JAPANESE SWORDS

IN THE

TROTTER COLLECTION

TROTTER COLLECTION OF JAPANESE SWORDS (an informal description).

Eight of these 10 swords are ‘gendaito’ (modern traditionally made swords) made in WWII.

Six of these are made by RIKUGUN JUMEI TOSHO or ‘RJT’ (Army Approved Swordsmith).

This means they are hand-made for the Army by properly trained swordsmiths using the Army-

supplied traditional tamahagane (local iron), local government-supplied pine charcoal and they

were quenched in water. They are signed and dated by the smith himself (rather than a

workshop “signature-cutter” as is common in factory-made oil-quenched WWII swords).

These hand-made swords are signed either katana-mei (on outside of tang when worn edge-

up) or tachi-mei (on outside of tang when worn edge-down). After passing inspection by an

army-appointed traditional swordsmith they were stamped on the tang with a star stamp. They

were then sold to officers through army officer clubs. Workmanship is of a high standard and

compares favourably with traditionally made swords of previous eras. The non-RJT marked

swords here were either made privately by RJT smiths or by non-RJT traditional swordsmiths.

These are the last swords made as weapons, all those made post-war being made as art.

Here is some information relevant to understanding this collection:

Army mountings. After 1868, as Japan learned from the West, the military wore a ‘Japanified’

version of the western sabre. By the 1930s Japan was firmly established as an East Asian power

and nationalist sentiment turned to re-claiming their samurai past. This included adopting a

clearly ‘Japanese pattern’ military sword. The first style, the 1934 Kyuyonshiki Gunto (94 Type

Army Sword) was based on the elaborate ito-maki-no-tachi worn slung from the waist-sash by

mounted samurai. This was slightly revised in 1938 (one hanger deleted) as the Kyuhachishiki

Gunto (98 Type Army Sword). The Type 94 and the Type 98 had elaborate brass and copper

fittings and usually held a longish blade (66-70 cm) with one peg hole in the tang.

From 1931, war experience in Manchuria found that longer swords tended to be unwieldly in

close combat and that the end of the longish hilt would often break off where the tang ended.

This practical issue and also the increasing demand for swords prompted by the expansion of

the army due to the 1937 invasion of China initiated the need for a more battle efficient sword

that was easier/more economical to produce. This resulted in the second style called the Rinji

Seishiki Gunto (Contingency Standard Type Army Sword) announced around 1941. This style

was based on the very practical battlefield uchigatana of the foot-soldier during the Muromachi

period c.1338-c.1573 which had largely supplanted the tachi of the mounted samurai. The

Rinji Seishiki Gunto blade generally was 2-4 cm shorter and the tang proportionally longer,

with two peg holes. The hilt had katate-maki binding covered with hard lacquer for strength

and mountings had fewer fittings, which were now made from iron to help preserve diminishing

stocks of alloy, and there was a ‘cup-shaped’ dust cover seppa (washer) that covered the mouth

of the lacquered wood scabbard (compare blades 5th and 6th from the top in the collection photo

below). As in all things Japanese there are exceptions and variations and in fact, due to the

soldier’s love of the Type 98 both types continued in production to the end of the war.

Eras.

koto = old sword era - ended c.1600.

shinto = new sword era - ended c.1780.

shin-shinto = new-new sword era - ended 1876.

gendaito = contemporary sword era - ended 1945.

(gendaito) shinsakuto = new made sword era (made as art, not as weapons) – from 1954.

Types. Tachi = long sword slung from waist. Katana = long sword thrust through the sash.

Uchigatana = short katana, often used one-handed. Wakizashi = short companion to katana.

Hamon. This is the ‘frosted’ tempered pattern along the edge of the blade. There are many

variations which are a valuable source for identifying the maker of a sword.

Polish. While the 10 swords below retain their last WWII period polish (some now scratched

and stained), it is important to mention that these swords were sent to war in either sashi-komi

polish or kesho polish. To explain the difference, look at the illustration below from Ono

Tadashi’s book on polishing. The top picture shows a hamon as the swordsmith made it and

the bottom one is the photograph of that same hamon as the polisher has made it look.

The top picture illustrates the hamon in sashi-komi polish. Every detail is shown in this photo,

that is, the polisher’s outline is an exact match to the swordsmiths outline. Every peak and

valley, every shaded area and every minute activity is visible to the eye in ordinary light, and

even better with a focussed light.

In the bottom picture it can be seen that, to the eye, virtually all of the true detail and true

outline of the hamon has been obscured or ‘rounded out’ by a sort of fog or mist. This fog or

mist is the type of post-war polish called hadori (called kesho in WWII), which essentially

means “cosmetic”, as in a geisha disguising her true facial characteristics by covering them

with a white powder. The true details of the kesho or hadori polished tempered edge pattern

can only be seen by carefully tilting the blade into the beam of a suitable light.

Of the 10 WWII era swords discussed below, eight are sashi-komi and two are kesho. While

kesho and hadori are essentially the same thing, WWII kesho is not so “obscuring” as the post-

war hadori shown above, being more of a straight, slightly ‘brownish’ line of haze, through

which the peaks of the tempered edge protrude…like an afternoon smog through which the city

can be imperfectly seen but out of which the high-rises protrude into the clear sunlight. This

WWII kesho is in my opinion definitely preferable to post-war hadori, but still less pleasing

than sashi-komi.

