Baka Gaijin

Good morning Chuck, The subject of your menuki looks like Kurikara Fudo. These links may help explain more: http://fudosama.blogspot.com/2004/11/ku ... myo-o.html http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/fudo.html Cheers Malcolm

Good afternoon Piers Most items on the British Museum site are catalogued and if not on display, then in store. The Sword case and cover is on display (G93/case10) Use the back button on the page or reload British Museum site and hit research tab on the nav bar there's access to 1,800,000 objects (or so they say). Here's a better link: http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/s ... rentPage=1 And a little about the original donor: http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/s ... oId=109390 There's a wealth of wonderful articles and images from all departments here, including an in depth article on the rusting of iron. http://www.britishmuseum.org/pdf/TRB2007_Wang.pdf Cheers Malcolm

Good morning Ron The following may be of interest: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/ ... 216wh.html Cheers Malcolm

Thank you Chris Again I say fascinating... Cheers Malcolm

Thank you Moriyama san This is fascinating, a number of questions about Ju-to-ho arise from this..... 1: How does a Smith account for blades produced in order to fulfill his quota? 2: At what point is a blade deemed licenceable? 3: Are Kogatana /Tosu/ Shotoho and varients outside the quota? Cheers Malcolm

Thank you Thomas, So as it has a mekugi ana, must it be licenced and thus be part of the smith's yearly quota under Ju-to-ho? Cheers Malcolm

Good afternoon all Here's something wonderful from The British Museum collection database: http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/s ... _id=551452 Cheers Malcolm

Thank you Moriyama san. I was also curious why the nakago of the Shotoho in question was pierced right at the base. Cheers Malcolm

Morning all, What does the term Shotoho signify? http://world.choshuya.co.jp/sale/sword/ ... gemasa.htm Cheers Malcolm

Morning all, Hi Piers, I have heard that its the right foot that goes in the right side abumi first. See 2.30 onwards, this may help. Edited to add : http://www.asiabookroom.com/AsiaBookRoo ... ss/d/rtd/1 Cheers Malcolm

Morning all Hi Henk - Jan: http://www.urushi-kobo.com/index.html Cheers Malcolm

Morning Keith, The Rice Bran method requires a cotton or muslin bag about 9 x 9 inches, fill with enough rice bran to allow it to be folded in two in the palm of your hand. Stitch it closed and apply to wooden weapons after training. In time the Rice Bran packs down and releases its oils, when the bag seems depleted, add more Rice Bran and continue. The bag in contact with the wood become oil impregnated but not so much that it renders the weapon sticky. Cheers Malcolm

Morning all, Another method of preserving unlacquered wooden weapons is simple Rice Bran in a cotton bag. The rice bran releases its oil slowly and you get a slow build patina. Used like ibota on Shirasaya. Cheers Malcolm

Hi again Keith, The film comes from the 1970's. This is the Dojo recently: Cheers Malcolm

Hi Keith, I think it may refer to Maniwa Nen Ryu....... Check out the video from 14.52 minutes in. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7g2z1 ... art1_sport Cheers Malcolm

Morning again all, Thanks for the continued points and counterpoints on this thread. As a result I've started re-reading through Epochs of Chinese & Japanese Art - Vol 1 & 2 by Ernest Fenollosa. Cheers Malcolm

Morning all, Just a quick note here on the Western influences in Japanese art. It predates Meiji going back to late Azuchi Momoyama in Nagasaki, evolving into Nanga school. Slightly later in early Edo, the Maruyama Shijo school became popular, it was an amalgamation of Chinese & Western influences mixed with Japanese. Egg Chicken etc.... Cheers Malcolm

Morning all Just picked up on this: ubstitutiond coes The good ol Boy signs minus the substitution code as....... Simples.......... Cheers Malcolm

Morning all Bumped today added: Ehon Taikoki 3 Volume life of Toyotomi Hideyoshi to first post of the thread. It's Japanese text with woodblock illustrations. Cheers Malcolm

Morning all, For U.K. members, an auction of various items in aid of the Tsunami takes place tomorrow in Bath (U.K.) http://www.pray4japanbath.co.uk/#/events/4549804450 http://www.pray4japanbath.co.uk/# Malcolm

Evening all, Tassel looks like Fusahimo from a Sword Bag. Cheers Malcolm

Good morning Ford Excellent link For the benefit of the vertically challenged like me, there are four page links way down at the bottom of the Nav bar on the left. Cheers Malcolm

Good afternoon John Many thanks Cheers Malcolm

Morning all In the course of some reading I came upon Hamon 破門. I've got this far: Hamon 刃文 (The term we use in Nihonto study). Hamon 破門 (Literally "outside the gate" to exclude or expell). Are they pronounced similarly in Japanese? (Homophones like the English to, too, two.) Input required please. Cheers Malcolm

Afternoon all Try "Kai" John, as in Kaigun (Navy). Cheers Malcolm