Nihonto as a college class

[LakeBum]

Has anyone seen Nihonto offered as a college class? When I was in my under grad, I took all the Asian history classes that the college offered. Also, apparently there is a nihonto forge in Oregon called the Dragonfly. An American learned from a sword smith and does tutorials and what not. Anyone ever go there?

 

Jason

[seattle1]

Hello:

This doesn't exactly fit your question, but it might be close. Some few years ago Guelph University in Ontario, Canada had some faculty who were very interested in newer swords and I believe kendo. For several summers they ran a course, not necessarily a for credit type course, where enrollees were taught how to forge a tanto and did so. That took place in St. Jacob's, Ontario where an iron worker had a working forge available for summer use. I met one prof there who was taking the course, he from MIT, and he pointed out to me that his school crest or logo featured a forge harkening back to the origins of that institution. You might contact Guelph University to see if that activity is still underway. I am sorry I do not remember the Guelph faculty members name or his department.

Arnold F.

[LakeBum]

Thanks Arnold!

 

I would just like to know if there are classes that teach Nihonto as well. Just the study of the sword not only the forging of the blade.

 

Jason

[ROKUJURO]

Jason,

 

you might also look at http://www.twinoaksforge.com. Dan o'Connor is a member here.

[drjoe]

Has anyone seen Nihonto offered as a college class? When I was in my under grad, I took all the Asian history classes that the college offered. Also, apparently there is a nihonto forge in Oregon called the Dragonfly. An American learned from a sword smith and does tutorials and what not. Anyone ever go there?

 

Jason

 

i've taken some of the classes at dragonfly forge. a wonderful experience. sensei bell trained under nakajima muneyoshi in the 70's.

 

you can see my amateur documentary about my experience here:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFkhwpHZh8o

 

 

 

but these classes focus on forging, mounting, and making koshirae, not on nihonto.

[drjoe]

Hello:

This doesn't exactly fit your question, but it might be close. Some few years ago Guelph University in Ontario, Canada had some faculty who were very interested in newer swords and I believe kendo. For several summers they ran a course, not necessarily a for credit type course, where enrollees were taught how to forge a tanto and did so. That took place in St. Jacob's, Ontario where an iron worker had a working forge available for summer use. I met one prof there who was taking the course, he from MIT, and he pointed out to me that his school crest or logo featured a forge harkening back to the origins of that institution. You might contact Guelph University to see if that activity is still underway. I am sorry I do not remember the Guelph faculty members name or his department.

Arnold F.

 

Kim Taylor would be the contact at U Guelph (http://sdksupplies.netfirms.com/).

 

the class used to be taught my Muh Tsyr Yee -- who trained under Michael Bell -- but now I think he's based out of Maine and no longer teaching in canada. in any case, that class, like the ones at Sensei Bell's, is really about bladesmithing rather than anything about nihonto per se.

 

http://www.uoguelph.ca/~iaido/gsjsa_smithing.htm

 

http://www.newenglandschoolofmetalwork. ... itemId=209

[LakeBum]

Thank you for the suggestions and replies!

 

Jason