Yasuri. These are file marks as seen on the sword tangs in the collection. Some file mark

patterns are common and some are rare. Two of the main tang file marks in the collection below

are rare. Some have kesho (cosmetic finish) file mark patterns which, despite being shown on

several parts of the tang in the drawing below, are actually found only on the top of the main

tang file marks. These appear in various styles, depending on the angle and direction of the

main file marks.

Tōcho. Sword tassel. Five of the ten swords shown here had military rank tassels attached when

acquired. All were Army brown/blue indicating Company Grade officers (2nd Lieutenants,

Lieutenants or Captains). In the photo below, the upper tassel is from sword #9. On the matter

of tassels, brown/red indicates Field Grade officers (Major, Lieutenant-Colonel and Colonel)

and brown/red with a gold thread zig-zag through it and a gold tassel indicates General Grade

officer (Major-General, Lieutenant-General and General).

A plain brown tassel indicates all Navy Officers, the navy having no colour coding. However,

having said that, brown tassels are sometimes seen on army swords carried by ‘Gunzoku’ a

civilian attached to an army unit (eg. civilian doctor, administrator etc.). These higher level

gunzoku were accorded officer status.

These tassels are 70 years old and fragile. Regular sliding/folding of the tassel in and out of a

sword bag can cause harm so here they are taken off the hilt and stored flat with an I.D. tag.

The Collection. All 10 swords shown below were carried by Japanese soldiers in WWII. Eight

of the 10 are gendaito, being made between c.1926-1945; one (#9) appears to be either mid-

shinto c.1680-1720, late shin-shinto c.1820-1868 or an early gendaito era c.1875-1895 copy of

a shortened koto era blade; one, (#10), is definitely koto era.

While the gendaito were made for use in WWII the old blades were drafted in for use in WWII.

There were two reasons for this drafting, firstly, some are simply cherished old family blades

officers took to war, either in the original mountings with a leather combat cover, or re-mounted

in military fittings. Secondly, many are old civilian blades handed in, or sold, to the government

by patriotic citizens answering appeals for swords to fill the demand caused by the army’s

massive expansion. Some remained in civilian fittings and some were re-mounted in military

fittings. Officers could purchase either. Here below we have an example of a civilian mounted

sword (third) that has had military use in a leather scabbard cover, and an example of a civilian

sword blade (top) that has been re-mounted in army fittings for military use.

Sword Collection register numbers: (top to bottom) 9, 8, 10, 5, 3, 6, 1, 4, 2 and 7.

1. WWII Army Gendaito by YOSHISADA. No date, but this signature with the same file

marks has been seen dated 1943. Blade cutting edge length 67.2 cm. Private order blade.

This sword has standard Type 98 Army officer’s mounts with 6 seppa (washers), three on each

face of the tsuba (guard). It has a wooden scabbard in a leather combat cover. Such wood and

leather mounts are common, but less so than the standard metal scabbard. This scabbard mouth

has a nickel-plated metal collar into which a chuso (button operated safety catch) connects.

Brown/blue tōcho tassel (not shown).

Very good work of Yamashiro Province shape. The sashi-komi polish delineates the hamon

which is a gentle notare-midare (undulating-irregular) with many ashi and yo (hamon

activities) and yakidashi (level smooth section) near the guard.

Tang is signed katana-mei HEIANJO YOSHISADA KIN SAKU (Respectfully made by

Heianjo Yoshisada). Tang file marks are sujikai with a rare kesho.

The opposite side of the tang where the date is usually cut has instead the slogan JIN CHU HO

KOKU (Loyalty and Patriotism). Such slogans were reasonably common during the war years.

Here is the same tang illustrated by oshigata (tang rubbing with black artist wax/crayon).

The smith is Okishiba Yoshisada (‘Yoshisada’ also is his given name) of Sakai, Osaka, who

became RJT around 1942. The family is a ‘blend’ of the Okimoto and Okishiba sword making

lines, Yoshisada’s father being 1st generation Okishiba Masatsugu (born Okimoto).

Yoshisada’s elder brother was 2nd generation Okishiba Masatsugu who was RJT and from 1942

worked for a time with the Gassan Sadakatsu trained Enomoto Yusuishi Sadayoshi, so

Yoshisada had many strong influences in his swordmaking family circle. His use of ‘Heianjo’

(Heian Castle) in his signature is a reference to his ancestor’s connection to Kyoto. The

Okishiba line claim a lineage back to the Sanjo line of Yamashiro 1394 and from them to the

Heianjo Nagayoshi line and the Heianjo Fujiwara Nobushige line, the ‘Heianjo’ in their

signature indicating their ancient connection to Kyoto. Yoshisada’s father worked in Kyoto

and the family was later (from 1920s?) working in Osaka, where this sword was made.

In the 6th Exhibition of Shinsaku Nihonto Denrankai (New-made Swords) in 1941 Okishiba

Yoshisada and his elder brother 2nd Masatsugu were chosen as two of the 36 1st Seats (National

Swordsmiths), meaning only the 33 Special Honour Noted Seats (National Forging Teachers)

at that time were ranked above them. Under them were 47 2nd Seats (quasi National

Swordsmiths, 18 3rd Seats (Excellent), 46 4th Seats (Good Work) and 67 5th Seats (Rising

Swordsmiths). Yoshisada was rated Joko no Joi (master smith) in 1942 by the famous Kurihara

Akihide. He won Dai Nippon Kyokai Minister’s prize and the Special prize three times.

Yoshisada re-entered swordmaking in 1955, and was still living in 1977. Although Yoshisada

is recorded to have a son, nothing is published about him, therefore the official Okishiba line

continuing today descends from Yoshisada’s brother 2nd Masatsugu 1894-1976 to his son

Nobushige b.1923 to his son Nobuaki b.1950, all using ‘Heianjo’.

