books on yoroi

[Steffieeee]

Hi. Seems to be a slow moving part of the site..  Can anyone recommend any really good books on Jap Armour?  development, constructions etc. 

 

ta Stef

[Justin Grant]

If you want a serious set of books, Sasama-san has the best books, in my opinion. Pricey, but some of the best.

[Bugyotsuji]

Stef, serious question but do you read French or Japanese? 

[Guest]

Hi Stef,

 

My go to online resource book is by Ian Bottomley and Dave Thatcher

 

https://issuu.com/davethatcher/docs/the_samurai_armour_glossary_2013_v2

 

[Ken-Hawaii]

Thanks, Malcolm.

[Guest]

Cheers Ken,

 

Can't go far wrong with Ian, the greatest living Yorkshireman (So he tells me) and Curator Emeritus of the Oriental Collections of the Royal Armouries; and Dave, who I am told, is fond of eating Urushi (That might be Sushi), but with him, who can tell...........

[Steffieeee]

Thanks guys. Justin is Sasama-san an author? Piers, no Japanese, French almost especially after a bottle of Pastis. What I find fascinating here is both the total conformity of all these designs, yet the variety and the imagination at the same time. I've had Tibetan lamellar and Chinese Szechuan armours, and it's really interesting to see the relationship Japanese stuff has with all of those around it. As far as I know using the hanbo and menpo seems fairly unique

[DaveT]

For the non Japanese or French reader?

My advice is to buy as many and you can. 

Museum Catalogues are okay, but not the best thing, so I will discount these books for now. Yet they hold many treasures.

1. Arms & Armour of the Samurai
Ian Bottomley and Jock Hopson, plus anything with Ian's Name on it.

2. Watanabe Collection / The Do / Kabuto in production
Trevor Absolon, love him or hate him he has produced and is producing some very weighty books packed full of information.
I haven't seen anything to equal them yet for content.

3. Japanese Armour Society JAS Magazine - Ongoing
Four magazines a year with a partial translation and year book containing translations from the Japanese experts and that french bloke Burowoy.
(I'm banned from the JAS for being a hurtful psychopath so haven't seen a copy now for some time).
 

[Steffieeee]

Thanks Dave. Yes I just bought the absolon book based on someone else's recommendation. Will investigate the others

[lonely panet]

I have book one for sale soon if your interested

[Jean]

Bob Burawoy has written several books of which the last one is about the Stibbert Museum Armour