New Member Introductions

[Gensai]

Hello everyone,

my name is Leonardo. I practice an old koryu from the Edo period with roots in the Sengoku era, and I’m here to deepen my understanding of nihonto, especially blades from the Sengoku and Muromachi periods. I’m studying balance, geometry and historical context to better understand how these swords were actually used in daily training.Don’t worry, I’m not here to ask anyone to gift me a Muramasa… 😂, even if a blade like that would get more honest training with me than crying alone in a display case.

[RobDam]

4 hours ago, Gensai said:

Hello everyone,

my name is Leonardo. I practice an old koryu from the Edo period with roots in the Sengoku era, and I’m here to deepen my understanding of nihonto, especially blades from the Sengoku and Muromachi periods. I’m studying balance, geometry and historical context to better understand how these swords were actually used in daily training.Don’t worry, I’m not here to ask anyone to gift me a Muramasa… 😂, even if a blade like that would get more honest training with me than crying alone in a display case.

Ciao Leonardo, welcome!

I’m new here as well.

Out of curiosity, from a koryū perspective, would you actually use antique nihontō for training, or only modern-made / dedicated practice blades?

I would personally be very hesitant to mechanically stress a blade that is several hundred years old, even if it is still structurally sound. But I’m genuinely curious how this is viewed from the practitioner’s side: is an old blade still considered “usable” in a practical sense, or is the risk of fatigue, hidden flaws, or damage to the polish generally too high?

I’d be very interested to hear your perspective, especially regarding balance, geometry and handling compared with modern training swords.

[Gensai]

8 minutes ago, RobDam said:

Ciao Leonardo, welcome!

I’m new here as well.

Out of curiosity, from a koryū perspective, would you actually use antique nihontō for training, or only modern-made / dedicated practice blades?

I would personally be very hesitant to mechanically stress a blade that is several hundred years old, even if it is still structurally sound. But I’m genuinely curious how this is viewed from the practitioner’s side: is an old blade still considered “usable” in a practical sense, or is the risk of fatigue, hidden flaws, or damage to the polish generally too high?

I’d be very interested to hear your perspective, especially regarding balance, geometry and handling compared with modern training swords.

In koryū we don’t use antique nihontō for regular training.

A blade from the Sengoku or Edo period is a historical object, and even if it is still structurally sound, it carries fatigue, old polishing cycles, and sometimes hidden flaws that you simply cannot detect without risking the blade.

For daily keiko we use modern steel blades (shinken or blunt steel), made specifically for training. They are consistent, predictable, and you can stress them without worrying about damaging something that survived 300–400 years.

In Europe we are also fortunate to have access to good-quality 1060 / 1095 steel blades for practice. They are not nihontō, of course, but in terms of weight, balance and general geometry they can get surprisingly close to the feeling of a traditional sword, which makes them very practical for regular training.

Antique blades are handled only for study: balance, geometry, sori, niku, and the feeling of how a real sword “lives” in the hand. That part is extremely valuable for understanding the old techniques.

Personally, I would never use an antique blade for tameshigiri. Cutting puts real mechanical stress on the steel, and it’s not worth the risk.

For kata, however, an antique blade can be used carefully, because the movements are controlled and non-impact. But even then, it’s more about understanding the feeling of the sword than about “training” with it.

This is just my personal view as a beginner practitioner and someone who is deeply interested in the culture and history of nihontō.

So yes , old blades are still “usable, ” in the sense that they can be drawn, felt, and studied, but not for repetitive cutting. Modern training swords for practice, antique nihontō for understanding.

 

Thansk a lot and nice to meet you :-)

[eternal_newbie]

24 minutes ago, Gensai said:

A blade from the Sengoku or Edo period is a historical object, and even if it is still structurally sound, it carries fatigue, old polishing cycles, and sometimes hidden flaws that you simply cannot detect without risking the blade.

 

Very true, even for contemporary blades. I've seen modern (production) blades put through the wringer for destruction testing, both online and in real life, and the difference between a blade that's brand new and one that's a single shock away from snapping in half can be surprisingly hard to tell, especially if the latter has been repolished using all the restoration techniques available to us in the modern day.

[Gensai]

5 minutes ago, eternal_newbie said:

 

Very true, even for contemporary blades. I've seen modern (production) blades put through the wringer for destruction testing, both online and in real life, and the difference between a blade that's brand new and one that's a single shock away from snapping in half can be surprisingly hard to tell, especially if the latter has been repolished using all the restoration techniques available to us in the modern day.

