translation?

[thereisnospoon]

Someone on another non-japanese related forum has requested a translation of this engraving on a katana. Any ideas peeps?

[thereisnospoon]

no one able to help with this one? :(

[Mandylion]

Patience my friend - :-)

The two big kanji I will run though the New Nelson when I get home. Give me about an hour...

The long string, looks like昭和二十八年五月(Showa 28 nen 5 gatsu) or May, 1953 to me. Anyone else? it is kind of hard to tell from the pictures.

From the condition of the tang, I would say that is about right. Neither 大正(tashou) nor 明治(meiji) look anything like those first two kanji and to be older, the blade must never have touched air to be rust-free.

Always beware of fake Chinese made blades (not saying this is one, but it always bears repeating)

[paper]

I've been staring at it for a long time... :clueless: Here's what I get:

昭和二十年五月
May 1945
(no 八 is my guess as that leggy thing seems to be part of/connect to 年)

The other side looks like:
廣光
hiromitsu

[thereisnospoon]

Thank you very much どもうありがとうございます