Need some help with a Japanese sword.

[SouTex]

I’ve pick this up a while back, I didn’t spend much on it. Don’t know if it’s a WWII sword or a Chinese knockoff. It has a nice blade which was why I bought it to begin with. Any help with the translation would be appreciated. I was wondering what the number stamped on it is? Maybe a serial number?  If you would like pictures of the blade I can upload some. Thanks all.

[moriarty]

Greetings Curtis,

 

吉光- Yoshimitsu

昭和十八年十二月日- December of 1945 (1943 as corrected by Moriyama below)

 

From what I remember, stamped numbers in the nakago signal special orders from an arsenal, but I could be wrong

 

                                           Cheers.

[Nobody]

December 1943

 

[SouTex]

2 hours ago, moriarty said:

Greetings Curtis,

 

吉光- Yoshimitsu

昭和十八年十二月日- December of 1945 (1943 as corrected by Moriyama below)

 

From what I remember, stamped numbers in the nakago signal special orders from an arsenal, but I could be wrong

 

                                           Cheers.

 

[SouTex]

Thank you for the info. I really appreciate it. I’ve had the sword for a while. It’s got a really nice blade, but I’m no expert. Was Yoshimitsu considered a good maker?

[Bruce Pennington]

Curtis,

I'm not knowledgable of the smith ratings, but there were 2 Yoshimitsu, that signed with 吉光, that were RJT qualified, so they both likely made good blades.  I do not have one, yet, in my files with a star stamp.  Could you remove the brass collar, habaki, and check near the top of the nakago (tang) for a stamped star?

 

Here are the two listed in Sesko's book, that were RJT rated:

 

YOSHIMITSU (吉光), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Nagano – “Shinshū Inadani-jū Yoshimitsu saku” (信州伊那谷住吉光作), “Shinshū-jū Yoshimitsu” (信州住吉光), “Yoshimitsu” (吉光), “Tanaka Yoshimitsu” (田中吉光), real name Tanaka Shōkichi (田中庄吉), born 1901, he studied in Niigata under Amata Sadayoshi (天田貞吉) and Miyairi Akihira (宮入昭平) and worked as rikugun-jumei-tōshō, jōkō no retsu (Akihide), Fourth Seat at the 6th Shinsaku Nihontō Denrankai (新作日本刀展覧会, 1941) (see picture right)

YOSHIMITSU (吉光), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Iwate – “Ōshū Gose-jū Yasumoto Yoshimitsu” (奥州御所住 安本吉光), “Minamoto Yoshimitsu” (源吉光), “Gose Yasumoto Yoshimitsu” (御所安本吉光), real name Yasumoto Noriharu (安本徳治), born 1904, he studied under Yoshihara Kuniie (吉原国家), Katō Sanekuni (加藤真国), and Miyairi Akihira (宮入昭平), and also worked as rikugun-jumei-tōshō

 

The stamped serial number at the end, with a katakana - ク - in your case, is only seen (with few exceptions) on blades made by RJT smiths.  This kana was used in the Gunma prefecture, which neighbors the Nagano prefecture of Tanaka Yoshimitsu, so I suspect your smith was the first one.

[Bruce Pennington]

Your fittings are the contingency model, or rinji seishiki in Japanese, often called the Type 3, Type 44, Type 100, Type 0, Marine Landing sword, etc.  It is an Army officer sword.  Would you mind posting some photos of the blade and full fittings for the files?

 

You can read about it's development and release here:

Unveiling the Rinji-seishiki Sword 1940; Nick Komiya, Warrelics

 

and here

 

The Development of the Sword commonly called The Type 3 version; Nick Komiya, Warrelics

[SouTex]

[SouTex]

[SouTex]

[SouTex]

[SouTex]

[SouTex]

The tape on the bottom I think says PFC Beatty 4th Platoon. Probable the GI that captured it. 

[SouTex]

7 hours ago, Bruce Pennington said:

Your fittings are the contingency model, or rinji seishiki in Japanese, often called the Type 3, Type 44, Type 100, Type 0, Marine Landing sword, etc.  It is an Army officer sword.  Would you mind posting some photos of the blade and full fittings for the files?

 

You can read about it's development and release here:

Unveiling the Rinji-seishiki Sword 1940; Nick Komiya, Warrelics

 

and here

 

The Development of the Sword commonly called The Type 3 version; Nick Komiya, Warrelics

Thank You for all the great information. I’m close to retiring now and have more free time. These swords have been sitting in my safe for a while now. Nice to know they are really Japanese WWII swords.

[Bruce Pennington]

Curtis,  @SouTex

Thanks for the added photos!  Yours has the double release buttons and I've never seen a showato (non-traditionally made) blade in them.  So, please check above the smith's name, removing the fittings fully off the nakago (tang) to see if there is a star stamp.  This is likely a gendaito (traditionally made blade).

[SouTex]

On 3/12/2025 at 10:17 AM, Bruce Pennington said:

Curtis,  @SouTex

Thanks for the added photos!  Yours has the double release buttons and I've never seen a showato (non-traditionally made) blade in them.  So, please check above the smith's name, removing the fittings fully off the nakago (tang) to see if there is a star stamp.  This is likely a gendaito (traditionally made blade).

No star stamp. Sorry for the delay answering, I was out of town.

[Bruce Pennington]

Thanks for checking!

 

This one is a bit of a mystery, then.  He is listed as an RJT qualified smith, and the stamped number is in line with that operation.  We know the RJT smiths sometimes sold their blades privately (outside the military), and those would not have had the star stamp.  But if this was the case, I don't understand how it got the stamped number.  This could be telling us the blade was made from other steel, not tamahagane, but still for the Army.

[george trotter]

Hi Bruce,

I have a gendaito in Rinji Seishiki mounts (two buttons). It is by a (later RJT) smith named Tsukamoto Masakazu of Fukushima. It is dated April 1942 and has a number 1129 stamped on the tang tip like this one. I think they are made under similar circumstances in that:

both have no star (both made before late 1942 when the RJT blades start to appear)

Both have a tang number (probably / certainly a mounting / polishing shop number)

 

Judging from my example, I think this blade shown is probably a gendaito as well, made by a smith who later became RJT.

Hope this helps...

[Bruce Pennington]

You're probably right, Mal.  His is dated - February 1943 - but it might have been just before he got qualified, but still working with the same Army system.

[george trotter]

33 minutes ago, Bruce Pennington said:

 His is dated - February 1943 - .

Duh...stupid me - misread the date. Sorry, I was off track.