Changes

Another thing we have to consider when fixing a date for a japanese sword is  

Another thing we have to consider when fixing a date for a japanese sword is  

the '''Eto'''.

the '''Eto'''.

Eto is originally a Chinese calender invented in the ancient period. It consists of ten ordinal signs and twelve zodiacal symbols and the combination of both characters makes a cycle of sixty years, the '''Sexagenary cycle'''. In Japan the Eto was used not only to count time by years but also to show time by hours (In this case one day is divided into twelve fractions.) and direction. Dates based on Eto can often be seen on the '''Nakago''' of the Japanese sword.

Eto originally is a Chinese calender invented in the ancient period. It consists of ten ordinal signs and twelve zodiacal symbols and the combination of both characters makes a cycle of sixty years, the '''Sexagenary cycle'''. In Japan the Eto was used not only to count time by years but also to show time by hours (In this case one day is divided into twelve fractions.) and direction. Dates based on Eto can often be seen on the '''Nakago''' of the Japanese sword.