Purchased by a friend in Sydney antique shop 1988 then later passed to me. No history.

----------

2. WWII Army Gendaito by SHIGEKUNI. No date but made c.1942. Blade cutting edge

length 66.8 cm. Private order blade.

Type 98 army fittings with silver wrapped habaki (blade collar), steel scabbard, 8 seppa

(washers), brown/blue tōcho (not shown), silver family mon (crest, now missing) on pommel.

In sashi-komi polish. The hamon is essentially a wide suguba (straight, parallel to the edge) of

midare (irregularities) with some flat-topped gonome (half circles) or hako choji (square box

shape cloves). It is a very well-made blade.

Signed katana-mei SHIGEKUNI, an unknown smith. Tang file marks are the rare saka-agari

or hidari-sujikai with kesho.

The name Shigekuni, the style of the sword blade and the tang shape suggest the smith may

have been connected to the old Nanki Shigekuni line of Kii Province. These were based in

Wakayama Castle and died out in the 1850s, but may have had some adherents who taught a

few smiths who survived into the modern era. It is always a mystery why a man with so obvious

a talent can be unknown. Possibly he is a kyōdo tosho (country village swordsmith) who, not

being known to the ‘big city sword community’, remains unrecorded.

On the blade are the scratch marks of a fountain pen which say in English:

Sword of 2nd Lt KUME

KAEDE DIV (YELLOW AUTUMN LEAVES)

MADE BY SHIGEKUNI

This information was probably put on by the Australian recipient of the sword as the details

were read to him by a Japanese interpreter. The maker’s name would have been taken from the

tang itself while the Japanese officer’s name and unit details were probably taken from the

(then) attached cloth surrender tag. This Kaede (Maple) Division is the 32nd Division of the 2nd

Army, Southern Area. The 32nd Div. consisted of the 210th, 211th, 212th Infantry Regiments,

the 32nd Field Artillery, 32nd Engineers and 32nd Transport Regiment, the 32nd Signals, 32nd

Ordnance and 32nd Sanitation Companies, the 32nd Field Hospital and the 32nd Veterinary

Dept., so Lt. Kume could have been in any one of these units. The 32nd Division was raised in

Tokyo in 1939, served in China then came to Halmahera, Netherlands East Indies, via the

Philippines in May 1944. They occupied Morotai in September. The US Army and the

Australians made a landing on Morotai soon after and over the following year this developed

into a continuing pressure on the Japanese. They surrendered here to the US Army 93rd Division

on 27/8/1945. A subsequent formal surrender of the 2nd Army under Lt. Gen. F. Teshima to the

Australians under Gen. Blamey took place at Morotai on 9/9/1945. Lt. Kume probably

surrendered his sword then or within the next few days.

Lt. Gen. Teshima at Balikpapan, Borneo, the day before the surrender at Morotai. 2nd Lieut.

Kume was one of Teshima’s subordinate officers who also gave up his sword the next day.

Obtained from long-time friend Dr. Leo Laden 2008.

----------

3. WWII Army Gendaito by MUNETOSHI. Dated Sept. 1941. Blade cutting edge length

66.0 cm. Private order, one of his pre-RJT blades.

Type 98 army fittings with aluminium scabbard, 8 seppa (washers), silver family mon (crest,

now missing) on pommel. Hamon is ko-midare (small irregularities) but kesho (cosmetic)

polish makes it look suguba (straight). Brown/blue tōcho (not shown). Compare this blade to

#6, a later blade by this same smith.

Tang signed in finely chiselled tachi-mei MUNETOSHI. Tang file marks are kiri. Has two peg

holes but only one used. His polisher ‘signed’ his work with seven nagashi lines. The character

‘Toshi’ used here changes to a different ‘Toshi’ in 1942 when he begins signing swords as an

RJT smith.

Opposite side dated SHOWA JU ROKU NEN KYU GATSU (the 9th month of the 16th year of

the Showa era - Sept. 1941), with a stamped no. 308.

(for the other ‘Toshi’, the polisher’s nagashi lines, tang numbering and Munetoshi’s personal

and professional history, see blade #6).

Ebay 2008. No history.

----------

4. WWII Army Gendaito by KUNISHIRO with star stamp. Dated Feb. 1944. Blade cutting

edge length 69.8 cm (this is the maximum length allowed for RJT swords).

Type 98 fittings with aluminium scabbard and brown/blue tōcho (not shown).

Polish is sashi-komi. Now dirty, hamon is kataochi gonome (flat-topped half-circles slanted)

with saka choji (slanted clove shapes) and some muneyaki (tempered area on the back ridge).

Tang signed katana-mei TSUGARU JU KUNISHIRO SAKU (Kunishiro, a resident of Tsugaru

made (this)) and has RJT star stamp and no. ‘O’154. File marks are sujikai with kesho.

The date in cursive style is SHOWA JU KYU NEN NI GATSU HI (A day in the 2nd month of

the 19th year of the Showa era - February 1944). Ebay 2010. No history.

