Toryu2020

Welcome Henrik! Love those Chokuto! -t

Adrian - Show us more of that blade when you have the chance. looks intriguing -t

Martin - Stay safe my man! NHK news is showing all the crews checking out the reactors in Chiba. A few cracks in your hotel are one thing, lets pray there are no cracks in your power plant! -t

Ed - Remember that the points in your hamon, the parts closest to the shinogi, are the "tops" of your hamon. The flat, straight parts closest to the edge are the valleys, the "bottom." If you think of it in this way it is easy to see that this is not hako-midare. fwiw -t

Robert - It is cursive but it clearly is Mitsu. I recommend "The Samurai Sword" by John Yumoto - besides a great introduction to swords it includes examples of common characters and common variations. Also if there is anything on the reverse of your tang, I am sure the members would appreciate seeing a photo of that as well. -t

Cheers Ford! I love Sansai as an historical figure and I love Higo tsuba, especially Jingo. And until you pointed it out I never made the connection. There could hardly be a finer example of samurai virtue, courage and action. I am sorry to say Chris, but this man was no pampered figure-head whose feet never touched bare earth. The proto-type of the Higo koshirae which became so popular is known by two names, one is "Nobunaga koshirae", so-called for the Kashu Nobunaga blade that it held. A hint at Sansai's character in that he carried no famous blade but a simple working mans sword. It is also known as "Kassen koshirae" not from battle (kassen) but from the Thirty-six Immortal Poets, San-ju Rokassen. The story goes that when Sansai learned that a group of his retainers was involved in a scandal he became so enraged he struck down the leader then and there. (some versions of the story say he killed all 36 offenders with this very sword) An elegant exterior hiding deadly serious intentions. (this was after 1600 and after he retired BTW) I have to give Ford props here Sansai knew war, he designed his own armour, he was a martial artist, the very man that employed Musashi and he would, as has been said, hardly have employed inferior materials or items of decoration for something as vital as his own sword or those of his family and retainers. With this one example I think Ford has made a tremendous point. with your all's indulgence, I include below a snippet of my article "Bun Bu Ryodo" from the newsletter of the NCJSC; "Hosokawa Tadaoki Sansai 忠興 (1564-1645) – If any man was a better example of the dual way than Hosokawa Yûsai it would be his eldest son, Tadaoki. He served Nobunaga like his father, earning the fief of Tango. Because of differences with Akechi Mitsuhide he sided with Hideyoshi. He took part in the campaign to subjugate Kyushu, was among the generals called on to bring down the Hojo of Odawara and was the commander in the siege of Nirayama castle. His wife, a daughter of Mitsuhide, had been baptized, Gracia. She had been confined to house arrest following the assassination of Nobunaga. Later in 1600 when Tadaoki was campaigning with Ieyasu against the Uesugi, representatives of Ishida Mitsunari came to his Osaka home to take her hostage. As the wife of a samurai lord she understood she could not be taken alive, but as a Christian she could not commit suicide. So it was that Tadaoki had arranged for one of his retainers to take her life and then (the retainer) his own and thus frustrate his enemies. From Tango Tadaoki was transferred to Kokura, Buzen with an income of 360, 000 koku and then to Yatsushiro, Higo with an income of 540,000 koku. Here he gathered great artists and accomplished painters and swordsmen. Like his father he was a master of Tôken, adept at poetry, painting and tea ceremony. As a student of Sen no Rikyu he developed his own school of tea and collected some of the most famous articles of tea ware known. His taste in tea and experience with Hoki ryu iaijutsu were a direct influence on the development of the Nobunaga Koshirae. His experiences on the battlefield are directly reflected in the armour that he developed for himself but that we now know as Etchu Ryu gusoku from his title of Etchu no Kami. He studied Waka, Shushi-gaku, and Tenrei Tokujitsu and he revived the annual festival of Sharei. Sharei was a tournament held on the 17th of the first month where retainers tested their archery skills against one another, the winners receiving increases in their stipend. He was known as the “Daimyo of Bunbu Ryodô.”"

Not locked yet? Western collectors have no problem it seems displaying buddhas and other votive objects from other cultures. Would you proudly display a crucifix on your mantle if you knew it belonged in the vatican? That said there was a long history of raiding shrine store-houses in order to equip armies on the move. This was historically how many swords were lost, and some discovered! The victor was by unwritten rule to return the swords after the battle. There are records that show swords that went out came back but with different dimensions! Kusunoki-san a single list would be enourmous. Most large shrines with established collections publish catalogues of their holdings - some are exhaustive, listing everything, and some just highlight the better blades... -t

EMS is best Remember Fedex goes thru Alaska where fish and game is looking for endangered species like the lowly same... -t

Count me jealous

Looks to read; 武州住安親　　（加尾） Bushû jû Yasuchika (kao) but as Grey has pointed out not the real Yasuchika I'm thinking... -t

Stefan - this is what I see; . Sorry have no books at hand so cannot decipher those two characters but I am sure others on this list better at reading than me will fill in those blanks... -t PS with a little study you could work this out yourself so dont be in a hurry to open up that spoiler

Ed - Most likely a scene from Heike Monogatari judging by the armour and accoutrement. Printed much later though, not a heian era image... -t

FWIW David - I would look at Choshu works to see if there aren't similar examples like yours out there... -t

Peter - You'll need to post better higher rez photos for folks to work this out - someone here familiar with his signatures may figure it out but I really think it will need a better photo... -t

Luc - Don't get the wrong idea just because the signature is a clear gimei. Think of it more as an homage. Someone wanted to give the gift of a famous sword so they had one made. From what little we can see it looks like a well made sword. If it really is from the Koyama group it will certainly have value. Not to mention the koshirae which looks to be one of the better examples of these revivalist court tachi. Your friend has a sword worth preserving, I would get more photos, especially close shots of the boshi, monouchi and nakago, with a little research you may be able to help him find out much more, -t

