Mark with Japanese Mark: 弘親 "Hirochika" | #458336

Mark with Japanese Mark: 弘親 "Hirochika" | #458336
弘親 "Hirochika". This mark is from a kozuka, which is the hilt of a small, secondary knife. It was made by Hirochika, who worked as a sword engraver (soukenkinkou) in Hitachi Province (present-day Ibaraki Prefecture). Soukenkinkou is the Japanese name for metalworkers who design accessories for bladed weapons.