Nagao Kunishiro was the fourth generation of his swordsmith family. Although stated to be

from a long line of smiths their details are not identified. He was born in Tsuruta village in Kita

Tsugaru, Aomori Prefecture, on 13/11/1908. From 1932 he studied under the swordsmiths

Asari Seigoro, Owada Togoro and Shibuya Fumio. He received his smith name Kunishiro

(which is also his true personal name) in 1941 from Lt. General KUDŌ Chū, who was born in

the same town as Kunishiro and had risen to become Aide-de-Camp to the (Japanese Army

controlled) Manchurian Emperor Puyi. Kunishiro became independent c.1940 and entered in

the 1941 6th Exhibition of Shinsaku Nihonto Denrankai (new-made swords) where he won 5th

Seat (Rising Swordsmith). Became RJT in 1943. He won Jumei Tosho Nyusen

(Commendation) Award in the 2nd Gunto Exhibition Competition in 1943. He worked in the

koto (old sword) style of Bizen Tomonari and in the shinto (new sword) style of Sukesada.

Nagao Kunishiro . Lt. Gen. Kudō Chū and Emperor Puyi.

(Kunishiro pic and biog. from Ono, ‘Gendai Toko Meikan’ 1971 p.153; Kudo pic from Wikipedia).

Kunishiro re-started in swords in 1956 and added the Shogo (art title, degree) ISSHINSAI to

his signature. He won many sword making prizes. He died in 1989. Very good work. His son

became 2nd generation Kunishiro.

Ebay 2010. No history.

----------

5. WWII Army Gendaito by SEISUI (also read Jōsui, Shōsui). Dated 12th Jan. 1944. Blade

cutting edge length 62.1 cm. Private order blade in private order Rinji Seishiki Gunto mounts.

The general mountings style is that of the 1941 introduced Rinji Seishiki Gunto, except that

these are custom-made and have black leather gangi-maki hilt binding, non-military menuki

(hilt ornaments), nickel-plated custom-made fittings (now worn) and black ishime (roughened)

lacquer scabbard. The only standard military part is the Rinji Seishiki Gunto pattern fuchi

(black metal hilt collar abutting the guard). Very interesting fittings in the style of the short

uchigatana sword used by foot soldiers in the Sengoku Jidai (Warring States era 1467-1572).

Blade is polished in sashi-komi. Hamon of nioi and ko-nie (small martensite crystals) has a

yakidashi (flat section) at the beginning of the blade, becoming togari (points) and fushi

(knobs) then becoming gonome-midare (half-circles irregular). This blade shape and hamon

suggests it is inspired by the styles of the famous smiths Kanetsune and Kanesada of the Mino

Zenjo line whose blades armed many foot soldiers during the Sengoku Jidai century of warfare.

Signed (right column) katana-mei in reisho script: OITE MINAMI SHINSHU DAITOTO JU

NIN SEISUI SAKU KORE (At Southern Nagano, Tokyo resident Seisui made this). Seisui

(also read Jōsui or Shōsui) is an unknown smith and this name is probably a gago (art name –

still water pool), possibly also a ‘play’ on the kanji characters for the surname SHIMIZU.

The (left column) is in sosho (grass writing) script which says: IPPO SUSUMITE TSUKI,

IPPO SUSUMITE TATSU (One Step Forward, Thrust (stab), One Step Forward, Slash

(sever)). These words seem to be a sword fighting kata (drill), so it may be that the officer who

ordered this sword was a teacher or follower of a particular style of sword fighting and he had

this kata inscribed here as an ‘inspiration’.

Reisho script date is SHOWA JU KYU NEN JU NI KICHI SHŌ JITSU (12th lucky propitious

day of the 19th year of the Showa era = 12th Jan. 1944). Reisho (clerk’s writing) is an ancient,

official way of writing. Fine file marks in rare kiri-sujikai style. Both peg holes used.

As mentioned, the smith’s gago ‘SEISUI’ could also be a ‘play’ on the family name SHIMIZU

as both utilize the same kanji components, both can be pronounced ‘Seisui’ and both have the

same general meaning: ‘pure water’. Because of this, perhaps the smith’s name is Shimizu?

SEI SHI - SEI

SUI MIZU - SUI

These Rinji Seishiki Gunto mounts are also rare, but not unique; here are three more examples.

The first of these private order mountings, except for the army pattern sakura menuki (cherry

blossom hilt ornaments) and a different tsuba (guard) shape, has the same fittings and (red-

brown) leather gangi-maki binding as the Seisui sword above. Blade is yo-tetsu (western steel)

by Ikkansai Kuniteru, dated May 1944. Swords by Kuniteru are known to come from the Okura

Forge in Tokyo at this time. It is thought that Kuniteru is a name used by a student of Miyaguchi

Ikkansai Yasuhiro, a founding swordsmith at the Yasukuni Forge in Tokyo in 1933 who, from

1936, made traditional and yo-tetsu blades at the Okura Forge.

(NMB site topic ‘Yasukuni swords in Type 3 mounts?’ page 2 post #39).

The second mounting is on a 66 cm tamahagane (traditional iron) blade by this Miyaguchi

Ikkansai Yasuhiro. Tang dated November 1944, two peg holes. At that date Yasuhiro worked

at the Okura Forge. This Rinji Seishiki Gunto mounting, except for the more usual army style

katate-maki binding (in non-standard green) and the army style sakura menuki (cherry blossom

hilt ornaments) with family mon (crest), kabuto-gane and ishidzuki (hilt and scabbard end-caps)

are the same as the two above, but this ishidzuki has the usual army sakura decoration on it

which in this case, along with the blade collar, the mon and the edgings of metal parts, is gilded.

(Nihonto Antiques site, item fss-694).

The third mounting shows that this style may be more widespread than just Okura in Tokyo.

Here is an example that holds a hand-made? blade by the Seki 23rd Generation Kato Kanefusa.

