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Alas, This video is very difficult to watch. Beyond the factual errors, it is representative of the lack of museum budgets for qualified curators and European decline in museum scholarship on Arms & Armor. This is not to blame the presenter. His effort is earnest, and I am sympathetic to his predicament in the society he is embedded in, it is a survival strategy. He is but a symptom of a deeper societal issue. This is a general trend, museums follow the elite taste and ideology of their donors and subsidizing government bodies. Sadly, the BM has been marred in a battle against the Woke Mind Virus and its denunciation of colonial history that renders everything it owns, hires, and does, suspect. The presenter is a product of this tension. It is an unfortunate situation, but this too will come to pass in the broader arc of history when necessity calls back for common sense. Best, Hoshi

So a couple of weeks ago I purchased the book "Japanese Swords Sōshū Masterpieces" by Dmitry Pechalov from the Soshu-Den Museum. It has been around for a little while (since 2019) so I guess this is a post-post-post release review of the book. Let me just start off by saying... WOW!!! This is how a Sword book should be presented! The book is NOT small - in fact at 40.5cm x 30cm (16"x11.8") it is actually rather big, but let me be the first to say it - when it comes to Nihonto photography... BIG IS BEAUTIFUL! And whilst the pictures are exactly what you want in a sword photo; Massive Hasselblad super high definition images in all their glory, this is not a coffee table book. This book is serious, showing years of research and dedication to the cause, I promise you will learn a lot more than you already know and it will probably answer a lot of your questions or concerns that you had. Everyone in the Nihonto space knows, the Soshu-Den is the cream of the crop, their swords are beautiful, they are rare and generally very, very expensive - especially for the unfathomable heights of Tokubetsu Juyo and above. As such these blades are super hard to get a proper look at in person and in fact in most cases you never will. This book however gives you an insider's view of some of the best of Soshu-Den blades ever made. Every Master and sword has a significant write up that gives me massive Darcy Brockbank'esq vibes in it's detail; from the story of the Master, to the story of the blade and it's associated provenance (Not surprising really as Darcy helped and worked with Dmitry on the book for over 5 years - he even wrote the forward. Mark Sesko was also engaged for his expertise - so this book was put together by a stellar cast of Nihonto specialists.) Before I continue, let's be very clear, whilst this book is a book about the Soshu-Den, the stars of the show are the 20 swords that come from one very special private collection - and for this all I can say is... thank you. This is like being invited to a very detailed, all access private tour of an exclusive private sword club - the kind you did not know existed but when you do, you become desperate to somehow get in. To be able to see Soshu Master Blades including several at Tokubetsu Juyo in all their Massive High Definition Glory (yes these words are all capitalised) is just special. No, I will say this book is extra-ordinary. I am a massive advocate for the creation of Catalogue Raisonné for each Great Nihonto Master. But let's be clear - if/when this happens then this book is the benchmark that these catalogues will need to meet. This is how the photos will need to be presented, this is how the stories will need to be told. For the art form that is Nihonto and it's associated crafts there is just no other way around it, if we are to truly appreciate what has been created by these Great Smiths. Because let's be honest for us mere mortals this will be the closest we will ever get to one of these Japanese Treasures. So we might as well be allowed to indulge vicariously through the photographs of these beautiful slithers of steel. So I am going to say it - this is a book that you absolutely have to own as a sword collector. It is not cheap but it is so, so worth every penny you spend on it. It should also be noted that after six year this book is not available second hand and this in itself speaks volumes about this book. Once you own it you don't want to give it away or sell it. It will almost immediately become a treasure that takes pride of place in your collection. Mark my words here - a standard has been set here and this is the standard we will judge all future Nihonto books by. As such it is a very important book for Nihonto and therefore in my opinion it is an instant classic. I will read it often and cherish it but I may have to get some white gloves as I genuinely want to look after and preserve this copy of the book as best as I can. Due to it being a watershed book, and that it was so beautifully put together, I suspect it will soon enough become a collectors item as soon as it sells out. I believe @Brian said the same thing about it in his review 6/7 years ago (that one was for the Gen Zs.) In all honesty I am not sure how many Dmitry has left and I do not know if he will ever reprint this book, so... If you don't already own one - grab a copy today before you miss out - I promise you will not be sorry. I purchased mine through @Grey Doffin at Japanese Swords, Books and Tsuba but please note that the books are all shipped by Dmitry who is based in Europe and as such there will be an extra shipping fee. You can find out more about the book here: https://www.nihonto-museum.com/book Please Note: I am not paid by Dmitry or Grey and I have no affiliation with Dmitry or Grey other than I just bought the book through/ from them. Neither of them were aware of this review before I published it (I do not even know Dmitry's profile name on this site.) As such this is my own opinion and I do not benefit from this opinion other than the hope I can help get some good stuff get into hands of the real enthusiasts. As such I hope this review helps. Cheers.

