doug e lewis Posted October 24, 2007 Report Posted October 24, 2007 Hi all, Been looking at the posts for the last few days and something really struck me. Seemed like manyh posts ask for information/help with something nihonto ---Koto to Gunto ---- that more or less can be found in the books listed on the Suggested Reading link at the top of every NMB page. i actually jumbed on this Board once or twice [foolish grasshpper!] sometime 4-5 years ago when Rich Turner was running it. Was real excited as i had just purchased my own copy of Yoshirara's wonderful "The Craft of The Japanese Sword", seven years after my first reading in 1987 -- courtesy of my good friend and mentor John H. alomost bought a wak from Rich's mate, Mr. Falcon. did not happen. my bad. but all, in all---no hard feelings all around. then i just studied for the next several years. read every book --own, most, got John to loan me his Hawleys to look at; he loan me other books. my grumpy sayashi friend, Mike Virgadamo, occasionally let me watch him work or would point out something on a sword he was making a shirasaya for, in the rare times he allowed me to stop by during the work day. he did a cursorary kantai on the katana i finally got, by way of my brother deciding that he did not want this un-sheathed weapon leaning next to his bed with a cat running around. [ will post that another day] i have posted the tsuba that was on the katana. anyway, my point is----- STUDY, READ, LEARN........ PLEASE DO NOT WEAR OUT THE PATIENCE OF OUR SEMPAI HERE AT THE NIHONTO MESSAGE BOARD!! that's all i got. sorry all. Quote
sencho Posted October 24, 2007 Report Posted October 24, 2007 No offence meant, Doug, I understand your opinion :D , Fact is that some people do not have the resources that you are privvy to... also may not have the finances to collect all the books associated with this hobby.... or maybe just not the time whilst trying to earn a crust of bread! I think most Sempai on this board are only too happy to impart their knowledge for the benefit of the kohai and the benefit of preserving the articles that are studied.... I remember two years ago on the old NMB, I asked a question that I thought was ridiculous, but was told by the board moderator that the asking of questions like that, was one of the prime reasons of the board existence.... actually some glaring obvious answers to most of us, are not available in some entry texts.... I would absolutely encourage kohai to ask questions on the board. by the way to anyone that isn`t aware (and before you hit the books again ) Sempai means senior person, and Kohai means junior person... Cheers! Quote
doug e lewis Posted October 24, 2007 Author Report Posted October 24, 2007 Your are Sencho-San, i was a little ranting after two pints of Leaping Cow Amber Ale and my comments were very unfair and .... kind of stupid. it took me 10 years to build up my book collection. No Fufishima or Hawley's, but i got friends who have those reference books, and more. though i usually have to read them at their house as they seldom let me take home them to read at my leasure. i just got irked because a couple of questions seemed so very basic for anyone with only a few of the basic nihonto books on the list--- not the high end reference and museum catalogues. my bad. tolerance and patience are virtues seldom seen in this world and, being a fan of Musashi, Fudo Myo-o, and bushido in general i should have practiced what i preach --Character - Sincerity - Ediquette - Effort - Self-Control. they were the words above the entrance to my Shoto-kan dojo in West Philadelphia that i read in 1972 when I walked into the world of bushido [was already a nipponophilesince the age of 12] and met one the most tolerant and gentle men i have ever met, my sensei, Teruyuki Okazaki. very difficult words to live by, but worth the try. i will now be more silent and try not to let my ego run the show so much. thanks all, doug e lewis Quote
Bungo Posted October 24, 2007 Report Posted October 24, 2007 Sempai means senior person, and Kohai means junior person... It also reminds me of the most ridiculous movie with Sean Connery as the Sempai und Wesley Snipes( sounds like that ) as the Kohai.................. the sempai just kept explaining to the audience ( that's the movie watchers ) the " finer " points of Japanese culture............geez, it's supposed to be an action flick. Enough already..................... milt the ronin Quote
doug e lewis Posted October 24, 2007 Author Report Posted October 24, 2007 HI Milt, i should really just take the time to look up the correct spelling of the Japanese words i use. i have Japanese-English dictionary on the bookshelf behind me, but am too lazy to get up get it. yeah, Sempai. not as in age, as in senior fellow nihonto-ka [studier of Nihonto, like a karate-ka studies karate-do, neh?] just saw that movie again a few months back. and that silly "Black Rain" gangster movie. want to see again that Robert Michum film where he cuts off his little finger in the end because he had failed his friend [he thinks]. great stuff. maybe this katana i have is a Bungo!!! will try to take good pics this weekend and post it so i can get other opinions besides Mike Virgadamo's "Uda Style, ca. 1560's, bundle sword, ichi-kizu [actually has at least three kizu that i can identify] " that i have now. later gator, doug e lewis Quote
Bungo Posted October 24, 2007 Report Posted October 24, 2007 "Black Rain" gangster movie IS NOT SILLY. milt the ronin Quote
Jean Posted October 25, 2007 Report Posted October 25, 2007 From an old frog, believe me : There are no stupid questions but only silly answers Quote
doug e lewis Posted October 25, 2007 Author Report Posted October 25, 2007 ok Milt, silly in that ..... ho, fudge,... ok i really liked it! doug e Quote
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