Assistance with kanji character on tanto

[kauai1800]

Aloha,

 

I am patiently awaiting the tanto shown below.

 

Could someone here please translate the single character (and it's meaning) found as part of the horimono? Is there any further significance to placing this character here?

 

I am new to the world of nihonto, but this character is placed on both sides of the blade; however I have not seen many other examples of this in my very limited exposure.

 

I apologize as these are the only photo I have and they are not the best.

 

Many thanks for your help and kokua,

John P

[NihontoEurope]

Hello,

 

It looks like a Soshu blade.

 

Is it the engravings you want to have explained?

 

Can you show some more photos?

 

/Martin

[Thierry BERNARD]

http://www.jssus.org/nkp/bonji.html

[NihontoEurope]

Here are some images that might assist you:

 

[attachment=0]Horimono.jpg[/attachment]

 

[attachment=2]Carvings - Horimono.jpg[/attachment]

 

[attachment=1]Grooves - Horimono - Carvings.jpg[/attachment]

 

/Martin

[kauai1800]

Many thanks for this information guys. Helpful and interesting.

Martin: I sadly only have these pictures at the moment, however I will have more soon.

My goal is to understand as much as possible about it.

 

So it is bonji? 梵字? Well you can see how absolutely clueless I am! But learning.

 

And this refers to Sanskrit words that are sometimes engraved on nihonto. Am I right thus far?

And this link I see to Siddham alphabet - used by esoteric Buddhist monks in Japan for 1200 years for preserving mantras..

 

I really appreciate the links and images. I also found this thread here:

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=10283&view=next

 

I see that bonji can be stylized. I'll have to spend some time and try and sort out which one it might be.

 

Can anyone comment on why they think a modern sword smith would add this bonji? To be more traditional? More spiritual?

Again many thanks. Arigato!

[Curran]

It is a very traditional bonji.

It is one of the first carved, and probably will be one of the last carved when the last Japanese sword is made some day in the distant future.