Japanese Knife Index包丁索引

Mei ID Desk · 銘の判読

Can't read the signature on your Japanese knife? Send it to us.

The JKI Editors in Tokyo read the kanji mei from your photos, explain each character, and say who most likely made the knife — with our confidence level and sources. Free, moderated by hand, and never an appraisal.

Send a mei →

銘判読
Mei · reading the maker's signature

How it works

  1. Send photos. A sharp close-up of the mei (both sides if marked), the whole blade and the handle. Tell us what you already know.
  2. We read it. We transcribe the characters, give the reading in romaji, translate them, and check makers' sites, wholesaler catalogues and earlier cases.
  3. We reply — and, if you agree, publish a case. Published cases link from the maker's page so the next owner can find them. You choose: photos and reading, reading only, or a private answer.

We answer a few cases a week, in the order received; there is no paid fast lane. You can add an optional owner report (short ratings and your experience). Nobody is paid or rewarded for sending anything.

Published cases (0)

The first cases are being prepared.

What we can and can't tell you

  • We can transcribe and translate the characters, explain marks such as 作 (saku, “made by”) or 打 (uchi, “forged by”), and point to the most likely maker, smith or brand with evidence.
  • We can't authenticate a knife, confirm that it is not a copy, or tell you what it is worth. Many brands share smiths, and some mei are copied. Read the disclaimer.
  • Every reading shows a confidence level — high, medium or low — and the sources behind it. If we get one wrong, we correct it in public with a dated log.

Rules we hold ourselves to

  • Every submission is checked by a person before anything is published. Nothing goes live automatically.
  • No payments, discounts, gifts or prize draws for submissions, ever.
  • Owner reports are published whatever their rating, positive or negative. We decline content only for the reasons listed in our content & review policy.
  • People who work in the knife trade must say so, and may not report on their own business's knives. Gifted or discounted knives are labelled.
  • JKI earns affiliate commission from some shop links. It has no influence on readings or reports. Affiliate disclosure.