event planned in the UK October 2014

Dear All

I have been asked to help publicise an event which is being planned for later this year in the south of England.

The idea is to bring together as many like minded people as possible from within Europe to spend a day and a half studying and discussing all aspects of the Japanese sword.

The attached flyer outlines a provisional agenda for the meeting which is planned to run for a day and a half in an absolutely beautiful location in southern England.

In addition to the planned presentations and demonstrations, we are hoping to be able to include a display of some of the most important swords within UK collections.

To further enhance the content for attendees we are keen to hear from anyone wishing to participate by way of a presentation relating to a particular area of interest or one of the demonstration forums.

I hope members of the board will be able to participate. Many of those attending have many years experience in this field and it will offer an excellent opportunity to share expeirence and to learn from each other.

As always the events success will depend on the support of volunteers to help ensure it runs smoothly and everyone gains full benefit from it. So if you want to contribute, help, or simply attend I believe it will offer you an interesting and rewarding experience.

Contact details are listed in the attached document but please feel free to pm me if you have any questions

Best Regards

Paul

Token Taikai 2nd draft - Copy.pdf

Hi Paul

What a fantastic idea, count me in for both days and of course the dinner.

Chiddingstone Castle is an inspired choice of venue,will there be an opportunity to see some of the sword collection not usually on show?

Their Muramasa with the gin zogan mei should gett some interest and then there's the lacquer collection which is the best I've ever seen outside Japan

All very exciting.

All the best

Tony

Great initiative Paul. If I'm there, then I'll be there. You know what I mean

Dear All

further to our earlier mail the following is a brief update to outliner progress and to supply information. Since the original announcement 50% of the available tickets have been reserved. Enthusiasts, collectors and dealers from all over Europe have confirmed their intention to attend.

The Event

presentations by Clive Sinclair of the Token of GB and Greg Irvine of the V&A

Demonstrations by Mick Hicks, Les Stewart and Robert Soanes

We are planning exhibits from not only the UK but also Europe and the USA (to be confirmed)

Dealers from the UK and Europe have confirmed their attendance.

The Gala Dinner

The gala dinner caterers have proposed a Japanese themed feast which will include:.

Sparkling wine and Canapés reception

- Tuna sashimi skewer with wasabi mayonnaise and chilli mango

- Slow roast hoisin duck in a cucumber cup

Two course meal:

Main - Pan fried seabass with tenderstem broccoli, pak choi with a miso ginger dressing (served with a sesame sushi rice bowl)

Dessert - Sour plum upside down cake with green tea frozen yoghurt & sesame brittle shards

Japanese tea & Petit Fours

Accommodation

We have been in contact with various hotels in the area and have negotiated preferential rates for our event, the details are below.

Preferential rates

Best Western Rose And Crown Hotel

Address: 125 High St, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1DD Phone:01732 357966

£40 per head bed and breakfast, guests wish to make a booking they should quote the reference number G77046 to secure the room against a credit card.

Lingfield Park Marriott Hotel and Country Club

http://www.marriott.co.uk/hotels/travel ... ntry-club/

Alternatively, if you would prefer to choose a different hotel, here is a link to hotels nearby.

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/HotelsNear ... gland.html

Dear All

Today I have emailed an update flyer to all those who have mailed me expressing an interest in attending this event. If anyone who has contacted me previously has not received this update or if you would like information about it please get in touch with me on

paulbowman3@hotmail.com and I will forward the flyer to you.

So far we have received a very positive and enthusiastic response. The scope and range of displays and presentations has grown considerably. There should be something of interest for everyone.

I hope as many as possible will be able to attend. There are too few such events in the UK, or indeed Europe, and I think this offers all of us the opportunity to meet and share our enjoyment of a subject which is important to all of us.

hope to see you in October.

Best Regards

Paul

Hi Paul

As I had other business with Ian, I have confirmed with him my bookings. Cant miss this.

Regards.

Hi Dennis

thats great look forward to seeing you there

Best Regards

Paul

Dear All

By now all those who have contacted me regarding this event should have received further information and booking forms from the castle via email. Can you let me know if you havent done so.

The event is proving very popular and the organisers want to make sure that anyone who wants to attend should not be disapointed. Could I please ask those that have already received forms to return them to the castle as soon as possible and for anyone who wants to come but has yet to send me their contact details please do so.

As said previously I think this will prove to be an extremely interesting event with a broad range of items and skills on display. I hope to see you all there.

Thanks and Best Regards

Paul

Hi Paul,

Sorry Paul I have lost your email add. but it is my intention to attend on the Sunday with my lady wife, hope to see you their.

Tony Norman.

Looks great Paul, wish i was able to attend.

Dear All

Well that time soon came round!!

Thank all those who have responded so positively to the event at Chiddingstone castle. The Dinner is tomorrow evening and the main event on Sunday. Speaking to Ian Chapman, the key organiser for this event, it looks as though we will have a very rich and broad range of swords and fittings to see as well as demonstrations, dealers tables and presentations throughout the day.