Piers et al - Regarding the Teppo-pipe (Teppipe?) it is only the wrong way round till you realize that smoking is bad for your health! Then "holding a holding a gun to your head" makes perfect sense... -t

Luc - Can you post the pictures to imageshack? some of us may have a problem with downloading unknown files from unknown sources, others may just have problems downloading files period. looking forward to those photos... -t

Fred - The website is http://www.toryu-mon.com The email is toryu@toryu-mon.com Contact me anytime, -t

All - the statement is true - I remember being skeptical when seeing the first listing of this piece having seen many Chinese and Middle Eastern fakes. I was surprised myself when Yoshikawa Sensei and the others took such an interest in this piece. I am a little uncomfortable with this being used to sell the sword in this way - I think it would have been better to wait for the publication, but what can you do. If it adds value to the piece then more power to you... -t

Jasper - Not sure anybody mentioned it but a damned nice first find - count me jealous... -t

James et al - One thing that needs to be considered is to what end are we studying? This will guide what books you want to invest in. Yumoto, Inami, Robinson, Sato and dare I say it Sinclair are must haves for beginners to get a basic grasp of the subject. As mentioned the books by Kapp and Yoshihara are for folks who want to know detailed info on the construction and restoration of a sword. Where to go next? If you expect to be seeing lots of swords in the field and want to read and understand the signatures you will need Hawley's. At least until you can read Japanese when you can switch to the Nihonto Meikan. Hawley's is basically a translation of an older edition of this. If you are only looking at and interested in better swords then you need Fujishiros, the two volume set features only the best makers and oshigata that are unquestioned. The Meikan is a phone book with every possible name included, Fujishiro includes only the top smiths. The connoisseur's book is a translation of a handbook for kantei. This is the traditional exercise followed in Japan for teaching the study of swords and is meant to accompany the viewing of examples of the makers mentioned. You need this book if you are regularly seeing good swords and especially if you are attending kantei sessions. It is an overview of the study of swords, the best in print really. However it is full of terms and explanations that are near impossible to understand without having first seen real world examples. I say buy it but keep it mind it can be a lot to take in as a beginner. If you can get the NBTHK English editions or the reprint that came out some time ago that, I think is a better next step. There you are seeing oshigata of blades and can see what the text is describing. Along the same lines and often over-looked is the Shin Nihonto Kantei Nyumon. Also a handbook for kantei but not as in depth as Nagayama Sensei's book but with one feature not found in the former. This terrific little book has kantei exercises in the back that describe a sword, let you try to decide who made the blade and then gives very detailed answers as to why the work described is by a particular artist. This really helps to connect written descriptions to swords as pictured in the magazines. Which in turn will help you if you decide to do the monthly kantei in the publications of the NBTHK and the NTHK. Harry Watson has translated the "nyumon" and I cannot stress just how useful I think it can be to the new student of kantei. Which of course brings up the NTHK and their publication To-Ken to Rekishi, which I feel is still your best bargain for sword info as it is the only Japanese sword magazine that sends out regular translations of the monthly kantei and featured swords. If recognizing good swords is your goal this is the way you should head. That covers beginner and intermediate study, next the student (or collector) needs to decide where to go with his hard won knowledge - if you specialize then there are all sorts of monographs on particular artists and particular schools. You can spend a fortune collecting books that will support your focus and hopefully improve your understanding and your collection. Others want to know it all and (unlike me) have the mental capacity to grasp all that knowledge, also the pocket book to acquire the best examples of the best artists - at this level we are talking about the large tomes or "Taikans" and at the highest level the Juyo To-ken Nado Zufu and Tokubetsu Juyo nado Zufu which are collections of oshigata and detailed descriptions of the very best swords by the very best makers. This information being all in Japanese you'll have a whole nother collection of books on language study to get you here. Rare air but a place I should someday like to be myself. in the end you really only need the first four or five books mentioned but after reading those I would be surprised if anyone stops there, enjoy... -t

The original "Musashi Koshirae" has a raised ridge on the kashira - this was copied by later generations of the Niten Ichi-ryu and over time it became more pronounced and pointed not for raking hits but for striking tsubo or pressure points such as the solar plexus and that located under the nose. A late copy for sure but still a neat item -t

Matt - Reservation confirmations went out the first week in January. I had one other person whose reservation went missing in the cybersphere. I will re-send your reservation once I get home tonight - please check your junkmail in case it gets directed there. I will also send it from my work address just in case. If anyone else has experienced this problem please let me know and I will investigate, -t

A reminder for all you last minute travellers - Registration for shinsa slots closes on Wednesday, after that you will have to fight for a slot at the show, which is not always convenient. If you think you will need a spot or have questions please email us now; NTHK2012@toryu-mon.com cheers, -t

Back to quality for a minute, One thing which perhaps has not been mentioned in so many words is balance, but in the sense that all the features are in harmony. Saeru I believe is the word, which can mean clear, clearly or skillfully done. The idea that the smith had absolute control of his material and that shows throughout the work. I love Satsuma swords for all their features, and some of the attitude they transmit. However some teachers point out that the unevenness of the nie, the fact that it grows large and clumps up in places, would not be desirable on other blades. Another example, a strong clearly defined hamon that fades or becomes indistinct in spots would of course not be appreciated as much as one that is clearly done, and in most cases clearly done in the style the smith is known for. Perhaps all this goes without saying (and perhaps this is more into the aesthetics) but it is a comment often seen in written kantei and one I heard often during my short time in Japan. -t