Anyone speak/read Japanese?

mithrilG60 · 07-06-2010, 03:28 PM

A friends father was in Japan recently and I asked him to bring back some good Japanese knives with I then in turn gifted to my wife for her birthday last weekend. He picked the knives up from his favourite knife store, only thing is all the documentation, including the branding on the blades, is in Japanese (duh!!!). I was hoping to find out more about the knives and/or brand and was wondering if anyone could read and translate for me? Thanks!

The Poet · 07-06-2010, 03:35 PM

One of the ideograms appears to be a standing man, so maybe it's Japanese for "Old Timer".

themoneycollector · 07-06-2010, 04:19 PM

It says "made in china"

j/k

DBall · 07-06-2010, 04:40 PM

crap... one of the guys who worked for me read Japanese. He just moved. I'll send this link to him and ask him to decipher it once he get's settled in.

yourchoice · 07-06-2010, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by themoneycollector

It says "made in china"

j/k

That was funny!

hotreds · 07-06-2010, 06:19 PM

Domo Arigato Mr. Roboto?

bobarian · 07-06-2010, 06:49 PM

I think the top part says, "Hattori Hanso"

bonjing · 07-06-2010, 07:24 PM

I don't know Japanese, but I would like to see pictures of the whole knife though. Please.

fxpose · 07-06-2010, 07:35 PM

Waaa.....Sugoi!

Mugen910 · 07-06-2010, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobarian

I think the top part says, "Hattori Hanso"

White97Jimmy · 07-06-2010, 10:02 PM

Speaking Japanese wouldn't help you for this situation!!!

SvilleKid · 07-07-2010, 12:51 AM

What was it Maxwell Smart said... Missed it by that much?

I;ve got a college friend that has been teaching in Japan for the last 10 years that probably could help. However..... she and her husband just packed up to move back to US (Florida), and posted on facebook last week that they will be hard to contact for at least a month. If you don't have any answers in 30 days or so, maybe she will be back available, and I can contact her. Hopefully, you will have it figured out before then!!

akumushi · 07-07-2010, 02:05 AM

It's hard to say, my Japanese is very rusty, and Japanese characters often
have several pronunciations depending on the context. I did find several of
those characters in my kanji dictionary, but I couldn't make any sense of
them the way they're put together. In regard to the second picture, The first
four characters that appear in a square shaped formation are a mystery to
me. I'm pretty sure that the 2 large ones in the middle are the name of the
brand of knives, the region they're made or the smith himself, and the name
is probably pronounced Miyafumi, although the reading of the characters could
be something different like Kyubun or Kyumon. I'm pretty sure the last two
characters mean swordsmith or cutlery or something like that. So basically the
message on the knife is just "Miyafumi Knives," a simple brand marker.
That "Miyafumi" combination also appears in the first picture so they are
either made in the same region, or by the same company/person. I don't
think there's any kind of deep message on the blades, but if you're interested
in a more accurate reading of the brand name and a clarification of the
antecedent characters, you'll probably have to enlist the help of a literate
Japanese person

taltos · 07-08-2010, 07:32 PM

I think that it may say Ginsu Knife.

07-06-2010, 03:28 PM	#1
mithrilG60 Feeling at Home Join Date: Dec 2008 First Name: Geoff Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada Posts: 733 Trading: (2)	Anyone speak/read Japanese? A friends father was in Japan recently and I asked him to bring back some good Japanese knives with I then in turn gifted to my wife for her birthday last weekend. He picked the knives up from his favourite knife store, only thing is all the documentation, including the branding on the blades, is in Japanese (duh!!!). I was hoping to find out more about the knives and/or brand and was wondering if anyone could read and translate for me? Thanks! Last edited by mithrilG60; 07-06-2010 at 03:36 PM.

07-06-2010, 03:35 PM	#2
The Poet Il megglior fabbro Join Date: Jun 2009 First Name: Thomas Location: Hickory, NC Posts: 8,420 Trading: (2)	Re: Anyone speak/read Japanese? One of the ideograms appears to be a standing man, so maybe it's Japanese for "Old Timer".