You’re absolutely right. That’s exactly why I personally wouldn’t use an antique blade or even a modern one with an unknown history for any kind of cutting. A blade can look flawless after a repolish, but the internal fatigue is still there, and like you said, it only takes one shock in the wrong direction to finish it.

From a practitioner’s perspective, that’s the part that worries me the most: you can’t “see” the real condition of the steel. So for training I prefer modern blades made specifically for repeated stress.

And to be honest, I have too much respect for blades in general even modern ones to treat them roughly or push them to their limits. Even my training swords, I handle them as if they were a Muramasa or a Masamune, lol.

 

Nice to meet you

[petethe canadian]

Another newb here, posting from Calgary Alberta but I am from Montreal Quebec. I just posted about my katana chest and hope to get feedback on the mysteries of the chest. I lived in Sendai Miyagi for over 20 years and while in the country we picked up a lot of Japanese antiques, we came back with all kinds of antiques most of which we use in our daily lives. My wife is from Sendai and I found quite a few old documents, books and scrolls in their storehouse going back to the days of her samurai ancestors who served the Date clan, they were archers, all very interesting though I have given up on AI trying to translate them. 

[Chord]

Hi, I am Chord - and I am really enjoying and am grateful for the knowledge passed on here by members.  The art and history of Nihonto is captivating, and I am but a student of these and eager to learn.

[Nukitsuke]

Hello,

My interest in Japanese swords began with a blade that has a historical connection to the area where I live here in Japan. It’s not a famous piece, but it’s been a great teacher; a functional sword with a martial sugata and a striking example of uzumaki‑hada. That first experience set me on a path of study that’s continued for over fifteen years.

 

I’m interested in many different schools, though I’ve spent several years focusing on Hizen work. My current favorites include a robust Keichō‑era Tadayoshi, a Kanei‑era gunome‑chōji midare Omi Daijō, and a particularly strong Kawachi no Kami Masahiro with a flamboyant hamon and jigane that I feel could reach jūyō if the mihaba were jusssssssst a little wider (I'm basing this on what I usually see pass Juyo for shinto works, which is super hard to achieve on its own). Each of these blades has taught me something different; aesthetics, spirit, and the value of careful study guided by my mentors and our collective experience.
 

My philosophy toward nihontō blends craftsmanship, history, martial purpose, and aesthetics, which often leads me to appreciate swords that others might overlook. I’m especially drawn to jigane and sugata, with hamon close behind. I’m a NBTHK member and I have completed university studies in Japanese and East Asian history, which helps me contextualize the blades within the lives, politics, and culture of both feudal and peaceful eras.

 

If I had to choose a favorite blade out of the 16 or so that I own, it might be my Omi Daijō... It's wide, thick‑kasane, and beautifully executed, though my Junin Tadayoshi and Kawachi no Kami Masahiro each hold their own place in my collection for different reasons. The Omi Daijō was pure aesthetic desire, and a continuation of conversations with one of my mentors that passed away earlier this year. The Masahiro taught me about the energy and spirit of peak Hizen work, and the Junin Tadayoshi represents the culmination of study and guidance that helped me recognize its quality with confidence while also being the point of origin for the tradition (although junin examples are relatively rare in comparison to some of the later signatures, this example is one of the best I've seen with comparisons made between what exists in the collections of my peers, I think it's one of the best existing works of this mei... Time and new connections will tell though! The Jigane doesn't look to be shinto at all, it looks more koto-esque and you can certainly see the pre Hizen feel before it was totally established from this work... The uniformity of the jigane is very impressive to me as a keicho shodai work, as many of the other examples I've seen have less uniformity, or are very worn). Let me stop nerding out about this...

 

**Ahem...My goal is to continue deepening my knowledge, engage meaningfully with other collectors, and grow a collection that reflects both study and authenticity. My relationship with nihontō is built on respect for the steel, the history behind it, and the craftsmen who shaped it.

 

I look forward to learning from the community and contributing where I can.

- Mitchell

Edited Monday at 02:00 AM by Nukitsuke

[MassiveMoonHeh]

7 hours ago, Nukitsuke said:

I look forward to learning from the community and contributing where I can.

- Mitchell

Welcome Mitchell - That you live in Japan and already have what sounds like a pretty solid background in Japanese history will make you a valuable addition to the community. Looking forward to future interactions. 

[Nukitsuke]

Oh wow, I hadn't considered that I might have a valuable perspective to add here but I'll do my best to live up to it! Thanks for the warm welcome, I too am looking forward to future interactions and learning opportunities!