# Sorry, Kanji ID help please



## crockerculinary (Sep 15, 2021)

Hey folks, hate to be that guy but I dug around for like an hour and couldn’t find anything that matched, if anyone could help I’d appreciate it.
A young customer brought in a couple knives covered in rust, gifted to him by a Japanese family friend to take to college is he could get them fixed, including this nakiri. I know the bottom is saku, and I assume the hard to make out one on the other side is the steel. Anyway, thanks in advance.


----------



## spaceconvoy (Sep 15, 2021)

良明 - Yoshiaki, which is a given name, not a family name

Seems a bit odd, like the maker is hoping the buyer will believe it was forged by Kato (Fujiwara Yoshiaki) though I've never seen one without the full name, and the kanji styling looks different.

Backside says aogami


----------



## crockerculinary (Sep 15, 2021)

Thank you, that’s very helpful, although google turned up nothing that matched.


----------



## xxxclx (Sep 15, 2021)

spaceconvoy said:


> 良明 - Yoshiaki, which is a given name, not a family name
> 
> Seems a bit odd, like the maker is hoping the buyer will believe it was forged by Kato (Fujiwara Yoshiaki) though I've never seen one without the full name, and the kanji styling looks different.
> 
> Backside says aogami



I think some are actually sold with only 2 kanjis engraved









Yoshiaki Fujiwara 85mm Petty


Selected Japanese natural sharpening stones Toishi, Handmade by Best Blade smiths Japanese Knives, Razors and Tools




www.japanesenaturalstones.com













Yoshiaki Fujiwara 195mm Slicer


Selected Japanese natural sharpening stones Toishi, Handmade by Best Blade smiths Japanese Knives, Razors and Tools




www.japanesenaturalstones.com


----------



## crockerculinary (Sep 16, 2021)

spaceconvoy said:


> 良明 - Yoshiaki, which is a given name, not a family name
> 
> Seems a bit odd, like the maker is hoping the buyer will believe it was forged by Kato (Fujiwara Yoshiaki) though I've never seen one without the full name, and the kanji styling looks different.
> 
> Backside says aogami



@spaceconvoy I found this under Yoshiaki Doi, clearly it’s a different style, but are they the same Kanji? Sorry I’m not versed in the details.


----------



## KenHash (Sep 17, 2021)

I was under the impression that Doi Yoshiaki only made hunting knives (ken nata, even kukhri) and kirituke. Does he make cooking knives as well? Both Fujiwara Yoshiaki (Kato Kiyoshi) and Doi Yoshiaki sometimes had just 良明作 engraved. It's got some years to it but it's blue steel so clean it up, sharpen and and off to school


----------

