Need help with a WW2 Japanese Naval kanna iron

[John C]

Hello:

I believe this kanna iron is from a WW2 Japanese navy ship (the anchor). I could use some help with the other symbols and kao, however.

Thank you,

John C.

[uwe]

Not familiar with this, but my try for the left “請合” would be “ukeai” (guarantee) or something like that…

[Bruce Pennington]

Interesting that there is a koa.  Maybe a shop logo.  I have a few swordsmiths that used the "B" in their kakihan, but no matches.  

A close one is Yoshikiyo of 1805, but it's not the same, just the same idea:

[John C]

  On 3/20/2025 at 2:11 PM, Bruce Pennington said:

Maybe a shop logo

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Bruce: Thought this was interesting. While researching the above kanna blade, found this kanna plane that may have been used to make koshirae at Nakano Shoten.

 

John C.

[Bruce Pennington]

That's really cool, John!

[mecox]

@John C  @Bruce Pennington  John interesting plane, mei on blade is probably Senkichi  千吉  and yes the ink character on the plane is trademark of Nakano Shoten.

 

This trademark was applied for in Meiji 37 (1904) June 9 and registered same year on September 1.   Registration No. 21988 was to  Nakano  Youzou  中野要蔵 and used into WW2. 

Nick Komiya [“warrelics”]  notes that this logo would be read as “Yamayo”, the upper representing a mountain (“yama” 山) and the lower as katakana “yo” ヨ.       

 

[John C]

  On 3/21/2025 at 11:03 PM, mecox said:

interesting plane

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Mal:

In reference to the OP and the anchor stamp/kakihan, have you seen anything like that before with military smiths? I know you have a reference to Teruhide in Naval Part 2, page 68, making kanna blades, however I was wondering how prevalent it was among other smiths making items other than swords.

 

John C.

[Stephen]

  On 3/21/2025 at 3:58 AM, John C said:

Bruce: Thought this was interesting. While researching the above kanna blade, found this kanna plane that may have been used to make koshirae at Nakano Shoten.

 

John C.

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[mecox]

@John C    Yes the kanna blades by Teruhide and family were well described, but I dont recall reports of others during wartime.   However, quite a few Seki (and other) wartime tosho came from backgrounds (father or grandfather) of agricultural tool makers or edged utensils (hamon) and also quite a few went back to that after the war (eg Toki family).