It has (red-orange) leather? gangi-maki binding, but the kabuto (hilt end cap) and ishidzuki

(scabbard end cap) are standard army Rinji Seishiki Gunto style with the latter having the usual

sakura (cherry blossom) decoration. This sword, like the second and third examples above,

also has the standard army sakura menuki (cherry blossom hilt ornaments). Of the four private

order sword mountings shown here only this one has the ‘dust-cover’ seppa (washer) that

covers the mouth of the scabbard as usually seen on Rinji Seishiki Gunto mounts (see #8). As

this blade was made by a smith in Seki it is presumed it was also mounted there. One peg used.

(stcroixblades.com - 23rd Generation Kanefusa).

These four rare mounts shown above indicate that there are WWII sword mounting

groups/styles still waiting to be identified. As the Seisui sword was made in ‘Southern Nagano’,

which lies between Tokyo and Seki, it is possible it was mounted in either of these sword

making centres.

This personalised, private order sword by SEISUI is a swordsmith mystery waiting to be

solved. It was carried by a Japanese officer from January 1944 and shows normal field wear to

the mounts, but the blade is still virtually perfect. This was “taken in battle” in the Pacific and

brought back to San Diego, California, by a US soldier, but unfortunately his widow knew

nothing more about its history.

Ebay 2011.

----------

6. WWII Army Gendaito by MUNETOSHI with star stamp. Dated May 1943. Blade cutting

edge length 64.0 cm. Compare these uchigatana derived mounts and shorter, stouter blade with

the Type 98 tachi derived mounts with longer, more graceful blade by Munetoshi #3.

High grade Rinji Seishiki Gunto (Contingency Standard Type Army Sword) with lacquered

katate-maki binding, celluloid samé and ishime (roughened) lacquered wooden scabbard.

These mounts have two chuso (safety clip buttons) and a dust cover over the scabbard mouth.

Blade has sashi-komi polish which shows the hamon is ko-gonome-midare and ko-choji (small

half circles-becoming irregular, small clove blossoms). A beautiful hamon. Notice here (and

#3) that the polisher has ‘signed’ his work using seven nagashi (lines). It is said an uneven

number of lines indicates the polisher follows the Hon’ami polishing tradition while an even

number indicates he is following the Fujishiro polishing tradition.

Tang signed tachi-mei MUNETOSHI with RJT star stamp. Again, this smith is Yamagami

Munetoshi of Niigata, but now using the different kanji for “TOSHI” (see #3) which he started

to do in early 1942 soon after he began his RJT period. File marks are kiri.

Dated in fine chiselling SHOWA JU HACHI NEN GO GATSU (5th month of 18th year of the

Showa era - May 1943). Both peg holes used.

WWII swords by Munetoshi and his brother Akihisa are numbered (see #3) and from c.1942 a

kanji (character) logo was added next to the production number. This sword has the kanji

‘matsu’ (pine) in a circle with number 1080. It is not certain whether this number is that of the

Yamagami brothers themselves or if it is that of the blade polisher or the fittings maker who

mounted the sword. In 1944 the numbering system changed to a kana (sound character) and

number which seems to be an Army sword department requirement as it is also seen on other

RJT smith swords, but again, is it by the smith, polisher or fittings workshop? Munetoshi and

his brother Akihisa did very good work.

Yamagami (personal name Wakakichi) Munetoshi of Nishiyama Town, Kariwa District,

Niigata Prefecture, was born 1902. He was a well-known modern smith who studied under

Kasama Ikkansai Shigetsugu 1933-1935. Munetoshi won many sword making prizes starting

in 1939. He won Joko no Joi (master swordsmith) from Kurihara Akihide in 1942. From 1954

he signed as Munetoshi (again using the first Toshi) and from 1960 changed his name to

Munehide and from 1965 to Hidemune. He won many more awards between 1954-1970. His

swords have papered with the NBTHK and NTHK-NPO. Still living 1980.

Yamagami Munetoshi (Ono, ‘Gendai Toko Taikan’ 1971 p.109).

Ebay 2011. No history.

----------

7. WWII Army Gendaito by KANEHIDE with star stamp. Dated May 1944. Blade cutting

edge length 62.5 cm. Again, mounts derive from the uchigatana type of 1467-1572.

This is a ‘common’ style Rinji Seishiki Gunto (Contingency Standard Type Army Sword) with

un-lacquered katate hilt bindings, celluloid samé, steel scabbard. The ‘common’ type (with one

chuso safety clip button, no scabbard mouth dust cover) are only seen on Seki made Showato

but, like this one with two buttons and a dust cover, have been seen on RJT blades by Seki

smiths such as this Kanehide and his colleagues Kojima Kanenori and Murayama Kanetoshi.

Blade has sashi-komi polish showing the hamon is a regular gonome (half circle) interspersed

with togari (points). There are the occasional sanbonsugi (three cedar trees) groups. This is the

classic hamon of the Kanemoto line of Seki. Kanehide also tempered in choji (cloves).

Tang signed tachi-mei SEKI KANEHIDE SAKU KORE (Seki resident Kanehide made this).

Tang has the RJT star stamp. File marks are taka-no-ha.

Dated SHOWA JU KYU NEN GO GATSU HI (a day in 5th month of 19th year of Showa era

– May 1944). Blue paint marks are the assembly number A 14. Two peg holes, both used.

