# Japanese Tantō Blade - Translate Writing **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 22, 2023, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-tanto-blade-translate-writing/990523 "2023-09-22T04:24:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-tanto-blade-translate-writing/990523/1 "2023-09-22T04:24:23Z")
Does anyone here read Japanese writing? We have inherited a fine piece, which I believe is a Japanese tantō blade with a wooden handle and sheath. The sheath has characters written by hand in what looks like graphite. We are curious about the writing, as well as the blade and sheath. I can share some photos. Thx ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-tanto-blade-translate-writing/990523/2 "2023-09-22T05:15:01Z")
By all means, post some pics of the writing. I’m a (very, very) beginner at reading Japanese, but I’d be interested in trying to figure it out. And I’m sure there are other Dopers who are much better at it, and can tell us how wrong I get it. ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-tanto-blade-translate-writing/990523/3 "2023-09-22T05:48:25Z")
I have two daughters who read Japanese. If you post pictures, I can ask them tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-tanto-blade-translate-writing/990523/4 "2023-09-22T13:12:35Z")
Go ahead and post the pictures. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-tanto-blade-translate-writing/990523/5 "2023-09-22T14:01:25Z")
Thanks for the replies! Here are the photos on imgur (click to see them all): [[Album] Japanese  Tantō  Blade ![](https://i.imgur.com/A0q7QL5.jpeg?fb "Japanese  Tantō  Blade") ](https://imgur.com/a/HUwXNqH) Some of the writing is hard to photograph with my smart phone - if these are not legible, I will try to take better photos. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-tanto-blade-translate-writing/990523/6 "2023-09-22T14:11:08Z")
You can use Google translate with your phone camera. I was in Japan for 6 weeks earlier this year and used it extensively months n menus and signs. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-tanto-blade-translate-writing/990523/7 "2023-09-22T14:48:58Z")
I tried that, but it did not work. There was not enough contrast between the wood and the writing - it would not pick up the characters. Maybe with better lighting, I may try again. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-tanto-blade-translate-writing/990523/8 "2023-09-22T15:12:39Z")
It’s difficult for me to distinguish most of the characters because of the lack of contrast, and in at least some of the photos, the characters appear to be upside down. The bottom photo seems the best, so I copied it and turned it right side up, and I could see most of the characters. Unfortunately, I’m only familiar with one or two, and the difficulty in distinguishing details means I would not be able to look them up. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-tanto-blade-translate-writing/990523/9 "2023-09-22T15:17:44Z")
" My parents went to Tokyo and all I got was this seppuku knife" ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-tanto-blade-translate-writing/990523/10 "2023-09-22T15:48:54Z")
LOL 😆 Thanks for that! @Roderick_Femm, yeah not knowing how to read these I probably have them upside-down. I should add the blade has no markings. I suspect there may be something on the tang (is that what it’s called?) under the handle, but I do not want to wreck the thing just to see what’s there. ---
**Author:** ![Tierce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@Tierce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tierce)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-tanto-blade-translate-writing/990523/11 "2023-09-22T17:46:02Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > I should add the blade has no markings. I suspect there may be something on the tang (is that what it’s called?) under the handle, but I do not want to wreck the thing just to see what’s there. That’s where the meaningful writing will be. The hilt is generally designed to be (relatively) easily removable. A colleague of mine runs a gallery in Seattle that specializes in identifying old Japanese swords and other items, as well as buying and selling them on consignment. PM me for contact info. (ETA: As I understand it, writing on the visible part of the blade itself would be code for “cheap replica bought on the Home Shopping Network”…) ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-tanto-blade-translate-writing/990523/12 "2023-09-22T17:55:34Z")
Isn’t it just the guy’s name and address? Something like 所有者瀬戸市東町… ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-tanto-blade-translate-writing/990523/13 "2023-09-22T21:11:53Z")
