Characters on the tang of this katana

[bayonet24]

Can anyone tell me what the characters say on the tang of this Katana? I bought it a few years agao in Iowa from a guy who had it in his shed. I think it was brought back from WW II. Thank you!

 

[Toritoribe]

西部宗命
Nishibe Munechika

That's the name of a swordsmith who lived in Seki, Gifu Prefecture.
(It's written vertically, thus, your picture is rotated 90 degrees to the right.)

 

[bayonet24]

Thank you! Can you tell me his name? I want to see if I can find out when it was made. Thank you again!

西部宗命
Nishibe Munechika

 

[Toritoribe]

Nishibe Munechika is his name, as I wrote in my previous post. Nishibe is the surname, and Munechika is the given name. (Nishibe Munechika is a pseudonym, and his real name is 西部武夫 Nishibe Takeo.) He was registered as a swordsmith in the list of swordsmith in Seki on 19th November 1941.

 

[bayonet24]

THank ou very much!

Sorry, I missed the name. Thank you very much!

Nishibe Munechika is his name, as I wrote in my previous post. Nishibe is the surname, and Munechika is the given name. (Nishibe Munechika is a pseudonym, and his real name is 西部武夫 Nishibe Takeo.) He was registered as a swordsmith in the list of swordsmith in Seki on 19th November 1941.