07-06-2010, 04:19 PM	#3
themoneycollector Nicotiana Tabacum Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Hill AFB, UT Posts: 1,258 Trading: (108)	Re: Anyone speak/read Japanese? It says "made in china" j/k

07-06-2010, 04:40 PM	#4
DBall Cigar Jesus Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Dan Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 3,781 Trading: (46)	Re: Anyone speak/read Japanese? crap... one of the guys who worked for me read Japanese. He just moved. I'll send this link to him and ask him to decipher it once he get's settled in. __________________ --------Dan--------- My Music \| My Videos

07-06-2010, 06:19 PM	#6
hotreds Ephesians 2:8 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 5 miles past "Resume Speed" Posts: 11,662 Trading: (63)	Re: Anyone speak/read Japanese? Domo Arigato Mr. Roboto? __________________ God loves you so much, that he made you read this, just to let you know.

07-06-2010, 06:49 PM	#7
bobarian Cranky Habanophile Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Wine Country Posts: 8,869 Trading: (51)	Re: Anyone speak/read Japanese? I think the top part says, "Hattori Hanso"

07-06-2010, 07:24 PM	#8
bonjing ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 4,012 Trading: (39)	Re: Anyone speak/read Japanese? I don't know Japanese, but I would like to see pictures of the whole knife though. Please.

07-06-2010, 07:35 PM	#9
fxpose Park Drive Smokehouse Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 337 Trading: (0)	Re: Anyone speak/read Japanese? Waaa.....Sugoi!

07-06-2010, 10:02 PM	#11
White97Jimmy Puff on this Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: James Posts: 195 Trading: (1)	Re: Anyone speak/read Japanese? Speaking Japanese wouldn't help you for this situation!!!

07-07-2010, 12:51 AM	#12
SvilleKid Yes I am a Pirate Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 33°46′08″N 86°28′16″W / 33.76895°N 86.471037°W Posts: 2,776 Trading: (52)	Re: Anyone speak/read Japanese? What was it Maxwell Smart said... Missed it by that much? I;ve got a college friend that has been teaching in Japan for the last 10 years that probably could help. However..... she and her husband just packed up to move back to US (Florida), and posted on facebook last week that they will be hard to contact for at least a month. If you don't have any answers in 30 days or so, maybe she will be back available, and I can contact her. Hopefully, you will have it figured out before then!! __________________ Ceilin' fan it stirs the air, Cigar smoke does swirl. The fragrance on the pillow case, and he thinks about the girl. Thanks, JB, 1975.

07-07-2010, 02:05 AM	#13
akumushi Habanos Apologist Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 1,298 Trading: (11)	Re: Anyone speak/read Japanese? It's hard to say, my Japanese is very rusty, and Japanese characters often have several pronunciations depending on the context. I did find several of those characters in my kanji dictionary, but I couldn't make any sense of them the way they're put together. In regard to the second picture, The first four characters that appear in a square shaped formation are a mystery to me. I'm pretty sure that the 2 large ones in the middle are the name of the brand of knives, the region they're made or the smith himself, and the name is probably pronounced Miyafumi, although the reading of the characters could be something different like Kyubun or Kyumon. I'm pretty sure the last two characters mean swordsmith or cutlery or something like that. So basically the message on the knife is just "Miyafumi Knives," a simple brand marker. That "Miyafumi" combination also appears in the first picture so they are either made in the same region, or by the same company/person. I don't think there's any kind of deep message on the blades, but if you're interested in a more accurate reading of the brand name and a clarification of the antecedent characters, you'll probably have to enlist the help of a literate Japanese person __________________ "Eventually, however, every ash must drop. And the drop usually is as sudden as it is final."

07-08-2010, 07:32 PM	#14
taltos Really, really old Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Paul Location: Saugus, MA Posts: 2,486 Trading: (3)	Re: Anyone speak/read Japanese? I think that it may say Ginsu Knife. __________________ Jimmy, some of its magic, some of its tragic, but I had a good life all the way. He Went to Paris, J. Buffett