaning.

 

Ref. http://www.geocities.com/alchemyst/kanefusa.htm

[bond_fan]

Dear Mr. Koichi Moriyama,

 

Thank you so much for your swift reply and information about the sword mei! I understand all the translation except for the last Japanese character for "kore". What does the word "Kore" mean?

 

Essentially I translate the complete mei to mean that the smith, a 23rd generation descendant of the Kanefusa sword making line, who lived in the city of Seki of Noshu province made the sword. The 23rd descendant being Kato Koichi, based upon the Geocities link you provided me.

 

When I have further pictures of the sword, which I saw in person on Nov. 1, I will try to post them in the Nihonto section of the Nihonto Discussion forum.

 

Thanks again!

Tim

[Nobody]

I understand all the translation except for the last Japanese character for "kore". What does the word "Kore" mean?

"kore (之)" means "this".

[bond_fan]

Dear Mr. Koichi Moriyama,

 

Thanks for explaining to me the meaning of the Japanese word "Kore"!

 

Other than the Geocities link do you know where on the Internet I may find more information on the 23rd generation Kanefusa bladesmith, Mr. Kato Koichi?

 

Tim

[James]

Not much information but here's the entry from John Slough's: