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Kanjis from katana purchased in Japan

Lighty

後輩
20 Feb 2015
13
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11
Hello,
a japanese friend of my grandfather traveled again to Japan in 1960 and purchased this sword, then when he was back in Brazil he gifted my grandfather with this sword. This coin was attached to the sword-set. The sword does not cut. Can someone explain me the type of the sword (i don't know if it is a Katana or not) and translate the kanjis in the coin? I mainly want this translation because i want to know the origin of the sword and etc. (No, i'm not selling it.)

Images of the coin and swords:
Imgur

EDIT:
Can you guys please tell me what the symbol on the top of the coin is? I really want to know that too.

Thanks and sorry for the inconvenience,
Matheus.
 
Hi Lighty and welcome to JREF. You forget there is a time difference in Japan. It is now only about 4AM in the morning there. Try to give 12 to 24 hours on answers to questions here. Some of our Japanese members only get on their PC's on the weekend because they work such long hours Monday through Friday.
I can't help with the Japanese , but I do have a sword like yours I got in 1972. They are replicas/copies of real swords with blades that will break if you hit them hard and you can't really sharpen them without ruining them either. They are made just to look at, and not to be used and do not cost a great deal. Hopefully someone will be on in a few hours who can give you more information.
 
Hi Lighty and welcome to JREF. You forget there is a time difference in Japan. It is now only about 4AM in the morning there. Try to give 12 to 24 hours on answers to questions here. Some of our Japanese members only get on their PC's on the weekend because they work such long hours Monday through Friday.
I can't help with the Japanese , but I do have a sword like yours I got in 1972. They are replicas/copies of real swords with blades that will break if you hit them hard and you can't really sharpen them without ruining them either. They are made just to look at, and not to be used and do not cost a great deal. Hopefully someone will be on in a few hours who can give you more information.

Oooh, thanks!
I didn't knew that some of you guys really live in Japan! Also, thanks for letting me know about the sword, i was about to practice with the sword and sharp it! Ill just let the sword rest right know. Is the sword manually forged? Or it's just made to sell, sell and sell? Anyway, thanks for the reply. :)
 
If the blade doesn't have an edge, it might not be meant to have an edge. Most swords these days are decorative, and are not able to hold an edge. Imgur is blocked at my work so I can't see your photo, but someone will probably be along who can help with that
 
I may be wrong , but I think they are machine made by the thousands. I see them on television and in magazines for sale and also at what we call flea markets. They usually go from $25US all the way up to $250US depending on size and detail. I was told by my Japanese friend they are tin and zinc and can bend or break very easily. Mine is 43 years old , but still looks good. We have a few members here who are experts on swords and may give you better info and explain what the Japanese says for you. The wavy design on the blades are what usually give them away. A true Japanese hand made sword blade looks very different then these copies. I'm no expert though , so better to wait for better answers then I can give. The handle area on Japanese swords can be removed and under the grip area are usually marking about the sword maker. I have never removed my own swords grip , so not sure if anything is written there.
 
I may be wrong , but I think they are machine made by the thousands. I see them on television and in magazines for sale and also at what we call flea markets. They usually go from $25US all the way up to $250US depending on size and detail. I was told by my Japanese friend they are tin and zinc and can bend or break very easily. Mine is 43 years old , but still looks good. We have a few members here who are experts on swords and may give you better info and explain what the Japanese says for you. The wavy design on the blades are what usually give them away. A true Japanese hand made sword blade looks very different then these copies. I'm no expert though , so better to wait for better answers then I can give. The handle area on Japanese swords can be removed and under the grip area are usually marking about the sword maker. I have never removed my own swords grip , so not sure if anything is written there.

Oh, but it was purchased in Japan early 1960s, i don't know where but i can confirm that it was purchased in Japan. Do you know if i have "this risk" of being "fake"?
 
During WWII , many of the old family swords were cut down short to make them easier to carry and adhere to military rules. Also , at the end of the war there was an order to turn in old family swords to be destroyed as part of the treaty that ended the war. Some of the old originals were hidden and some were taken home by US military people. Soldiers loved to have war souvenirs to take home so a whole industry developed around making fake flags and swords etc. . My guess is swords like mine were being made as soon as the war ended in the late 40's and early 50's. The reason I suspected yours is a reproduction like mine is the design on the edge of the blade on yours is identical as mine.
Again , you should wait till some of our experts here can reply to you. If it turns out your sword is a real old one, you may be asked to remove the handle/grip to reveal any writing under it.
 
The "coin" is just a Tokyo souvenir keychain shaped like an old Japanese coin. It has no value.

The sword set is almost certainly a replica intended only for display, mass-produced for sale to tourists and similarly with no real value.
 
Thanks, Mike.
Actually.. i have another 2 "last questions", i would be glad if you guys could help me.
Inside the both swords i can hear a "rice" sound inside it (on the sword handle), is this normal? When i shake it i just hear this. Also, on the Tsubas of the swords there's this symbol, are they just ocidental heart symbols or they have a meaning? I have a vague impression of being a "Tokugawa Clan Crest" like the user Mike Cash said, someone know the meaning of this symbol on the Tsubas? Thanks.
Also, sorry for my bad english.. i'm not practicing it nowadays.
 
Swords shouldn't make any sounds. There are no hollow or moving parts to a sword that would produce a sound. You might hear a clinking sound from the metal parts (tsuba, seppa, habaki) rattling around, but ideally these will fit tightly together and there won't be any sound at all.

As others have mentioned, your swords are mass-produced souvenirs for the tourist trade. They are a souvenir set of long and short sword (大小) daisho - katana and wakizashi, more or less the standard equipment for a gentleman samurai from about the 16th century onward. No telling why they are making the sounds you describe.

The heart shape is known in Japan as Inome (猪の目) or "boar's eye". It is a common motif - not just on tsuba, but in architecture as well.
 
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