@Bugyotsuji The NBSK are an organization that focuses on promoting modern swordsmithing, and offer certifications for newly-made blades that would otherwise not qualify for NBTHK documentation (both as a way of boosting visibility for the smiths under their umbrella, and helping to combat gimei targeting contemporary smiths). They also run an annual competition similar to the NBTHK's competition, and many smiths choose to enter both of them. https://nbsk-jp.org/english/ Here are the results of last year's competition: https://nbsk-jp.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/15th_kekka_e_02.pdf

Just to balance the discourse a bit. Interesting how many inaccuracies can be presented even here on this single thread webpage and discussion about the 2004 BM exhibition which Victor curated, about what the BM owns and the condition of the swords etc etc. I shall leave it to someone with more time and energy to debunk these notions. And the person in the video …. Well, the curator is different. Just for information to all those who have been moaning and complaining…. The BM is actually one of the more accommodating state-owned museums where a person can request to study in hand their blades. I have personally done it 3-4 times and know of fellow members who do it regularly. As I have studied their top 15 or so blades several times, the urge is lesser, but they have fairly good Shinto/Shinshinto stuff too. There is a procedure to follow but it works and they are open-minded about it and facilitate personal study. So, with a bit of pre-planning and foresight, all of you could have submitted a request, planned your trip/visit accordingly and studied some of the treasures in hand. Go try that in the Tokyo National or other museums.

I just wanted to add some clarity to the above statement. I found this clarification by Honma Junji regarding Kunimitsu and his tachi to be enlightening to highlight what Shintogo Kunimitsu's "inferior tachi" really means.

It's not Chinese. The document looks really weird. With a few exceptions (like the title 鑑定書), the "characters" are either completely unreadable or sort of resemble real Hanzi/Kanji, but not getting them quite right. I suspect it's AI-generated slop.

I have a copy of this book and again I was hoping for something a little more here. The book published in 2005 is unusual in it's layout. The first half of the book 82 pages explains the Japanese sword and it's makeup. The majority of the book is in black and white (photos included) except for 25 pages from from pg 49 to page 64 that are in glorious colour and offer some wonderful colour photos of paintings and some koshirae - no blades unfortunately. I suspect that this was a cost cutting exercise which just made what could of been a rather exciting book rather dull. The actual discussion of the swords in the exhibition starts from page 40 where it gives a brief outline on the 99 blades in the exhibition in chronological order (with no pictures - did I mention dull) and then once that is all done it shows the 99 blades and korshirae from page 82 - again as mentioned before abandoning all colour and showing them in NBTHK TJ certificate style with the tang, tip of the blade and small full frame image of the blade in black and white - even the attachments like koshirae are in black and white. It is very academic in approach following the NBTHK protocol down the line for the photos. What makes this approach frustrating is that this is not an academic paper and therefore for a catalogue it would have been lovely to see some colour photographs. Makes you realise how just in the last 20 years blade photography and book publishing have progressed. Photography still has a long way to go but you now have the likes of eirakuda.shop leading the way with regard to showing off this wonderful art form - if you have not seen their photos do a favour and go have a look. Back to the book, as mentioned above the layout of this catalogue definitely makes for some interesting reading as the reader is required to flip back and forth between the pictures of the blade and the explanation of the blade that are separated by some 40+ pages. Not sure why they did this other than again it was a cost saving exercise as part of some crazy British notion of austerity. Would not have wanted to be a fly on the wall of that meeting - super boring. As a result the book is as dull as a British summer (again I realise the last few years have been rather exceptional so perhaps a bad example here.) All in all I was left rather flat reading this book and I was quite excited when I purchase it. It could have been a real treasure instead because of the austerity measures, the lack of colour and unusual layout I would say unless you have a massive desire to see what the Bristish Museum own or it is part of some sort of academic research, skip this book.

