Mark with Japanese mark: 菊川南甫 "Kikukawa Nanpo" | #433272

菊川南甫 "Kikukawa Nanpo". This mark comes from a "kozuka", the hilt of a secondary knife that is often paired with a Japanese sword, and was designed by Nanpo. Nanpo worked as a "soukenkinkou" in the Nara line of the Kikukawa house. Soukenkinkou is the Japanese name for metalworkers who design accessories for bladed weapons.