Translation of a text found in a katana

[Tania-chan]

Hello everybody!

For my present I've been given a gorgeous katana, and it has an inscription in the tsuba which I don't understand. Can anybody translate it to English?

Thanks!!

PS: I hope the attachment works well!

 

[The7thSamurai]

Hi Tania-chan,

It says, starting from the righthand side, "isamashii bosu no tenka" which means "the brave boss's world". Note, it literally says the English word "boss" (bosu). Also, 'world' is a fairly crude translation of 'tenka', which literally means 'under heaven'. Another way to translate 'tenka' is 'descent from heaven', so it could also mean "the brave boss's decent from heaven".

Also, it seems to be written backwards, which is why I was having trouble reading it at first. Anyone out there know the significance of that?

 

[Damicci]

I thought I was on crack for a moment. I kept reading in left to right thinking WTH!?!
Maybe it is meant to be read form top to bottom but just fits better right to left traditionally on the hand guard.

 

[JimmySeal]

Not like that scabbard is an authentic example of old writing, but the technique of writing from left to right only emerged sometime in the last 100 years. Before that, even unilinear writing went from right to left.

 

[Damicci]

Not like that scabbard is an authentic example of old writing, but the technique of writing from left to right only emerged sometime in the last 100 years. Before that, even unilinear writing went from right to left.

That would explain it if is meant to be from 100+ years ago.

 

[The7thSamurai]

Why would something that was written 100+ years ago have the word "boss" written on it in katakana? When did English words start to become popular in Japanese?

 

[epigene]

Why would something that was written 100+ years ago have the word "boss" written on it in katakana? When did English words start to become popular in Japanese?

It was NOT written 100+ years ago. It's not genuine because of the fact you just pointed out correctly. The obsolete right-to-left style is used just to "pretend" it's old.

 

[dark_secrester]

It is a replication of a katana, written right to left. It isn't supposed to be exactly like old katanas.
Anyway, even though they are loan words, words like ボス have become part of the Japanese language, so a crafter wouldn't think twice about putting bosu on the back of the grip.