WW2 Japanese Sword "Noshu Seki ju Yoshimitsu Saku"

[Swords]

I thought this interesting and wanted opinions for this sword According to the seller it’s been polished and hot stamp 

Supposedly traditional water quenching but to me it looks oil quench showing dark hamon 

Price is 1900 or less 

 

[ROKUJURO]

The seller does not talk about the TSUBA which does not look attractive to me. The SAYA is much too long, and the TSUKA looks like a cheap IAITO handle.
But I find it convincing that the blade is 25,2755906 inches long!  

[Bruce Pennington]

That is the first kokuin I've seen for Yoshimitsu.  Oddly, Fuller has that one listed as being found on a "Yoshikane", number ix in the chart below:

 

I have seen multiple smiths using the same stamp when they all work for the same shop.  @mecox - Mal, any chance Yoshimitsu and Yoshikane worked at the same shop?  Also, do the kana in the stamp say something useful?

[mecox]

Bruce, the kokuin stamp has two kanji for "Fuji"  and looks like the smith is YOSHIMITSU 義光: real name Yabushita Fujio (藪下不二夫).   So looks to be his given name?
Born Taisho 4 (1915) August 18. Reg. Showa 15 (1940) April 1 (age 24).     (“Noshu Seki ju Yoshimitsu saku”   he has a dated blade of   “1942” SEKI). Seki gunto smith.   

Dont know about the "Kiyonobu" in the F&G table?

There were three "Yoshikane" with that "yoshi" kanji,   I dont know which one you have.

[Bruce Pennington]

3 minutes ago, mecox said:

There were three "Yoshikane" with that "yoshi" kanji,   I dont know which one you have.

Thanks Mal.  I don't have one, it was just Richard Fuller's attribution in his chart of kokuin above, item ix.  Either he made a mistake and miss-named the kokuin in the chart, or there were more than one smith using that same stamp.

[mecox]

The F&G table for (ix) has Nagamura Kiyonobu, not Yoshikane.  These names dont look right?

[Bruce Pennington]

Just now, mecox said:

The F&G table for (ix) has Nagamura Kiyononu, not Yoshikane.  These names dont look right?

Oh, crap.  I'm not really dyslexic, that I know of, but I had been looking down to the "xi" instead of ix!!!  Well, now, he was really off on that name or again, Yoshimitsu and Kiyonobu worked at the same forge.  Richard's book does have errors, it's just impossible to put out something that extensive without them.  

[Swords]

Thanks for all opinions I believe the hot stamp represents non traditional made 
even though it’s claim to be traditional

To me the hamon looks to have dark lines which signify it being oil quench Don’t care for the mounts but at least it looks someone polished it at some point 

 

 

[Bruce Pennington]

On 4/6/2025 at 7:23 AM, Swords said:

I believe the hot stamp represents non traditional made 

I don't believe anyone has nailed down that question.  We don't know why smiths used a hotstamp on some blades but not on others.  If someone knows more about that, please chime in.

[Scogg]

The fact that swords exist with KOKUIN and also inspection stamps, implies to me, that swords with a hot stamp could be either SHOWATO or GENDAITO. My Osawa Kanehisa for example, also had a SEKI stamp.

Notably, ASANO KANESANE and his company are believed to stamp his kokuin on both traditional and non traditional swords.

https://www.japaneseswordindex.com/kanezane.htm

Other interpretations may vary...
-Sam

[Swords]

 i have been watching this sword on EBay 

The bid now is 330.00 It will probably go higher but maybe not that much 

For a ww2 Japanese sword mounted and nice blade is cheap unless there’s something wrong? 

[Scogg]

A lot of red flags with that one, Steve.

The nakago and mei really doesn't look right. The hamon looks bad, either faked or an amateur polish. The yakote is gone. Fittings look late war OK, but the leather looks new...

Personally, I don't see enough positive to overcome the negative.
-Sam

[Brian]

Eek. No....just no. Gives off all sorts of "wrong" vibes.

[Swords]

To me the hamon looked weird I also questioned this But it’s nice to get more opinions Not a sword I would want There’s a reason why it’s so cheap 

 

 

 

 

Thanks 

[Swords]

Going back to the sword above 

I ran it by Woody to see  if he would know

 He did mention the grain but couldn’t say if it’s traditional or not 

He said Chris Bowen may know? Anyone have his email?

Noshu Seki ju Yoshimitsu Saku"

 

 

 

 

[Swords]

Never mind I got Chris Bowens email 

 

 

 

Thanks steve