I asked my daughter to take a look at it. She said she could make out the symbol for “house number” and one for “5” and suspects **DPRK** is correct. ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-tanto-blade-translate-writing/990523/14 "2023-09-22T21:20:48Z")
The daughter who does translation sometimes says, “I get a general place name vibe. I can make out characters that might be ？有者？戸市東？町土 Which doesn’t parse to anything for me.” She also suggests that if you’re on Reddit, “r/translator can be pretty quick at small Japanese requests.” And she wishes you good luck! ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-tanto-blade-translate-writing/990523/15 "2023-09-22T21:24:35Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > Isn’t it just the guy’s name and address? Something like 所有者瀬戸市東町… Google Translate says it means: > [@](#): > > Owner Higashimachi, Seto City > [@InternetLegend](#): > > ？有者？戸市東？町土 Google Translate says it means: > [@](#): > > ? Who owns it? Toichi Higashi? Town land ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-tanto-blade-translate-writing/990523/16 "2023-09-22T22:01:24Z")
I’m having better luck finding the characters in traditional Chinese than in my usual Japanese kanji resources, but I’m also getting it basically as an identifier and address. > [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > Google Translate says it means: > > > [@](#): > > > > Owner Higashimachi, Seto City In the course of my own efforts to translate it, Google Translate has also given me the rather more ominous, “There is a corpse in Higashi Town”. It’s a work in progress. 😆 (But now I want a mystery story that starts with that cryptic message on a sword found in an antique shop.) ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2023, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-tanto-blade-translate-writing/990523/17 "2023-09-23T05:17:28Z")
I’ve just shown it to second daughter, and she said, “Well, it’s upside down…” Then, after turning my phone upside down, she said she sees the words city, east, town, and the number nine. She agrees that it seems to be an address. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2023, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-tanto-blade-translate-writing/990523/18 "2023-09-23T06:31:01Z")
> [@Balance](#): > > Google Translate has also given me the rather more ominous, “There is a corpse in Higashi Town”. Maybe that’s what happens to you if you don’t give it back to the owner. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2023, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-tanto-blade-translate-writing/990523/19 "2023-09-23T07:48:00Z")
Slightly off topic… The fuller and the false edge make me wonder if that blade didn’t start it’s life as a sword. Technically (IIUC) not a tantō because it doesn’t have a guard, so, an aikuchi. Storing blades in their ‘battle dress’ is frowned on and that really looks like a ‘white scabbard’, a shirasaya (白鞘). > **[Japanese sword mountings | Shirasaya](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_sword_mountings#Shirasaya)** > > A shirasaya (白鞘), "white scabbard", is a plain wooden Japanese sword saya (scabbard) and tsuka (hilt), traditionally made of nurizaya wood and used when a blade was not expected to see use for some time and needed to be stored. They were externally featureless save for the needed mekugi-ana to secure the nakago (tang), though sometimes sayagaki (blade information) was also present. The need for specialized storage is because prolonged koshirae mounting harmed the blade, owing to factors suc Such ... ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2023, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-tanto-blade-translate-writing/990523/20 "2023-09-23T08:28:31Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > 瀬戸市東町 Azuma-chou **東町** （あずまちょう）in Seto-shi 瀬戸市 Seto City in Aichi Prefecture. 東 east is usually read as _higashi_, when used by itself, and tō when used in compound words such as 東北 northeast, tōhoku, but 東 is pronouced Azuma in names. Wiki says that Azuma-chou was established in 1942 and Seto-shi was established as a city in 1929. sheath in Japanese is 鞘（さや）saya and a wooden sheath for a tantō is 短刀木材鞘. > [@Tierce](#): > > A colleague of mine runs a gallery in Seattle that specializes in identifying old Japanese swords and other items, as well as buying and selling them on consignment. PM me for contact info. That would be the perfect person to contact. If you find out more information, please let us know. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japanese-tanto-blade-translate-writing/990523.md?page=2)