Here is my attempt:

Apologies for a quick hijack, however this reminds me of something. I had to make a patch for my martial arts school. The outer ring was the belt colors starting with white and ending in black going back into the white to express the never-ending learning process. John C.

The blade was also a part o the Walter Compton collection but yes it seems it passed based on the explanation due to its signature and ubu status rather than sporting a healthy ji and ha. The video could have been great, but I found myself uninterested mid-way through. It seems like they have some real gems in their collection and could put out some wonderful quality videos with a bit more effort.

This is an absolute gold mine Brett! Thank you so much for putting up these links! Just looking through the first issue I found a wonderful analogy worthy of keeping for posterity: "It has been our experience, that the less a collector knows about swords, the more he wants swords with big names. This is quite often the type of collector who refuses to study swords. There is a term in Japan for such people, a tengu. A tengu is an imaginary being with a very long nose like Cyrano de Bergerac, and in Japanese legends a tengu is very strong willed, although being capable of being outwitted or conquered. The term tengu in this case is applied to collectors who know very little but profess to know everything."

Kashira "Key chains" https://www.jauce.com/auction/e1218491451 I think the owls expression is resigned shock! [Can you imagine the damage caused by a set of keys rubbing against these!] Something like these saucers has been seen before: https://www.jauce.com/auction/o1189151587

Dear all, If it is not against the rule, I would like to take this opportunity to advertise my sword study session which will be taking place in Tokyo. The aim is to introduce the very basic of Japanese sword. Our next session will be 22nd Feb 2026. Please feel free to contract me for more details on ig @tkg_nihonto (I would be more responsive there) Note: - Content will be in English, but we also speak Japanese ! - Identity verification is required, please bring your ID-card/Passport for verification. - No Photos or video recording during session by participant, we will have a 10 minutes photo session at the end. - We will use real katana, so safety is very important, we reserve the right to cancel the session at any point if we notice any inappropriate behaviour. You are liable for your actions and any damage you might cause. - This is not a cutting lesson!!! We will teach you how to hold and look at swords, you shall not try to cut anything with the sword. - Do not bring your own sword. We will provide swords for viewing. Fee 2000 JPY per person 1000 JPY for student in Japan (Please bring your Student card) Cheers, Ake

I still have my copy of "cutting edge" and thumb through it often. I recall To-Ken members received a free copy as a large donation had been made by then to the BM. More to the point an event was held at the museum to coincide with that exhibition. It was held I think on a Saturday, Clive Sinclaire was on the door and there were a large number of swords on display. A Japanese expert talked about each sword, alongside him stood Victor Harris translating, sometimes frowning or raising his eyebrows at what he had just translated. It was a hands on experience but due to the large number in attendance members only had about a minute or two with a sword. In my early days of collecting I would sometimes take a sword into the London museums. The curators then were very generous with their time and knowledge. What they did have though was a very real passion.

