# Yanagiba Kanji Help



## rstcso (Oct 29, 2021)

I just bought this off BST and love this old knife and the kanji is beautiful. I've spend some time looking through the forums and the only kanji I found that I'm relatively sure might be correct-ish is: 正 masa. Based on this, I'm thinking it's a Masamoto? The knife is 35+ years old.

Thank you.


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## spaceconvoy (Oct 29, 2021)

正夫 is Masao, not sure if there's another reading or if it's just a defunct/obscure maker

堺住源忠實作 is the main kanji on the blade, but I'm stumped. I can only find one old yahoo auction that matches:









未使用 柳刃包丁 尺サイズ 忠實作 年代物 - ヤフオク!


未使用ですが長期保管品。銘には 堺住 源忠實作とあります。長さ ３００㍉ 水牛柄 およそ、４８年位前修行中に関西にて購入したもので、一度も使用せず、今日にいたっています。おぼろげながら、３本同時購入し（タイプ、サイズ違い）１０万円程払いました。出品にあたり本体にシミのようなものがあり、表は仕上げ砥で磨きました。刃裏はあてていません。（磨いただけ）発送はゆうパック６０サイズになります。



page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp


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## Qapla' (Oct 29, 2021)

spaceconvoy said:


> 正夫 is Masao, not sure if there's another reading or if it's just a defunct/obscure maker


正夫 is also shôbu, another name for a yanagiba.



spaceconvoy said:


> 堺住源忠實作 is the main kanji on the blade, but I'm stumped. I can only find one old yahoo auction that matches:


So I'm guessing that'd be "Made by Minamoto Tadamino[?] the Sakai-Dweller"?


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## refcast (Oct 29, 2021)

The brand sticker said honesty, with two kanji, so my guess is that, but a better translation might be faithfulness. . . But I don't know enough Japanese


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## KenHash (Oct 31, 2021)

Qapla' said:


> 正夫 is also shôbu, another name for a yanagiba.
> So I'm guessing that'd be "Made by Minamoto Tadamino[?] the Sakai-Dweller"?



忠實　is normally read Chuujitsu. 實 alone can be read Minoru. 忠 of course can be Tada. 
Do you have any example of 忠實 being read as Tadamino? 
Really mysterious how 忠實 is actually read since it's a long extinct brand,


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## Qapla' (Oct 31, 2021)

KenHash said:


> 忠實　is normally read Chuujitsu. 實 alone can be read Minoru. 忠 of course can be Tada.
> Do you have any example of 忠實 being read as Tadamino?
> Really mysterious how 忠實 is actually read since it's a long extinct brand,



Nope, it was just wild guesswork on my part, therefore the "?". I've never seen that name/word either.

Just did a bit more digging; it does seem that it'd more likely be Chûjitsu, Mane, Majime, or Tadazane.


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## KenHash (Oct 31, 2021)

Qapla' said:


> Nope, it was just wild guesswork on my part, therefore the "?". I've never seen that name/word either.
> 
> Just did a bit more digging; it does seem that it'd more likely be Chûjitsu, Mane, Majime, or Tadazane.



One of, if not the biggest problems with Japanese Kanji is that they say " Xと書いてYと読む".
This is especially common with first names.


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## rstcso (Nov 1, 2021)

I appreciate everyone's input. Thank you.


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