Guido

There are two pages of NihontÅ related articles in today's Japan Times - not really anything we didn't know yet, but an interesting read nonetheless. Here are the links to the online versions, with the added bonus of some videos: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/ ... 427x1.html http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/ ... 427x3.html http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/ ... 427x2.html http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/ ... 427x4.html

I stand by what I said above: a *properly* forged and *properly* polished Shinogi-zukuri sword has a distinctive, physical Yokote. It might get "lost" to a certain degree after repeated polishes, but it's always there in the beginning. We shouldn't waste our time studying mass produced swords of the Bakumatsu, and especially ShÅwa, periods - there's nothing to be learned from them if our goal is appreciation of true NihontÅ. During times of high demand corners were often cut (pun intended), and those kind of low grade swords are of no use in serving as examples. Anyhow, I made similar remarks on another forum not very long ago, until Keith Larman stepped in and explained things much more eloquently than I ever could: And in another post:

Kind of a Rorschach test, isn't it? I see sails of boats on the background of ugly red rust. Or maybe naked Swedish nuns hiding under soiled cardboard boxes. But that's just me.

Sorry for being so blunt, but this is simply not true, and shows a significant lack of understanding of the construction of the Japanese sword. It is a well defined ridge put there by the smith, and further enhanced by the polisher. Simply put, it's a change in geometry, and the lack of it shows a general lack of the talent of the smith and/or polisher. Yes, some very old (like Kamakura), many times polished swords have lost the Yokote to a certain degree, but that doesn't mean it wasn't there to begin with. It really beats me why the myth of the Yokote being mostly cosmetical still stays around. Looking at (quality) Nohontô with an open eye should disperse of this nonsense in no time. Again, sorry if my post sounded offensive, but there really should be an end to this "urban legend".

For those who didn't pay close attention: the sword pictured is an Embun Kanemitsu; I handled it recently, and this sword alone is worth visiting the sales exhibition! Mr. Kurokawa, too, has a sales exhibiton in the near future:

Well, since this thread isn't closed yet ... The emphasis is indeed on "trade" - the NihontÅ community as such will probably don't notice my absence, with the possible exception of the TÅkyÅ NMB group that now has to look for another organizer of the infamous gatherings. My Mandarin / Putonghua is quite rusty by now' date=' to put it mildly, but my transfer is a done deal, no way out of it. :| Besides the legion of forgers, there's no NihontÅ community to speak of in Beijing. However, it's only a 3 hours flight to TÅkyÅ, and my daughter will move in with her grandparents to finish her education in Japan, so my wife and I will be in Japan quite often. The first trip back to attend the Dai TÅken Ichi and NBTHK convention in late October / early November is actually already booked. :D I used to live in Beijing from 1996 to 2000, and had some very good contacts to antique dealers a.s.o. The stories about the stored Japanese swords in China are very entertaining, but just stories nonetheless; don't hold your breath yet ...

I'll emphasize that in case anyone missed it. There are some telltale grinding marks there that need to be investigated. Brian So you really think it's plausible someone welded a Nakago from a not-so-hot Shôwa smith to ... well ... what? ... a tire iron?

廿年 = 20'th year = 1945 = as Koichi already stated ...

I'm here to collect .... Sorry, mate, but you took the wrong turn along the way. I perfectly understand where you're coming from (I, too, studied some Chinese [which is the main reason my employer, in his infinite wisdom, will transfer me to Beijing from August on]), and know how tricky it can be, especially when it comes to simplified Chinese and traditional Chinese, the latter being used by Paul Chen who hails from Taiwan. However, he writes his name 陳æœæ³¢, or Chen Chaopo, which only has the last character in common with æ³¢é‡, which I read Namishige. IMO we're looking at a low class ShÅwatÅ, nothing more, nothing less. Your mileage may vary, however.

I see not only small, but significant differences in the Mei, the most obvious being how "Gan" in "Gannen" is written; this can't be explained by slight variations on different days, it's a matter of unmistakeable handwriting. IMO it's clearly not chiseled by the same hand.

Two of the participants are not in the pics: yours truly (since I was behind the viewfinder, and everybody else was too drunk to operate my camera), and Robert Hughes of Keichodo (http://www.keichodo.com/) - the only decent shot I got of him was when he was flipping me the finger (well deserved, but that's besides the point), and therefore not suited for a PG 13 forum ... CHEERS!

Gordon explains to Erol how his finger once got stuck in a Kozuka-hitsu. Or maybe how to make a Menuki stew. Since I wasn't entirely sober when I took the photo, I don't really recall which story it was.

The second pic: Erol Ishikawa aka "Ichi", (with back to camera) Gordon Robson, Koichi Moriyama aka "Nobody", and Andrew Ickeringill, apprentice Togishi.

Although the fifth NMB Tokyo meeting was announced on very short notice, eleven of us gathered at the "Watami" in Hiroo for some mixed Japanese/Western food, including "all you can drink". The fiscal year starts in Japan in April, and there are lots of parties to welcome new employees, crowding all restaurants, so we only got a two hour time slot, and moved on to the nearby "Sennen no Utage" later, where more great conversations, booze and snacks rounded off the evening. Time flew with many fine examples of KodÅgu shown, stories swapped, catching up with friends we didn't see for a while, and of course a toast in honor of Ralph Bell for all his contributions to the NihontÅ community. The first pic shows: (front row) Kenji Mishina (http://www007.upp.so-net.ne.jp/m-kenji/), Hans-Joachim Eschbaum, Takao Fujimoto of "Dejimaya" from Amsterdam, (back row) Mr. Lee and his son Daniel from Singapore, and Cyrus Chan of Tetsugendo (http://tetsugendo.com/).

I'm currently organizing the fifth gathering of the Tokyo chapter of the NMB - it will take place this coming Friday in Hiroo. If I missed to include members in Japan in my invitation mail, or if you are currently in town and want to participate, please e-mail / pm me.

Just the opposite: it prooves that the sword left Japan ilegally. The Torukusho, registration, has to be handed in to the agency for cultural affairs when applying for an export license.

Sounds more like Sakite, "hammer man", than Deshi who is a full time student, often live-in.

That was (and still is) my first impression, too. But quite frankly, discussing the fine points of this Horimono is like analyzing the carving technique of the wood elephants sold by vendors on the beaches of Thailand.

On a side note: most Japanese museums and dealers even display Katana edge down if they have a Tachi-mei, like most Hizentô have. I've sometimes even seen them edge up with a mirror behind the Nakago, but think this solution is a little awkward.

Eric and Andi, thanks a lot!

If it's signed, then the answer is "yes".

Some more inside pics and info on how to order it? :D

"Tadaemon" would be an alternative, but your reading is correct: his full name was Hasegawa Chuemon Naotsugu.

If we talk about the same blade - and I'm pretty sure we are - it was bought by a well-known American dealer. It had no papers at all at that time, but made Tokubetsu Jûyô the following Shinsa(s). Which also should answer the question "are there any bargains to be found on the internet?"

Sorry if I just stomp over that ADS'ish post by Milt but here's a list of sword periods (see attachment). Although I gave exat dates again (btw, the format is, like with the emperor/Nengô list, dd/mm/yyyy), it shouldn't be taken too seriously for the reasons explained by Reinhard. SWORD PERIODS.pdf