I still have my book from back then in connection with the event and lectures related to the exhibition at the BM. I think that was in the fall of 2004. At that time, you could see some of the newly restored blades at this event. I admit that I basically only remember the Shintogo Kunimitsu. When I buy literature today, it is almost always with meaningful oshigata. However, it is an exhibition catalog in which the blades on display are described and the photos are of relatively good quality. One must not forget how much effort, work, and expense is involved in producing a catalog. In this respect, the catalog is a nice reminder of a special exhibition over 20 years ago, at which (I believe) never again since then have so many blades been presented to the public in a museum outside Japan.

The Sacramento Japanese Sword Club has been given permission to re-present and upload Albert Yamanaka's Nihonto Newsletters online, which they are doing one newsletter at a time as Leon Kapp finds the time to work on the next Newsletter. It is an incredible effort and credit needs to be given where credit is due. I have managed to track down links to all the available Newsletters and will post every new one as they appear online. In the mean time I encourage everyone who downloads these newsletters to follow Sacramento Japanese Sword Club on Facebook and drop them a line thanking them for this excellent work on providing access to this invaluable resource. Albert Yamanaka's Nihonto Newsletters Volume 1 Yamanaka V1 NL01 Yamanaka V1 NL02 Yamanaka V1 NL03 Yamanaka V1 NL04 Yamanaka V1 NL05 Yamanaka V1 NL06 Yamanaka V1 NL07 Yamanaka V1 NL08 Yamanaka V1 NL09 Yamanaka V1 NL10 Yamanaka V1 NL11 Yamanaka V1 NL12 Yamanaka V1 NL12 Extras Volume 2 Yamanaka V2 NL01 Yamanaka V2 NL02 Yamanaka V2 NL03 Yamanaka V2 NL04 Yamanaka V2 NL05 Yamanaka V2 NL06 Yamanaka V2 NL07 Yamanaka V2 NL08 Yamanaka V2 NL09 Yamanaka V2 NL10 Yamanaka V2 NL11 Yamanaka V2 NL12 Volume 3 Yamanaka V3 NL01 Yamanaka V3 NL02 Yamanaka V3 NL03 Yamanaka V3 NL04 Yamanaka V3 NL05 Yamanaka V3 NL06 Yamanaka V3 NL07 Yamanaka V3 NL08 Yamanaka V3 NL09 Yamanaka V3 NL10 Yamanaka V3 NL11 & NL12

Hello, While perhaps controversial, I have come to the conclusion that "Masamune's ten disciples" is best understood as a memory aid. This practice of memory aid, I believe, was quite common during the Edo period. The most parsimonious explanation is not that smiths traveled, rather, armies traveled across garrisons, and these travels led to the spread of different styles of sword-making. The exception is of course after the fall of Kamakura, where smiths were displaced not by choice, but by survival requirement. I understand that it is not good from a marketing perspective to adopt this view, but it is more congruent with the western school of historical analysis, which tends to be less deferential to historical sources. While Masamune's historical existence is attested beyond doubt, one must remember that he was not the only smith in Sagami working in nie-deki. It is perhaps more parsimonious, all things considered, to speak of Sagami influence on the taste of high-ranking Bushi dispatched across strategic garrison strongholds. This is further supported by the fact that the archetypical Masamune style, with its otherworldy Inazuma, unaffected yubashiri, and distinct angular chickei, is not reproduced anywhere else or during any other time period. Rather, we see a more pronounced emphasis on chickei and nie. The only maker who comes close is Go Yoshihiro in the traditional attribution corpus. Go Yoshihiro, Shizu Kaneuji, and Sadamune are the most likely candidate smiths for a direct student connection. Best, Hoshi

Yes to both, 1940 March.

There's a common saying in martial arts about this - you start with a white belt, get a black belt, as you advance further the black belt becomes white again from age and the dye being worn out, and as you reach mastery it becomes black again with all the dirt and wear and tear.

Great Quote, Hector. I am not sure what the Japanese call a the being who knows nothing and therefore keeps learning but finds that after all that learning he knows even less... I definitely fall in that camp.

