Noshu kanetoshi biography
KANETOSHI (兼俊), Shōwa (昭和, ), Gifu – “Kanetoshi” (兼俊), real name Murayama Kinokazu (村山喜之一), born August 3rd , he worked as rikugun.!
RIKUGUN JUMEI TOSHO
ARMY APPROVED SWORDSMITHS
The presence of a STAR stamp on the nakago of a WW II era sword blade is an indicator of a blade made by swordsmiths of the Rikugun Jumei Tosho.
To become Rikugun Jumei Tosho, a swordsmith had to pass tests and examination of his blades.
Kanetoshi was one of the most famous swordsmiths from the early Showa period.
Once accepted as an Army Certified Swordsmith (Rikugun Jumei Tosho), the smith was given a regular allocation of tamehagane with which to make sword blades. Jumei Tosho smiths also made blades using non-traditional materials, mainly forged mill steel.
Blades with star stamps and which show nie in the yakiba are considered by some collectors to be gendaito; whereas other stamps were indicative of blades made by non-traditional methods and are therefore not gendaito.
It is still hotly debated as to whether all tang stamps indicate non-traditionally made blades or whether certain stamps such as the star stamp indicate blades made i
