Toryu2020

All - I have the papers in hand and sorted for mailing they should go out this week. -tch

Perfect opportunity for members of the NMB to get in some more study - especially those new to nihonto and those who are geographically isolated. We encourage you to join us the more folks who participate the better our programs will become. Check it out! NCJSC Kantei Program In the past year the NCJSC has moved from a printed newsletter to an all electronic format, in that same time we have instituted a new kantei study program for the benefit of our members. This program has three components; Shijo Kantei, Zoom Kantei and in-person hands-on Kantei. Our Shijo kantei or “paper kantei” program is otherwise known as “Hon’Ami Koji’s Kantei Kyoshitsu” this is because the program comes from Hon’Ami Koji Sensei of Kamakura, Japan. Hon’Ami Sensei being a 24th generation polisher in the family tradition and head of the local NBTHK branch. In the past year we have looked at mainline Soshu, Hasebe, Enju, Unji of Bizen, Nanki Shigekuni, Inoue Shinkai and others. Zoom kantei – popular with our out of town members this is our online program that lets you join us for live study from the comfort of your own home. Though many covid restrictions have been lifted here, we intend to continue this class due in part to its popularity. In the past year we have looked at the schools of Ichimonji, mainline Osafune, Hasebe, Yoshii, and Oei Bizen among others. In-person hands-on kantei at our regular monthly meetings. This is not a new program, in fact we have been providing this study opportunity for our members each month for over thirty years! In that time we have seen perhaps every major artist in the world of nihonto excepting perhaps Masamune himself. Each of these programs stands on it’s own and provides incredible insight and value for the student of nihonto. However we would like to propose the following approach; Starting with the Kantei Kyoshitsu, you can see the Japanese descriptions in the original Japanese side by side with an English translation this allows you to start to learn the terms and apply them to known artists work, it can also be used as a tool for learning Japanese as it is applied in the world of nihonto, lastly in the case where the terms are not translated it is an opportunity to refer to your NTHK Novice course and the glossary there for more complete descriptions. Next is the Zoom kantei. This is a full course of nihonto education designed to take you from the beginning to the stage where you have the tools for in-person kantei. There are no curve balls thrown here and as students we all learn together. The focus is on one or two artists each month with discussion of the subject artists work, what other artists may have done similar work, how to get to the correct answer and strategies for playing the kantei “game”. This is often supplemented with examples of the subject artists work from the Juyo To-Ken Nado Zufu and other sources. Very often we are joined by Professor Gordon Robson from Japan providing for an unprecedented level of instruction found nowhere else. These first two may be seen as time on the “practice range” and at our monthly meetings we have the opportunity to play hard ball just as they do at kantei meetings in Japan. You may choose to bid individually or to work as a team, the rules are the same as in Japan and the swords we see are the same or better than one might encounter at a meeting there. Granted it may make for a long day but it is always worth it to remain until “the reveal”, and the setsumei (explanation) never fails to provide new insight into well-known artists. Join us. Thomas C Helm @San Francisco in California (note - the NTHK Novice Course is sent free to new members)

Sometimes a chain is just a chain - no sure there is a particular theme here. Looking at dale's tsuba though it looks like part of an IRORI - the hanger over a Japanese fireplace - an odd thing if meant for a samurai sword... -t

similar...

Getty is beautiful - do not remember any nihonto. LACMA sometimes does exhibits and Mike Yamasaki is often a curator. I would also contact the Nanka To-Ken Kai to see if they are having a meeting during your visit... Nanka Token Kai - Southern California Japanese Sword Society | Gardena CA | Facebook -t

Could it be the JIKKAN - Tsuchinoto? Also read "Ki" -t

The line starts with (item) ONE (a) SWORD, SIGNATURE (Mei) the signature follows... -t

Thanks I use DeepL and got "praying together" - appreciate your help. -t

Thank you Vadim! Yes there is a dedication mei celebrating going off to war and destroying England and America!! much appreciated, -t

here goes...

Yes Brian - once the full article is published I will be happy to share it here...

All the copies it seems just copied the sukashi and not the complete design... 神吉鐔絵本（ドラッグされました）.pdf

Made contact with my friend in Japan and he provided some very useful information. So the original is called "Kage Cho" so shadow butterfly? It means butterflies in sunlight and what is missing from the copies is the "eye" or "head" of the butterfly. Look closely at the original and you can see tiny dots representing the head. Notice also an even number of wings, three butterflies, three heads, six wings... -- Thomas C Helm Pres. Northern California Japanese Sword Club www.ncjsc.org

Once again Markus comes thru... Yes, I have encountered this term. It is the steel that was introduced by Kamura Heihachi (嘉村平八, 1890–1967), who was a metallurgist and the president of the Kyushu Institute of Technology. It was supposed to have a very high degree of purity and several swordsmiths experimented with it, for example Gassan Sadakatsu. Best regards, Markus

All - I am looking into Shibata Ka and there is a signature that mentions the use of "Kamura tetsu" 嘉村鉄 - I've done some looking around and have found no mention of this - have you per chance encountered it? Do we know the source? Am I even reading this right? Any help appreciated, -t

Dan - how did we find "concurrent prayer"?

A - The best guess at age will come from the shape - can we please see pictures of the whole sword? -t

asking for a friend - The inscription starts with three small kanji - 併而祈 below that, four large kanji - 武運長久 Bu-un Cho-kyu - Which as I understand it is a common four character "idiom" from the war years "Continued Luck in War" - the question is the three small kanji at the top - how is it read in Japanese? Shikamo Hei (wo) Inoru? or some such and what would be the best English translation for these three? Any help appreciated, -tch

one more

some more

Some more examples - my phone seems to do better than my brand new scanner...

Nicely - thank you!

David - Don't be a tease, can you share any photos or an "Oshy" of the signature? -t

I tell ya Piers - I don't think they were all that common though I have seen others from the group. There is enough metal in this one for two swords! -t PS If you got a copy of any oshigata from your meeting I should love to see them...

A gimei