Japanese translator for Bring back Katana? (Large picture)

[User Name]

Hello all! This is a picture of the tang on my friends WWII bring back Katana. Does anyone know where I could get a translation of the script?



It's a large pic, but I wanted it to be clear.

[Bluehawk]

I can tell you the first three characters say "nihonto", meaning "Japanese sword".... but nothing more than that, sorry

EDIT: Okay, I can definitely determine the sword has the signature of Nakata Kanehide.

[User Name]

Originally Posted by Bluehawk

I can tell you the first three characters say "nihonto", meaning "Japanese sword".... but nothing more than that, sorry

Thanks! That's more than I had before!

[Bluehawk]

Bump for a major clue

[Gudenrath]

You could try posting a link to that picture and asking for a translation on the Wikipedia language reference desk. They are usually pretty good at answering such queries.

[Unterscharfuhrer]

The symbols on the left are a name but all I can read is the family name "Nakada", on the other side I read "japanese sword" and if I guess right where and how its made, it´s hard to read cause the symbols are old japanese letters which are very difficult to read if you jjust can read the new ones!
But really a nice and intresting piece!

[User Name]

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate the help you've provided so far! My friend said thanks too!

[Unterscharfuhrer]

Originally Posted by User Name

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate the help you've provided so far! My friend said thanks too!

I´ve sented it to my cousin who lives in japan, he should be able to read it or ask anyone about it, I write you a pm as soon as he replies to me!

[REZ]

Originally Posted by Unterscharfuhrer

I write you a pm as soon as he replies to me!

Noooooo... tell ussss, tell usss what it meanses! We mussst know!

[Pagan]

Its possible it was one of the Goverment issued swords which were mass produced for the war.

[Bluehawk]

Nakata Kanehide worked for the Rikugun Jumei Tosho as a state-commissioned swordsmith, and made his swords manually (as opposed to machine-stamping them en masse in a factory).

There is of course always the possibility that the blade is post-war or just an outright fake with his signature forged.

[User Name]

Originally Posted by Bluehawk

Nakata Kanehide worked for the Rikugun Jumei Tosho as a state-commissioned swordsmith, and made his swords manually (as opposed to machine-stamping them en masse in a factory).

There is of course always the possibility that the blade is post-war or just an outright fake with his signature forged.

I can't prove it's not without proper inspection, but it was part of a trade that included it, and a Type 38. I have the Type 38, and my friend has the sword. They were both purchased from an elderly man who claimed to have picked them up from the beach on Iwo as he was transporting wounded back and forth to medical ships. I never met him, and plenty of people have stories, but it seems more realistic than the usual "taken from his cold dead hands" type story. The mum is intact on the 38, and the rifle is all matching.

Here are some pics of the whole sword.





Here is the 38