# Kanji identification -- old Ittosai?



## larrybard (Feb 23, 2018)

[assuming the picture gets attached/transmitted:]

Is this an old Ittosai?

Thank you
Larry


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## no_one_just_Roy (Mar 8, 2018)

&#22303;&#20304; &#29305;&#35069; &#38738;&#37628;&#20837;
So, it's most likely made in Tosa, Kochi pref. I don't know which Ittosai you mean but it's not likely anyway.
No maker's name and only the logo - only those who very knowledgeable about Tosa blacksmiths would be able to identify the maker.


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## larrybard (Mar 8, 2018)

Thanks very much for responding. This concerned a knife I had seen advertised online. As it turned out, I later contacted the seller about the kanji and received a helpful, detailed reply. Very responsible seller (in Japan). FYI, here's the response:

Thanks for asking, and you can ask me anything. I'll answer as far as I know.

I think that this Ittosai (&#19968;&#20992;&#25998 is not the Ittosai that you know. I think the knife you think is Ittosai Kotetsu&#12288;&#65288;&#19968;&#20992;&#25998;&#34382;&#24505;&#65289; that is expensive and famous in a foreign country.

The signature "Ittosai" isn't on the blade of this knife I am selling. You can see the half of signature "&#19968;&#20992;&#25998;&#20043;&#20316; on the handle.

The signatures on the blade are &#22303;&#20304;&#12288;&#29305;&#35069;&#12288;&#38738;&#37628;&#20837;, which means specially/well made in Tosa, and the steel is blue paper. These signatures are a kind of advertising signatures, not the blacksmith or brand's name.

The origin of the name Ittosai "&#19968;&#20992;&#25998;" came from the samurai named Ito Ittosai who mastered a Japanese swordsmanship and who started his original Japanese swordmanship.

Some blacksmiths named their brand after his name. So there are several brand names that have a "Ittosai".


I should have note that on the listing page in order to avoid a trouble.


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## no_one_just_Roy (Mar 8, 2018)

Hmm... I would ask the seller about the logo just below the "Tosa" kanji, and the company, and registration number of the trademark, if it is registered. Maybe it's not really important, though.


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