Mikaveli

The gov site says: Checking the "if you need to make a customs declaration" site, it says "maybe" for both freight forwards and when travelling with the goods. 🤷

So, at least in the UK, the government allows individuals - I've just done my application, and will let you know the results: https://www.gov.uk/eori Previously, when dealing with Parcelforce and customs, their reference included an EORI number (I'm assuming Parcelforce's) - so it's not entirely new. Some Japanese sellers using private forwarders are saying I need one for the forwarder to be able to deliver. I don't know if that changes if I fly back with a purchase by myself, but I'm getting plugged in, in any case. 🙂

This link from the Southern California Naginata Federation states: Doesn't cite a reference or source, but makes another thread of inquiry.

Good luck 💪 I'm very confident that the signature is genuine, so hopefully no condition issues that would prevent getting it papered.

Thanks - any time. 🙂 Is this a sword you've purchased (or one you're considering)?

Thanks for the notice. I'll do my best to attend next week.

Ura mentions made in Kuwana, I believe (but I don't recognise all the Kanji). Ah, 善定 (Zenjo) 作 (saku - made/work of)

Mei is Tanba no Kami Fujiwara Terukado

There's been nothing wrong with any of your contributions - all interesting, with several points to consider. Yes, across that period is definitely in scope for this thread. Especially examples, dates events etc. For example, when someone mentions Kanbun, I have a fairly clear image - but I just kinda take the dates for granted. 😅 It's all small details, but an example of "here's one of the earliest examples of Kanbun" (or whatever feature, style, etc.) to plot the transition into the period where some of the generalisations hold more true.

I found a few blogs etc. that say late Edo onwards - but not why (or any sources). Others said post Meiji sword ban, but likewise. Interesting question, as it's certainly something I just took for granted 😅

Who was it that said, if you don't understand something well enough to explain it simply... Instead it's just the parroting of conventional opinion, not backed up with substance. Just an appeal to tradition and some mystical quality that just isn't measurable. You often encounter the same attitudes in martial arts, each convinced that their style holds the most effective technique, just never proven and somehow imperceptible to anyone who hasn't spent 60 years practicing their "2000 year old" art.

Interesting reading. In Sesko's index, all three of the Kado 門... smiths are listed as also being quoted as Hiro... Mon is obviously the most common reading (in general Japanese), followed by Kado then To. I've also encountered Men and Ne as irregular/ one off readings. Would be very interested in learning anything of the original of the Hiro reading?

Welcome to the forum. 🙂 It's a little off topic for this thread, but your best bet is to create a new topic, along with a picture of the blade / kizu (as how it's been described, verses how it might be evaluated may differ).

Proof by meme, must be true then... 😂 It's fine to have an opinion, but there should be some basis in verifiable facts (especially when asserted as a statement). Anyone can have a favourite den, school or smith - that's personal choice, but getting into the "better" classification, you need to cite how. Are Italian cars best? Fastest, most reliable, best overall value, quietest, least polluting, most innovative, successful in racing etc. At least with Iaido guys, there's some objective testing with verifiable results. But it still becomes subjective - the light sword is quicker, easier to handle, stout swords more robust, thin sword better for slicing soft objects etc. What's the criteria being judged? Like the car example, are we judging American cars against the Fiat or Ferrari? Shinto is what, 180-200 years at most. Shinshinto 100 years. Then factoring demand, and surviving works along side the available time periods, are we comparing average works, the tenth percentile, best ever? Still comes back to agreeing the criteria by which quality is judged, which again, is subjective...

I think in Sesko's history of the Shito era, he suggests a later start date (from c. 1624) before what he cited as a noticeable change in the jigane and sugata. There's lots of talk about whether the koto/shinto dividing line was chosen to align to political eras. Whatever the original thinking, I think it's healthier to think of the transition as less Boolean.