Lewis B

It's a 5 star rated hotel just to give you some idea. $$$$$ I take my campervan so no worries on the overnight arrangements. The event has been held at the hotel every year except for the inaugural one (the 2nd might have been at the conference centre too but 99% sure it wasn't)

Excellent. In a dealer capacity?

I've had a WTB listing up forever and only received one offer. It was so close to retail I balked. Looks like I'll have to stump up for a new copy. The more I see the quality of the images the more I think its worth the investment. Also looking for Dr. Honma's Soshu-den Meisaku Shu These will be last big reference purchases I think I want in my little library ....... at least for Soshuden As Hoshi said we should be investing more in experiences and less in collecting. These books are the perfect example of the former.

$350 plus shipping

Thank you for the clear and detailed review as to why I should now take this out of my Amazon basket. I had particular interest when I read of Kenji Mishina's involvement (its not often we know the togishi who polished a sword), but if the blades are not presented so they can be appreciated in print (especially as B&W images), what is the point. I will skip this publication.

Thanks for the clarification. Its clearly a knotty subject with many interpretations and plausible hypotheses. The last one though sounds more like sour grapes. If I had to choose I would say Option 3 was the most likely. It couldn't have been easy to travel over such a large area in the early 14th century. Go is said to have Yamato infuence in his forging style and might have been another journeyman smith, like Norishige, with swordsmithing roots in Yamato.

Goldmine of info is right. I've only skimmed half the newsletters and its already changed some misconceptions I had. For example I had always assumed the 10 Masamune Juttetsu were smiths who had traveled to Sagami to learn his techniques. Yamanaka states it was Masamune who traveled around Japan visiting the home provinces of these 'disciples' where he learned from them and he in turn passed on his knowledge. Sort of makes sense.

Thanks to @MassiveMoonHehfor posting the Yamanaka Newsletters. A quick perusal uncovered a Kokuho tanto signed Kunimitsu. What caught my eye was that this blade is described as having an iori-mune, which is incredibly rare amongst all Shintogo tanto. I have only come across one other Shintogo tanto with iori-mune and that was described as Katakiriha-tsukuri. The takenoko-zori is also intriguing. Anyone have a link to oshigata or more info on this Kokuho sword? Extract from the Newsletter Kunimitsu 国光 (新藤五) Tanto Length: 42.3 cm (this has to be total length) Width: 2.1 cm Shape and Construction: Hiratsukuri, and takenoko sori. The mune is ihorimune. Hamon: The Hamon is hiro suguha with ashi, and there are abundant nie all along the hamon, and especially along the hamon edge. Kinsuji are seen along the hamon too. Boshi: The boshi has a komaru with a kaeri which is a little longer than the usual Kunimitsu, and there are small hakikake at the very tip of the boshi. Jitetsu and Hada: The hada is ko-itame hada and tightly forged. There are abundant ji nie all along the blade, and these form chikei in places. Nakago: The Nakago has been shortened a little and the tip is cut in kiri. The file marks are katte sagari of which very little can be seen due to age. There are two mekugi ana and the one at the top has been partially plugged. There is a two character inscription “Kunimitsu” on the omote side. This Kunimitsu is probably is probably the least conventional Kunimitsu work, and when compared to the other two kokuho Kunimitsu, it is a little Inferior, although the steel of the blade certainly is just as good as the other two. Kunimitsu is more of a master at making tanto than making tachi. There are very few tachi blades by Kunimitsu, although tanto are seen in greater numbers. Also, Kunimitsu is regarded as one of the better sword smiths who made tanto, along with such other masters like Awataguchi Toshiro Yoshimitsu, Soshu Masamune, Sa, and Rai Kunitoshi, and possibly Rai Kunimitsu and Kunitsugu. The fact that the hamon of this Kunimitsu is hiro suguha attests to the fact that this blade has been well preserved.

Well we were warned. https://Japan-forward.com/is-the-british-museum-rewriting-samurai-history/

Could be kirikomi plus a filled mekugi ana.

The menuki are not that dissimilar to this pair that just listed on Eirakudo https://eirakudo.shop/807221

Very attractive set. I especially like the playful posing of the Shishi lions in the menuki.

The Rosetta Stone and Elgin Marbles might argue that statement At least the photos are quite high quality. I can even see the cat number for the Yoshikane, which to me is a really nice piece. Entered the BM inventory in 1992 and came from the Walter Compton Collection through the Christie's auction. They paid $143k. The Zufu states it's quite tired but the fact it's signed/ubu makes it important. And it's almost 1000 years old, so I guess we can cut it some slack. I prefer the Ko Bizen Kageyasu tachi though.

Not sure that any large waterfalls like that exist in Japan. The closest I could find was Shiraito Falls but nothing on the scale of that image, nor with such a large meandering river feeding it. My guess is its Chinese. Unless its a figment of a Japanese artists imagination.

Good thing there are two magpies in the scene and not one "One for sorrow, Two for joy, Three for a girl, Four for a boy, Five for silver, Six for gold, Seven for a secret never to be told".

Thanks

OK, I'll give it a shot Kunimitsu (Shintogo), Yuki (Yukimitsu), Masamune, Kunimitsu (nidai?), Kunihiro, Kuniyasu (Daishinbo) I'm guessing this is Norishige. Not directly associated with the other Sagami smiths. Can anyone read the neighbouring kanji to give the name some context? I get the impression this manuscript is causing few ripples given its potential significance as the oldest Mei zukushi so far discovered. Reinhard says the hand is different (and that's clearly discernible) so do the experts/academics think this a far more recent text and this explains the apparent lack of interest, post initial furore. In other words the document is a bit of a red herring.

Ditto. I was equally underwhelmed at the V&A too. Here they seemed to focus on the connection with a historical figure rather than celebrate the sword and show something of consequence from a nihonto perspective.

To confirm its magnetic and therefore steel.

I’ll be there. 3rd year.

And more photos please.

Use the QR code and it takes you to the individual descriptions in English.

The Yukimitsu tanto, with a unique hitatsura hamon, zaimai placing him still in Kamakura in 1322. This one really needs a photographic record.

Nice utsuri. Good luck with the Shinsa. Let us know how it goes.

It's a mumei Tokubetsu Juyo papered Chu-Aoe katana from Nanbokucho era, so no Rai-hada passes.