John, there is an index for the original Newsletters (here) created by the legened that is Mr Hartmann. I have also been working on a more detailed index for the original newsletters (to include the Tokugawa Jikki, Kyoho Meibutsu Cho and the Famous Sword list) but currently the pages for these updated online newsletters are different to the old newsletters and as such the old index does not correspond (although majority of the work has been done) and it will need to be updated to reflect these new page numbers. Once we have all the updated newsletters then I will look to see if we can push out an updated index. Cheers.

The top writing when present was often the mark of the person later decorating a barrel, but when in fine silver etc., inlay, it was sometimes an exhortation. It looks readable but my brain is not yet coming into focus 韮張 plus 花王 doesn’t seem at all right… maybe you could post that in the translation section for fresh eyes! The woodwork of your gun could well be newer, meaning the gun was possibly rebuilt at some time. The absence of a front sight is puzzling, but these pistols were never designed for accuracy, meaning the placement of sights was mostly a token gesture. If the base marks of a front sight have been erased, it is a very good job.

Thanks to @MassiveMoonHehfor posting the Yamanaka Newsletters. A quick perusal uncovered a Kokuho tanto signed Kunimitsu. What caught my eye was that this blade is described as having an iori-mune, which is incredibly rare amongst all Shintogo tanto. I have only come across one other Shintogo tanto with iori-mune and that was described as Katakiriha-tsukuri. The takenoko-zori is also intriguing. Anyone have a link to oshigata or more info on this Kokuho sword? Extract from the Newsletter Kunimitsu 国光 (新藤五) Tanto Length: 42.3 cm (this has to be total length) Width: 2.1 cm Shape and Construction: Hiratsukuri, and takenoko sori. The mune is ihorimune. Hamon: The Hamon is hiro suguha with ashi, and there are abundant nie all along the hamon, and especially along the hamon edge. Kinsuji are seen along the hamon too. Boshi: The boshi has a komaru with a kaeri which is a little longer than the usual Kunimitsu, and there are small hakikake at the very tip of the boshi. Jitetsu and Hada: The hada is ko-itame hada and tightly forged. There are abundant ji nie all along the blade, and these form chikei in places. Nakago: The Nakago has been shortened a little and the tip is cut in kiri. The file marks are katte sagari of which very little can be seen due to age. There are two mekugi ana and the one at the top has been partially plugged. There is a two character inscription “Kunimitsu” on the omote side. This Kunimitsu is probably is probably the least conventional Kunimitsu work, and when compared to the other two kokuho Kunimitsu, it is a little Inferior, although the steel of the blade certainly is just as good as the other two. Kunimitsu is more of a master at making tanto than making tachi. There are very few tachi blades by Kunimitsu, although tanto are seen in greater numbers. Also, Kunimitsu is regarded as one of the better sword smiths who made tanto, along with such other masters like Awataguchi Toshiro Yoshimitsu, Soshu Masamune, Sa, and Rai Kunitoshi, and possibly Rai Kunimitsu and Kunitsugu. The fact that the hamon of this Kunimitsu is hiro suguha attests to the fact that this blade has been well preserved.

Well we were warned. https://Japan-forward.com/is-the-british-museum-rewriting-samurai-history/

I only lasted about 4 mins into the video. Embarrassing to think this the best they can do.

Interesting piece for sure !

It looks like this is an exhibition on the evolution of the samurai as a myth in popular culture, they’re talking about films, video games, fashion, even Darth Vader gets a mention. I get the impression swords will only be a small part of the exhibit, and from the video I’d guess not a very throughly examined part either. I have to be in London in April anyway so I might as well go and find out.

Hi all , hoping you can help with information on this pistol. The dims are overall 320 mm , barrel 85mm and bore 11mm. If you can help with the translation of the Mei , also the the inscription underneath the barrel - seems suspect to me - with poor outline of what looks like a butterfly. Thanks in advance . Alan

Can't disagree with anything Brett said. It is truly an astonishing book and one of the best I have ever seen.

