Nihon No Koju

[Peter Bleed]

Der Friends,

Thru the good offices of Grey Doffin I was able to get a nice new edition of Sawada's Koshikju Nyumon Nihon no Koju (Japanese Old Guns)  and I am very pleased. This is not a gaijin friendly volume, but it very well presented with great illustrations.. As and "introduction" it emphasizes oddities, but it covered a wide range of both matchlock and 19th century firearms. It shows lots and lots of different19th century imports, Details of when and how imports were obtained seems pretty terse, but the range of imports must be fairly complete. Tables and lists are generally rather easily to approachable  for folks with a bit of Japanese. I think this book deserves a spot in a collector's library.

Peter

[Bugyotsuji]

Peter, I agree. Not perfect, not easy to find and not cheap, but probably the best out there.

[Grey Doffin]

Hi guys,

When I was introduced to this book I heard that the title is Nihon no Furuju, Peter has it as Nihon no Koju.  I can't find the word in my dictionaries.  I have another copy coming in and I'd like to have the correct title when I list it; which is correct please?

Thanks,  Grey

[Bugyotsuji]

日本の古銃

Since there is no English version, take your pick! (Koju sounds a little stiff and formal and hard to understand when spoken, but Furuju

gives a better impression of the meaning to a first time Japanese listener.) Most Japanese I have met seem reluctant to pronounce it out loud.

[Peter Bleed]

Once again, I ponder how wonderful it would have been if early Japan had been introduced to writing by the Spanish instead of the the Chinese

.In any case I apologize if I erred in rendering this title.It would not be a first for me.

I will certainly defer to Piers. But to make this issue  more complex, the full title on the title page says something like "An  Introduction to Old Style Guns. . . OLD Japanese GUNS" In other words, the word "OLD" appears twice, BUT "Old Style" is pronounced "Koshiki" and, as we have just learned, "Old Guns" is uttered "Furuju." So I suppose this title would be KoshikiI Ju Nyumon Nihon No Furuju" or might it be "Koshiki Tsutsu..."?

And I decided to call the author "Sawada" and didn't even take a stab at his first name. Are we sure he doesn't go by "Takuda"

Growing up with the name "Peter Bleed" allows me to find othe' peoples' names remarkable

[Bugyotsuji]

He is properly Sawada Taira, (although nicknames abound).

 

You have not erred in the least, Peter. Koshiki Ju is the set phrase for old-style guns, you are correct. The title of the book however is his choice of wording and is not a cliché with a fixed way of reading it.