Buying a war sword

[Stephen]

A friend from the WM sent me this photo

 

Anyone have anything like it?

 

Can we tell his unit or rank?

 

Any history of rules and regs to what they could buy or not/how long?

 

I find it very interesting that a NCO and above could go shop for a sword.

 

Looking for any info on what was the custom and rules.

 

Thanks

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

I find it very interesting that a NCO and above could go shop for a sword.

 

Hi Stephen. If I'm not mistaken (and I'm often) I've seen that picture in an article describing a Togishi hired by the IJA to maintain/repair swords and tsuka on the battlefield (guess Chinese front).

It was all about the lack of maintenance and understanding of NihonTo showed by a lot ot officers, brainwashed about the indistructibility of NihonTo with the inevitable consequences this borrowed.

 

Still without my main PC so can't provide any evidence and as said I may be wrong, but it is possibly a civilian hired for sword mainenance. Is there a maintenance kit neat him ? Maybe he's in his own shop at home ?

[k morita]

Thank you for sharing the photograph.

The soldier is carefully moving the sheath.

 

There are sword bag and an ashtray soldier's side.