Nakata (given name Isamu) Kanehide was born in Ōkuwa village, Nagano Prefecture

24/8/1913. From 1928 he studied in Kōchi Prefecture (Shikoku Island), under 12th generation

Kawashima Masahide and in 1937 went to Seki, Gifu Prefecture, to study under Watanabe

Kanenaga at the Seki Tanren Juku (Forging Training Centre). In November he became head of

student training there (his art name ‘Kanehide’ comes from adopting one kanji (character) from

each of his teachers’ names). In 1938 he made presentation swords for Benito Mussolini and

Adolf Hitler. He retired from here in December 1940 and in February 1941 entered the sword

making company Seki Token Kabu Shiki Kaisha and in May 1941 was appointed RJT. He

forged military swords here until war’s end including, in 1943, for General Hideki Tojo.

Forging workshop, Seki, c.1940.

Standing left: student leader Nakata Kanehide. Standing right: swordsmith Mitsunobu.

Seated right: swordsmith Toki (Yuichi) Sukenobu. All became RJT together (Ohmura-study.net/021).

Re-entered sword making in 1954. Made swords for the Emperor / Empress in 1957. Appointed

Mukansa (Cultural Treasure) of Seki 1976 and Gifu 1977. He died in 1989. Many of his swords

have papered with the NBTHK and the NTHK-NPO. He is followed by his son Masanao.

Kanehide c.1970.

(photo and biog. from Ono, ‘Gendai Toko Meikan’ 1971 p.81 and sanmei.com site: G62433(S3272) katana Kanehide Showa 61).

Ebay 2012, no history.

-----------

8. WWII Army Gendaito by KUNIHIDE with star stamp. Dated Aug. 1944. Blade cutting

edge length 66.8 cm. Mounts derive from the uchigatana type of 1467-1572.

This is a good quality Rinji Seishiki Gunto (Contingency Standard Type Army Sword). This

style of mounting with un-lacquered binding and often a plain painted wood scabbard differs

from those seen on sword #6. I have only ever seen this style of mounting on swords made in

the Osaka-Kyoto region. The scabbard usually has a canvas or leather combat cover, but it is

missing here. Scabbard has two chuso (safety clip buttons) and a scabbard mouth dust cover.

The hamon is a beautiful notare-midare (undulating-irregular), but is polished in kesho

(cosmetic) style which obscures the true outline. Kesho was used on some military swords in

WWII to save time and expense. In the post-war era kesho (now called hadori) seems to have

become the ‘standard’ polish.

Tang signed tachi-mei in an elegant cursive style FUSHIMI JU TAKASHIMA KUNIHIDE

SAKU (Fushimi resident Takashima Kunihide made (this)). Has star stamp of the Rikugun

Jumei Tosho inspector just above the signature. File marks are sujikai with kesho.

Dated in cursive style SHOWA JU KYU NEN HACHI GATSU HI (a day in the 8th month of

the 19th year of the Showa era = August 1944). Two peg holes, both used. The upper flat edge

of the tang is stamped in small numbers ‘90’ (RJT number or his own tally number?).

Takashima Kunihide (his given name is not known) was an RJT smith. His work is very good

and he won 5th Seat (Rising Swordsmith) in the 6th Shinsaku Nihonto (New-made Swords)

Competition of 1941 and the Jumei Tosho Nyusen (Commendation) Award in the 1st Gunto

Exhibition RJT Competition in January 1944. It is not known if he worked after the war. An

example of his war-time RJT work papered Hozon (NBTHK #328457 on 28/11/1991) and that

blade is numbered ‘98’ (same date as this #8).

Other than these few professional facts it is known from his signature that he lived/worked in

Fushimi, a suburb of Kyoto. In fact, he is the only WWII smith known to have lived in Fushimi

and to have used ‘Fushimi’ in his tang signatures.

Little is known about WWII sword making in Fushimi. A contemporary source (‘Dai Nihon Token Shoko Meikan’ 1942 p.304/12) lists only four swordsmiths working in Kyoto, none in

Fushimi. Despite this, it is known there was a forge in Fushimi, in the grounds of the Fushimi

Inari Shrine. According to Ono (‘Gendai Toko Kinko Shokukata Soran’ 1977 p.106) an RJT smith,

Kanazaki Toshimitsu of Tottori Prefecture, made swords “at the Fushimi Inari Jinja Token

Tanrenjo” (Fushimi Inari Shrine Sword Forge). Kishida says Toshimitsu was ordered by the

military to make 30 swords here which he presented to the chief monk in January 1945. For

this he was rewarded with the name ‘Inari Kokaji’ (Swordsmith of Inari) (‘Yasukuni Swords’ 2004 pp.134-5). As the Inari shrine forge and Kunihide were both in Fushimi and Kunihide is

the only known WWII ‘Fushimi smith’, it would be nice to think he too worked at that forge.

This is a very good blade.

Ebay 2012, no history.

----------

9. WWII Army Shinto/Shin-shinto/Gendaito. Unsigned. Blade cutting edge length 59 cm.

Type 98 Army sword with aluminium scabbard. Good quality fittings with sukashi tsuba (cut-

through guard) and 8 seppa (washers) which often indicates a quality blade. All scabbard and

hilt parts are numbered 0314. Brown/blue tōcho (not shown).

This sword hilt has large granule samé (ray-skin) and a silver mon (crest) on the pommel. The

crest is a kiku (chrysanthemum) which, in its round form, signifies the Imperial family. In this

‘diamond’ shape it signifies a family ‘connected’ to the Imperial family, meaning that perhaps

in the past a daughter married a minor prince or a son married a minor princess, but although

connected, this did not confer royalty on the family itself. Prior to 1913 this diamond shaped

crest signified the Kimura, Nakamura and Toda families, but after 1913, anyone could choose

to use any mon they wished (except for the Imperial chrysanthemum), so if this ‘non-Imperial’

diamond kiku too was open to public choosing, we cannot assume that this officer’s family

name was one of the three given here.

