THIS IS A GENUINE AND ORIGINAL JAPANESE SAMURAI UCHIGATANA SWORD AND SCABBARD IN ‘AS FOUND’ LOOSE FITTING SECOND WORLD WAR TYPE 98 SHIN GUNTŌ MOUNTS. IT WAS FORGED BY FUJIWARA SANEYUKI, A SHINTO ERA SWORDSMITH BASED IN BUNGO PROVINCE, JAPAN, DURING THE KANEI PERIOD (BETWEEN 1624-1644). THIS SWORD HAS BEEN LISTED ON BEHALF OF A CREW MATE FROM THE NSW RURAL FIRE SERVICE WHO’S FAMILY HAVE OWNED IT SINCE THE CURRENT OWNERS GRANDFATHER RETURNED WITH IT FROM NEW GUINEA IN 1944.

An original Japanese Nihontō Uchigatana Shinto ‘Kanei’ era (Early Edo Period – Between 1624 -1644) Katana mounted in loose fitting Second World War ‘Shin Guntō’ or ‘New Sword’ mounts. This sword was forged by the Bungo Province swordsmith Fujiwara Saneyuki (藤原實行) between 1622 and 1644 and is inscribed on the nakago (tang) with the inscription 豊後高田住藤原實行 (Bungo-jū Fujiwara Saneyuki) which translated means ‘Fujiwara Saneyuki resident of Bungo Provice’.  Fujiwara Saneyuki (藤原實行) was one of four generations of swordsmiths to carry the same name from Bungo Province. The WW2 Showa era ‘Shin Guntō’ sword mounts are not contemporaneous to the blade, which would originally have been fitted with 17th Century iron Han-Dachi mounts.  This sword is in ‘as found’ condition and as these are the mounts with which this sword was fitted when I came across it, I have left them as is. No attempt has been made to restore or refurbish this 17th Century sword. 

This sword displays the ‘Kanbun’ style blade characteristic to the early Edo period. These blades are made in katana length, circa 66-74cm, and are stout and robust with very little curvature and chu-kissaki. This style of sword was designed for cutting and thrusting and earned a reputation for robustness and utility. The Kanbun style blade is marked on the obverse face of the haft (‘nakago’) with the with the inscription 豊後高田住藤原實行 (Bungo-jū Fujiwara Saneyuki).  The reverse face of the tang is unmarked while the blade itself is a good original example of the type in old polish displaying clear evidence of use and its age. The WW2 Showa era ‘Shin Guntō’ sword mounts are loose fitted to the sword.  There are missing Seppa (spacers), the Tsuka hole is misalighned and the original mekugi (fixing peg) is also absent which means the Tsuka is loosely fitted.  The Tsuka and Tsuba (sword guard) are good quality examples however as shown in the photo’s.

As for provenance, like pretty much every other able bodied bloke in my community, I'm in the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS).  We are formed into volunteer crews and train on Wednesday evenings.  Early last month as we were sitting in the back of our truck and I was telling my crew about help I’d received from other collectors to find out about my Ujinobu made sword.  One of the guys on the crew said he had a Japanese sword in his shed that his grandfather had brought back from the War and asked if I could find out anything about it.  That resulted in the information contained in this listing and he has subsequently made the decision to sell it. It’s worth pointing out here that most genuine and original Japanese swords found in Australia were brought back by Australian serviceman returning from operations in the Pacific Theatre during WW2.

During WW2 it was not unusual for family blades in Shin Guntō mounts to be carried by Commissioned Officers of the Imperial Japanese Army in place of the more common Showa era blades. They were very highly sought after by Australian, US and British troops as souvenirs and I’ve attached two photographs to this listing for reference.  The first shows a group of Australian Diggers posing for the camara with their captured Japanese swords.  The second photograph is of Imperial Japanese Navy Pilot Nishizawa Kiro and his Guntō.

This sword is fitted with the loose fitting Shin Guntō sword mountings it was fitted with when I came across it.  The Kanbun style blade is in ‘good used’ condition. It’s in old polish with some surface patination and scratched striations consistent with age and use on both faces.  The forging grain is tight ‘muji-hada’ with some forging flaws (see pictures). There are no ‘hagire’ type (major) flaws and the cutting edge is still relatively sharp displaying only evidence associated with operationally used swords in their original polish including the usual ‘nail-catcher’ nicks or strikes on the blade edge and patinated wear, most notably close to the tip (see pictures). The hamon, the border between the tempered part of the ha [cutting edge] and the untempered part of the rest of the sword, is still visible; The temper line is a straight ‘suguha’ pattern with a faint o-maru temper on the ‘kissaki’ (point).

The loose fitting Tsuka (hilt) is in very good condition with its silk-cord wrapping over menuki (grip ornaments) although, as already stated, the ‘Mekugi’ (peg) is missing and the Tsuka hole misaligned. That said, the tsuka is a good fit and the ray skin and wood are old but authentic as is the Fuchi (collar).  The Tsuba (guard) appears to be of good quality although clearly there are some missing Seppa (spacers).  The Saya (sacabbard) with ishime black urushi is in good condition, consistent with age and use although it would probably have been leather covered when in use.  The Saya also has what appears to be a very old Kojiri (scabbard drag) fitted.  This is heavily patinated with gold cherry blossom embelishments around its edges (see pictures).

Type: Shin Guntō mounted Shinto ‘Kanei’ (Early Edo Period – Between 1624 -1644) Katana

Maker: Bungo forged by Fujiwara Saneyuki (藤原實行)

Overall Length: 948.0 mm

Blade Length:  648.0 mm

Blade Width (at guard):  33.0 mm

Scabbard: Ishime black urushi

Overall Length of Scabbard:  745.0 mm

From Australia, this Shinto Japanese ‘Kanei’ era (Early Edo Period – Approximately 1624 -1644) Sword with WW2 Shin Guntō mounts. The 17th Century blade is in good used condition and is as found. A genuine Japanese sword, fitted with a blade by the Shinto ‘Kanei’ era (Early Edo Period – Between 1624 -1644) Bungo based smith Fujiwara Saneyuki (藤原實行). In all likelihood, its a WW2 battlefield souvenir from the campaign in the Pacific, this Kanbun style sword has everything you look for in a genuine Japanese sword; a swordsmith signed antique blade in Shin Guntō mountings with a great patina. A good genuine Japanese sword fitted with an original 17th Century blade that is ‘as found’.