Hi Mike, Previous set is NBTHK 67th Juyo..this one is Tokubetsu Hozon with Origami by the 12th gen Goto Mitsumasa.

Thank you for the clear and detailed review as to why I should now take this out of my Amazon basket. I had particular interest when I read of Kenji Mishina's involvement (its not often we know the togishi who polished a sword), but if the blades are not presented so they can be appreciated in print (especially as B&W images), what is the point. I will skip this publication.

Also interesting is that the smith that pretty much everyone agrees was almost certainly taught directly by Masamune and inherited his style - Soshu Sadamune - is notably omitted from all of the various sources listing the Juttetsu. Which could be seen as evidence in favour of your "memory aid" theory, in that nobody needs to be reminded that Masamune's heir would also be working in Masamune's style of Soshu-den.

Norishige as well, although the general consensus now is he was more of a junior contemporary to Masamune rather than an apprentice.

Dear @MassiveMoonHeh, Thank you for your dedicated effort on this, it is much appreciated. Yamanaka is a precious resource. Best, Hoshi

The British Museum had a big chunk of their collection polished by Kenji Mishina some years ago and it formed the basis of an exhibition then. If anyone is interested, the book cataloguing the items that formed the exhibition is still available and is entitled "cutting edge: Japanese swords in the British Museum". https://www.amazon.com/Cutting-Edge-Japanese-Swords-British/dp/0804847347

Goldmine of info is right. I've only skimmed half the newsletters and its already changed some misconceptions I had. For example I had always assumed the 10 Masamune Juttetsu were smiths who had traveled to Sagami to learn his techniques. Yamanaka states it was Masamune who traveled around Japan visiting the home provinces of these 'disciples' where he learned from them and he in turn passed on his knowledge. Sort of makes sense.

Brett: First of all, great work! Secondly, do you know if an index has ever been created for these? John C.

Wonder Nagasa 25.2 cm

John & Trystan, those Australian swords were made to a British pattern. See the 2nd edition of F&G way towards the back. Will get a page number later on.

Jim: It looks like several have menuki (matching?) with them. You could have some nice pieces there. Definately seek out some sword collectors (NOT pawn shops or the like - they aren't likely to know the good stuff from average) or at least post some good quality pics here. John C.

James, There is a sword club located in your state. Search for "Texas Token Kai" here on this website and reach out to them. I am sure they could help you better than anyone could. In person is always better than squinting at photos. ~Chris

Hi James, you will need to attached a larger, higher resolution image in order to receive feedback. The details cannot be seen these photos. Show each piece clearly, front and back. Best regards, Ray

Final price reductions (if applicable), blade #7 has sold and the board has received a $50 donation. 1. 28" katana in shirasaya. $2200 -> $2100 2. 19" wakizashi in substitute saya. $1600 -> $1500 3. 27" katana in partially restored gunto mounts. $2000 -> $1800 4. 23.25" o-suriage early to mid Kamakura tachi in assembled mounts. No reduction on this one! 5. 24.5" katana in remnants of WWII leather-cased mounts. $1900 -> $1800 6. 26" katana of WWII origin. $950 -> $900 7. 17" wakizashi in American-made saya. No reduction on this one! SOLD! 8. 11.25" tanto in restored mounts. $1300 -> $1200 9. 26" katana of WWII origin. $1100 -> $1050 Trade values can be discussed still, just ask. Shipping is still $100 CONUS, and will include the original valuation insurance. Outside CONUS, shipping will be discussed and as reasonable as possible! My goal is to make sure these blades get to people who will appreciate them and to make the transfer process simple and quick. If you would like pictures of one, feel free to DM me. ~Chris