Blade is o-wakizashi (a long short sword) with thin, but broad, blade, a shallow curve and a

long tip. This short blade is ideal for up-close face-to-face combat on a crowded battlefield.

Blade is in sashi-komi polish. Hada (grain) is masame and ko-itame (straight and small swirls).

Hamon is large gonome-midare (half circles-irregular) of nioi and nie (martensite crystals) with

kawazuko choji (tadpole shapes) and sunagashi (floating sand lines) in the ‘valleys’.

Tang of blade #9 is mumei (unsigned). File marks are kiri with mild katte-sagari (slant).

In overall style, blade #9 resembles a mid-Nanbokucho era 1338-1367 mounted samurai’s tachi

(a long sword worn edge-down, suspended from the sash) that was o-suriage (greatly

shortened) during the later Sengoku Jidai (Warring States era) 1467-1572 to become a foot

soldier’s uchigatana (shorter sword worn edge-up, thrust through the sash). This shortening

was common during this century of warfare due to the shift from horseback to fighting on foot.

The photos below compare blade #9 at 59 cm with an known Nanbokucho era blade by

Masanune c.1320 originally about 75 cm long, shortened to 57.5 cm some 150 years later.

(Masamune blade from M. Sesko, ‘Japaanese Sword Legends’).

I assess blade #9 as follows: while it resembles a mid-Nanbokucho era blade greatly shortened

c.1500, its tang edges, peg hole edges and file marks are still ‘sharpish’ and ‘crispish’ rather

than ‘greatly rounded’ like those of a much-handled old tang, indicating it is probably a much-

later-made mumei utsushi (unsigned copy) of a greatly shortened Nanbokucho blade.

Following from this, it can be said the manufacturing characteristics of blade #9 resemble the

work of Mino School smiths, in particular those of the Aizu Kanesada line which can be traced

down from their 1st generation c.1558 through to the 11th generation who died in 1903. Being

reasonably ‘crisp’, this sword fits with the later Aizu Kanesada smiths, therefore, examples of

their mid-shinto era (5th generation), late shin-shinto era (10th generation) and early gendaito

era (11th generation) works are studied here for comparison with blade #9.

First is 5th gen. Aizu Kanesada 1666-1713. These sword-dealer photos below are of a katana

blade shortened to wakizashi length (53.8 cm). It is unsigned but papered by Yoshikawa sensei

of the NTHK as Mutsu Province work of Genroku era 1688-1703. The dealer, Mr Rannow of

Art Swords, attributes it to Aizu Kanesada (Aizu is in Mutsu) who, given the era assessed by

Yoshikawa, must be the 5th generation. The blade is in sashi-komi polish. Construction is

masame with ko-itame grain, hamon shape is large gonome-midare of nie and nioi with

kawazuko choji and sunagashi sand lines, which features can be seen to be very close to #9.

It can be seen that this tip is medium and the blade shape is that of a shinto era katana rather

than that of a copy of a shortened mid-Nanbokucho era tachi, meaning this blade is not a copy

of a shortened Nanbokucho era tachi, but was made as a shinto era katana, later shortened.

Its tang is shortened and is thus hard to compare with #9, but like #9, the file marks are kiri

(horizontal) with mild katte-sagari (slant) (above photos: Art Swords - Aizu Kanesada 2018 - NTHK cert. #14465).

This photo of an intact Aizu 5th gen. Kanesada wakizashi tang is added to show how its shape,

tang tip and file marks do fit well with #9 (photo: nihontocraft Aizu Godai Kanesada - NBTHK cert. #294978 1974).

Second is the 10th gen. Aizu Kanesada 1818-1864. These sword-dealer’s photos below show

an unsigned 69.4 cm blade in sashi-komi polish. NBHK-NPO attribution is to Den (style of)

Aizu Kanesada of Ansei era 1854-1860. The dealer narrows this to Aizu 10th gen. Kanesada

(fam. name: Furukawa Omi). Comparing this blade with #9, it can be seen that the overall blade

shape, long tip, tempered edge pattern, tang shape, tang tip and file marks do match well.

(photos courtesy of Andrew Quint, Nihonto.US, ref. Aizu Kanesada Katana - item S0221. NBHK-NPO attribution 110489, 9 Oct. 2006).

Third is Aizu 11th gen. Izumi no Kami Kanesada b.1837-d.1903 (fam. name: Furukawa

Seizaemon). His early work 1852-1863 was signed Kanemoto. These sword-dealer’s photos

below are of an unsigned 62.2 cm katana made by this Kanemoto and, while it has a medium

length tip and a deeper curve, the other blade manufacturing details of hamon, which is o-

gonome-midare with floating sand lines (harder to see due to kesho (hadori) polish), its tang

shape and file marks, all fit well with the work of both his father/teacher 10th gen. Kanesada

and blade #9.

(Kanemoto blade in Bushido Art & Antiques, Netherlands, 2018 with NBTHK attribution 343266 1977: Tokubetsu Kicho).

This son was apprenticed to his father from c.1850. Beginning in 1852 the son used the name

Kanemoto. For a decade he made swords signed this way and also made some for his father to

sign (called daisaku). Between 1860-1863 he began to concurrently use the name Kanesada.