Most of all I am really looking forward to seeing many old friends and meeting those who I have known for years but never met. I think this will be a great weekend and I hope the first of many such events in the UK in coming years

See you there

Best Regards

Paul

See you tomorrow everyone. The camera is packed so I'll post lots of photos next week

Cheers

Justin

Enjoy it to the max guys !!

Looking forward to the photos !

KM

Just back from the Token Taikai event at Chiddingstone Castle in Kent. As promised please find below some photos.

We were treated to a lecture on the history and use of Japanese polearms by Roald Knutsen, a lecture on Hizento by Clive Sinclaire as well as a lecture on Yamato swords by Paul Bowman and Mike Hickman-Smith. In the various rooms in the castle there were interesting displays of armour lacing by Robert Soanes, sword polishing by Les Stewart and tsuka binding by Mick Hicks. Many collectors brought along items for display and we also had Denys Eyre Bower's collection of Japanese art and antiques which is permanently on display in the Castle.

I'm not sure of the final numbers, however I would estimate we had around 60 people for the dinner on Saturday night and maybe 100-120 people on Sunday.

Thanks very much for Ian Chapman and Paul Bowman for organising such a great event.

Photos of the dinner on Saturday night

Well done to those who planned and executed the event. It really looks like it went down well, and congrats to all who participated.

May it be the start of good things to come.

Brian

Various lectures and demonstrations

Who were the lecturers, Justin?

We were treated to a lecture on the history and use of Japanese polearms by Roald Knutsen, a lecture on Hizento by Clive Sinclaire as well as a lecture on Yamato swords by Paul Bowman and Mike Hickman-Smith. In the various rooms in the castle there were interesting displays of armour lacing by Robert Soanes, sword polishing by Les Stewart and tsuka binding by Mick Hicks.

The Denys Eyre Bower Collection

Swords and fittings belonging to UK collectors

Some of the dealers/exhibitors in the Great Hall

Great photos Justin.

A big thanks you to all who attended especially those who gave up there time for the lectures and demonstrations

Yes, excellent. Congratulations. Really wishing I could have made this.

Many thanks for the photographs.

Looks like a great time....and what atmosphere!

Congratulations to Ian, and everyone involved in making this wonderful weekend a reality and such a success.

The setting was perfect,the gala dinner a delight and the lecturers were erudite, expert and entertaining.

The quality of the swords and fittings on show was outstanding, and thanks are owed to all who so generously shared pieces from their collections with us.

Regards

Tony

Jean

to answer your question and identify the people shown:

image no 8180, I am afraid that grey haired (white haired) person is me

8092 a very entertaining Roald Knutsen

8086 Ian Chapman

8115 Clive Sinclair

8181 Mike Hickman-Smith.

Others:

Polishing Les Stewart and binding Mick Hicks.

Thanks Paul. I thought I recognize Clive but That's all

It has been a difficult year for me and I'll be very busy till mid-November when I am trying to close some important matters. But next time I hope to be there.

Fascinating!

Looks like Downton Abbey with swords

Wah

Great photos

Dear All

I delayed writing for a short while having braved the M25, M42, M5 and M6 to get home on Sunday night. A short 380 miles.

First of all I think we owe a great debt of gratitude to Ian for his initial vision and subsequent energy in making this event happen. We are desperately short of such opportunities in the UK and he did an excellent job. Also our thanks to the team at the castle who were extremely accommodating and helpful.

Equally important is to thank all of you that attended and made this such a worthwhile day. I think one of the main driving forces in life is enthusiasm, it is contagious and when you have so many people together with a shared interest and a willingness to share ideas it can only succeed. I think it did and certainly the feedback I had while there confirmed that view.

With regard to what was there, the Castle’s own collection had some fascinating examples of armour, swords and other metalwork on display, these have been beautifully captured by Justin’s photos.

The display in the upstairs rooms included swords from the castle’s collection together with top rate examples of blades from the mid Kamakura to the Showa periods generously loaned to the event for the display by our own community. All of them were great examples of their type and in excellent polish. Alongside the swords were a range of tsuba and small fittings that even a fittings philistine like me could appreciate. There were a range of Sukashi iron works alongside examples of Ford Hallam’s work and many others.

In the main hall several dealers had tables with excellent pieces for sale. In the demonstration rooms visitors could witness polishing, hilt binding and armour lacing displays.

During the demonstrations more excellent examples of Hizen and yamato works were available to view.

As you can probably see I greatly enjoyed the event and having the chance to meet so many good friends at a great location. I am not sure an evening spent with some of them did my liver too much good but that is a totally different story.

Anyhow let me end by once again thanking Ian and the Castle for their hard work in making this a successful day and I hope we can look forward to more in the future.

I too had a grand day out.

Many thanks to Ian, Paul and everyone else who made a great event happen.

Best regards,