Baka Gaijin

Morning all Here's a fun tool to help writing: http://www.yamasa.org/ocjs/kanjijiten/e ... index.html Cheers Malcolm

Morning Junichi The character 匁 is monme. A monme is a Japanese unit of weight equal to approximately 3.75 grams. So if my non existant maths is correct: 195 x 3.75 gives the 2.1 shaku blade weight of 731.25 grams and 225 x 3.75 gives the 2.3 blade weight of 843.75 grams. I think.......... 尺 Shaku approximately 30.3 cm, or 11.93 inches 寸 Sun approximately 3.030 cm, ~1.193 in Cheers Malcolm

Morning all Many years ago I saw a Gunto Tsuka with metal fillets inserted under the Itomaki and Same. The Dealer told me it was to strengthen it, whether they were added by the request of the Officer, or Field repairs I cannot say. Recently Budogu - Ya in Japan are offering Saya on Live blades used for Iai, Batto & Tameshigiri fitted with a metal fillet and collet ring added under the Urushi, where the hand holds close to the Koiguchi. Apparently it is to prevent accidental cut through on the drawing action....... Cheers Malcolm

Morning all Some time back I saw a Japanese wood block printed book for coin collectors dated to 1816. It had numerous illustrations of coins and almost a parody of our present circumstance, a section for fake Chinese coins. The Coin Dealer who showed me the book told me that coin collecting was a really big pastime in the Edo period and that there were coin collecting clubs in Edo, Kyoto & Osaka. Sadly I've no images of that book but here's a page from a similar book where you can see the ghost image of coins printed on following pages. Cheers Malcolm

Morning Piers Here's a list of Print Publishers marks, this may help in tracking the series down. http://www.printsofjapan.com/Publishers.htm Cheers Malcolm

Evening Piers Perhaps try contacting the curator of works on paper at Waseda University Library, looks like they have quite a selection of Yoshitora prints: http://www.wul.waseda.ac.jp/kosho/chi05/chi05_4198/ http://www.wul.waseda.ac.jp/kosho/chi05/chi05_4079/ http://www.wul.waseda.ac.jp/kosho/chi05/chi05_4106/ Who knows what lies hidden away..... Cheers Malcolm

Morning Piers Here's something about the Artist and some sources for further study: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utagawa_Yoshitora Also here's a link to the Kuniyoshi project which shows almost everything that Kuniyoshi did: http://www.kuniyoshiproject.com/ Cheers Malcolm

Morning all When viewing images particularly woodblock prints from the Tokugawa period, we have to take into consideration the strict artistic censorship that they were produced under; we are not witnessing exact Historical reportage here. There will be many details in the print that would be enforced by the Censors, whose seals will be on the sheets along with the Publishers. Although artists tried to circumvent the rules by being oblique or subtle, it was a little like a one armed man trying to box with God. Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892) is a good example of a woodblock artist pushing the boundaries, although he is very late in both the period and the actual medium, this image makes me smile: http://www.fujiarts.com/cgi-bin/item.pl?item=116065 Cheers Malcolm

Morning Piers Here's a site worth spending some time on: http://www.Japanese-castle-explorer.com/ Cheers Malcolm

Hi Patrick I think the Kamon is made up of two elements, the lower circular part is called Mitsu Jigami and the chevron upper is called Yamagata "Jigami" - the paper blanks for fans. See Mitsu Jigami: http://www.tozandoshop.com/v/vspfiles/kamon/tool4.html Check out Yamagata for the chevron element: http://www.tozandoshop.com/v/vspfiles/k ... ture2.html On the same page you'll see a combination (Watanabe Hoshini Yamagata) Here's a few books that contain a fair selection of Kamon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Japanese-Design ... 0486228746 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Japanese-Animal ... pd_sim_b_1 And here's a screwball theory for a Sunday: Were the Kamon of two families ever merged, much in the same way English Silver sometimes has two armorials usually described as a "Marriage piece" ? Cheers Malcolm

Morning all Hi Richard, the soft metal Menuki (handle ornaments under the Itomaki wrapping on the Tsuka handle) look like four stringed Biwa (Lute like instrument played with a large plectrum) on a Fue (flute) & the other appears to be a Koto (harp like instrument) on something else. There may be an allegorical reason for these combinations. Cheers Malcolm

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