Please help with kanji characters

[kevcon]

My father bought a Katana many years ago, just the blade, not fittings so he had a tsuba made for it, he now has alzheimers and can't remember what he had written on it was wondering if anybody can help with the translation?

[Wintchase]

Using my linguistic expertise I think it say "made in China".. Just kidding of course.. Very cool piece though good luck, there are some smart fellows here that could probably help you out

[Bluebriz]

My father bought a Katana many years ago, just the blade, not fittings so he had a tsuba made for it, he now has alzheimers and can't remember what he had written on it was wondering if anybody can help with the translation?

I asked my wife for help with this, but she doesn't even recognise some of the kanji and can't help with the overall meaning. The one at 9 o'clock is read as "shi" and means something like "real", the next below that is "sora" which is sky, and the next is "te" which means hand. At 5 o'clock is "ri" which means something like "advantage or benefit" we think.

Sorry we can't help more!

[JimmyHAD]

Welcome to SRP. You might try sending a PM (personal message) to 'Zeth Lent'. He lives in Japan and may be able to help. Just include the link to your original post.

[kevcon]

Thanks for trying, how do I get hold of Zeth Lent, I am new to these forums?

[Bluebriz]

btw, my wife is Japanese and some of those kanji she's never even seen before!

[kevcon]

btw, my wife is Japanese and some of those kanji she's never even seen before!

I don't know where my dad got them from knowing him they are an ancient text that no one knows any more, I thought they might be hirogana or katakana but I have no idea, thanks for trying though

[JimmyHAD]

Thanks for trying, how do I get hold of Zeth Lent, I am new to these forums?

Upper right had corner of the screen, click on 'notifications'. Drop down menu, click on 'inbox'. In the address bar type Zeth Lent and give the message a title, type your text in the text box. Click on send, or post or whatever it says.

Before you do you might click on "settings" and check the box to "save copies of sent private messages". That way you can review your sent mail and make sure it went. If it wasn't successfully sent it won't be in sent mail.

[Chevhead]

Seeing if my friend can help out....

[AspiringPolymath]

Unless the calligrapher used "kanji" from the first few centuries AD (when they were first imported from China) these are most certainly Chinese characters. Further, the characters are "simplified" as opposed to the "traditional"/full characters which were used until the mid-twentieth century and continue to be used in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the southern regions in mainland China.

While 6 of the 8 characters are easily read, there are two which are either modern kanji, a handwritten variation, or some other alteration as they are similar to common characters but I can't find them in any dictionaries. From top to bottom (left to right) the characters are translated as follows:
占: to occupy, seize, etc
（庘、庙、庾）？
纳: receive, take, etc
利: sharp, favorable, benefi-t/icial, etc
（区、巨）？
真: true, very, etc
空: empty, sky
王、手（？）either king or hand

So, as you can see there's a variety of possible meanings. Having looked at inscriptions and such before I'd wager it has something to do with bestowing luck and power to the holder. However, those two unknown characters (along with the last one which could be one of two different words) could radically change the meaning...

Old post but I figured I'd share my $0.02...