Moving to Kyoto in late 1863 he received the honorary swordsmith title Izumi no Kami (Lord

of Izumi). It was here that he began to make the long tips as seen on blade #9. He returned to

Aizu in 1865 and officially became Aizu 11th generation Izumi no Kami Kanesada in 1868 (his

father dying in 1869). From this time, in line with the modernising of Japan then occurring, he

made ‘sabre’ type blades for military officers serving in the new ‘European style’ national

Army and Navy, but most importantly, he is also known to have made, between 1875-1895,

many unsigned copies (mumei utsushi) of greatly shortened mid-Nanbokucho era tachi blades,

which is essentially the style of blade #9. This #9 could therefore be one of his copies.

Aizu 11th generation Izumi no Kami Kanesada c.1892

(photo and brief biography from M. Sesko, ‘Last of the Kanesada’ and ‘Nihon Shin-Shinto Shi’).

The three Aizu Kanesada line blades shown here compare well with blade #9. Their 5th

generation conforms closest in manufacturing detail and their 10th Generation conforms closest

in shape, but the fact that #9 is almost certainly a mumei utsushi (unsigned copy) of a greatly

shortened mid-Nanbokucho tachi, points to it most likely being made by the 11th generation

who is known to have made such unsigned copies between 1875-1895. Deciding if this

assessment is correct will require shinsa (expert appraisal).

If made by the 5th generation it can be classified as shinto.

If made by the 10th generation it can be classified as shin-shinto.

If it is one of the 11th generation’s post-1868 unsigned copies, it can be classified as gendaito.

Blade #9’s combat scratching, although annoying, does not detract from it being appreciated

as an interesting high quality blade in interesting high quality WWII army mountings.

Why an older blade was found in modern WWII army mountings can be explained as follows:

While it is certain that such blades were sometimes the family blades of officers who, upon

graduation, simply had them mounted to their taste and then took them to war, it is more likely

that it is one of the many civilian blades purchased by the Military after appeals were made in

1938 and again in 1942 for private owners to sell their swords to the Army or Navy. These

were needed to help fill the shortage caused by the increasing number of officers being

appointed to the rapidly expanding military forces. The Purchasing Authority would purchase

(mostly) naked blades but also those partially or fully mounted. Naked blades, like this one,

were mounted in military fittings while the mounted swords were simply fitted with the

appropriate leather scabbard cover (see #10) and then on-sold to new officers through their

Officer Clubs.

Sword #9 was obtained in the Perth (Western Australia) Legacy Auction of Oct. 2018 (lot 608).

It came from the estate of the late Lt. Col. Ray Mawson 1928-2018, post-war CO of 16th Royal

Western Australian Regiment. Sword history unknown.

----------

10. WWII Army Koto. Unsigned, undated (c.1450). Blade cutting edge length 52.4 cm.

Mounted in good quality pre-1868 fittings. Silver wrapped two-piece habaki (blade collar -

base part missing). The hilt has high quality fuchi-kashira (throat-piece and end-cap) of black

shakudo (dark metal alloy) with gold edging. Menuki (hilt ornaments) are dragons and it has

large-nodule samé (ray-skin) under the gold-coloured hira-maki binding. Tsuba (hand-guard)

is plain black patinated copper (20th century?). The scabbard is mounted in a black leather

combat cover so this sword definitely saw military service in WWII. This scabbard itself has

textured black lacquer with pearl shell specks but is flaked along the seams.

This is a koto era uchigatana (short sword c.60 cm). The short tang, blade lightness, ‘darkish’

metal, strong saki-zori curvature (increases in the front half of the blade), and small tip with

yokote agari (cross line slants up) indicates a Bizen Province blade of the Muromachi era

(1392-1573) (a Japanese sword dealer thinks “Bizen Province c.1400”). The uchigatana was

carried by the common (non-samurai) foot soldier and was ideal for the ‘one-handed quick-

draw-and-cut movement’ so often needed when fighting on foot. Being so ‘handy’ it began to

be carried by the samurai elite now fighting on foot also. Very few of the foot soldiers’

examples have survived, so this one is probably a better quality samurai example. Because

these were used in hard fighting they were often made with a shinobiana (a second peg hole in

the butt of the tang) as a ‘back-up’ in case the main peg broke in combat (Sato K. ‘The Japanese Sword’ 1986 p.114). By the end of this era, as their longer mounted-use tachi and

accompanying tanto (dagger) were now obsolete, the uchigatana grew to become the katana

of c.70-75 cm which, paired with blades c.50 cm called wakizashi, were now worn by samurai.

(Fujishiro Shinto Hen p.43).

Polish is sashi-komi. Scratching obscures some forging and temper line details but the hamon

is nie-nioi (large-small martensite crystals) notare-midare (undulating-irregular) with some

areas being a form of kuichigauba (double tempered edge) that in this case remain connected

to the true hamon (compare hamon in above photo to hamon in above drawing).

Tang shape, shortness and shinobiana (second hole) fits the uchigatana style of Bizen Province

(Sato p.114). It is also possible however that this tang was shortened c.5 cm and the ‘notches’

re-cut further up the blade with the new tang area given kiri file marks and a new hole. If so,

the tang shape is not original, but still fits the style of Bizen work. It is difficult to be certain.

Like #9, this sword is possibly one of the WWII ‘public purchase’ swords, although at 52.4 cm

it is below the prescribed minimum length of 54.4 cm. This rule must have been regularly

ignored as even shorter swords have been seen fitted with combat scabbard covers for service.

Gift from long-time friend Alex Lim 1990 (found on the back of a plumber’s truck.

----------------