Home » Forums » Japanese Swords & Fittings » Nihonto

Translating kanji on tsuka and seppa?

Submitted by Looper on Fri, 2016-09-23 19:11

Hi all.
I’m looking into a sword I bought a good while ago, it was in terrible shape so I’m struggling for clues. While I know that koshirae aren’t a great help in providing information but I’m curious about the writing on the tsuka and seppa that came with the sword. Both look to have been made for the blade. They proved difficult to photograph so I’ve done my best to copy them on paper. Any help with translation and possible meaning would be great.
Many thanks.

tsuka4.jpg
AttachmentSize
tsuka.jpg614.18 KB
seppa.jpg928.64 KB
tsuka1.jpg289.5 KB
‹ WW2 Japanese Sword Mei Translation Help Any Ideas? ›

#1Submitted by saipan59 on Sat, 2016-09-24 00:34.

1,000,000

The left side of the tsuka looks like "Hyaku Man", which is the kanji for "100" and "10,000", which would be "1,000,000".
My guess is that the left and right together is a patriotic slogan.

Pete
#2Submitted by Looper on Sat, 2016-09-24 20:45.

Thanks Pete.

Thanks Pete.
#3Submitted by Looper on Mon, 2016-10-10 20:23.

Better photo and possible kanji

Not sure this is going to get me anywhere, but thought I'd come back with an update. After a spell on a Japanese forum I think the first two kanji on the right could be Suzuki. No matter how I look at the possible kanji I still can't make any sense of what this might say. I've added a better photo. Any ideas welcome.
#4Submitted by saipan59 on Tue, 2016-10-11 01:24.

Frank Jones

Suzuki (or similar) is definitely possible for the right side. My wife says "hyaku man" may not be right.
And, considering that Japanese at this time was written right-to-left, it may simply be the soldier's name.
Assuming it is Suzuki: As of about 30 years ago, Suzuki was the most common name in Tokyo, and the 2nd most common overall in Japan (Tanaka was first).
SO, it may just say the equivalent of "Frank Jones"... :-)

Pete
#5Submitted by Looper on Tue, 2016-10-11 07:39.

Thanks.

Thanks Pete, I didn't know to read from right to left. I realise that whatever this says it might be quite uninteresting, from the few examples of tsuka with writing I've found online, it never seems to be anything special. I should have said that I think the tsuka is late Edo or ealier, from a civilian mounted sword. Thanks again.