Dear Aaron. Welcome to NMB. You have done nothing wrong I assure you, it is simply that getting you any further forward is almost impossible. There are between forty and fifty smiths recorded signing Yoshikuni with these two kanji and while most of them can be discounted because of the age of your sword there are few indicators that might lead to an attribution. Add to this the possibility that this might be a spurious signature, called gimei, a very common thing especially with the names of good makers. However I think it unlikely that this would be the case with a two kanji mei like yours, after all why not go the whole way and sign the full mei if you want to deceive? To quote from a 2013 post by Gabriel, 'The second smith or smiths, Onizuka Yoshikuni (YOS 275-279, not clear which of these is one smith or multiple), is much closer in terms of the handwriting style, but close inspection yields several possible differences in chisel marks and angles. What is more, Onizuka Yoshikuni smith(s) allegedly signed with at least Onizuka Yoshikuni, not just "Yoshikuni" on its own. Based on these two points, I'm not certain one could connect your blade to this series of smiths based on the mei alone.' I am sure that others will add opinions, it would help to have some good photographs of the blade and its workings. Whatever the outcome it is a very attractive blade and I do hope you enjoy it. Your only certain option is to get the blade to a properly accredited shinsa team, sometimes these are arranged to coincide with Japanese sword shows in the US. All the best.

A new addition for you? This looks like an example of a Namban Ryū (Southern Barbarian Style) pistol, a gunnery school in Japan deliberately designed to look foreign, to show exaggerated outlandish features. The front sight looks to have been knocked off…(?) As to the markings underneath the barrel, they do look fairly random as you say, and these among other signs suggest that someone has been tweaking or adding to the gun since its export from Japan. Despite some alterations, basically an honest gun I sense from your photos.

庚午秋 畫於 静修齋 Painted in the autumn 1930 at Studio of Quiet Cultivation 林肇基 Lin Zhao Ji(Painter) Lin Zhaoji Former Deputy Director, Cultural and Educational Affairs Office of the Military Control Commission of PRC. Lin Zhaoji was a native of Gutian County. He was born in 1899 (the 25th year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing dynasty) in Shanyang Village, Gutian. After the establishment of the Military Control Commission in June 1949, he served as Deputy Director of its Cultural and Educational Affairs Office. He passed away from illness in Beijing in 1962 at the age of 63.

Well, I am gobsmacked. When I read his CV, https://www.joenickols.com/about, I am not sure what specifically jumps out at the most venerable British Museum for them to say, yes we must get this kid to be the next curator of our most important exhibition on Samurai culture we have ever held? It is certainly not his vast experience in the field.

秋山飛瀑 – Autumn mountains and waterfall This term is not a proper noun for a specific waterfall, but a general name of a painting motif. 庚午秋畫 – Painted in the autumn of the year of Kanoe-Uma (1990, 1930, 1870, 1810, or older?) 於静修齋林肇基 This might express the place and name of the painter. I am not sure.

If I had a time machine I would like to know more about Norishige's origins. Nothing is known about his father or earliest swordmaking experience. I believe he was already trained in the basics before arriving at the Shintogo Kunimitsu workshop and was there for a short time to master the new forging techniques pioneered by Shintogo, which he then incorporated into his own distinctive forging style. In contrast to the other connected members of the atelier Norishige seems to be a bit of an outsider, coming from a backwater province with no strong tradition of sword making prior to Norishige and therefore no apparent pedigree. There are Shintogo's 3 sons, Yukimitsu (son of nidai Bungo Yukihira, not the earlier gobankaji Yukihira), Masamune (son, adopted son or younger brother of Yukimitsu) and then this outlier Norishige. Shintogo must have thought highly of this young smith to take him on.

Well, we use "knock off" in a negative way. When this sword was made (assuming we are right about it being made for collaboration forces), it was an honest attempt by a non-Japanese sword smith to make a real weapon for a real collaboration officer that was inline with the Japanese Army. So, yes, it was a a best-effort at making a sword in the image of the Japanese army gunto.