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I have been advised of the passing of Brian Klingbile (Username Winchester) by his wife. She had this to say: "This is Brian's wife, Sarah.....Unfortunately, Brian has passed away. Thank you so much for providing such a wonderful forum. Brian was new to collecting, and was excited not only to connect with others with similar passions, but to have access to learning opportunities for his new passion. What you have here is amazing, and I wanted to let you know that you make a positive impact on people's lives even if you don't hear this on a regular basis. Thank you for being so welcoming to Brian. I have attached Brian's obituary in case you or anyone else was interested in it. I don't know who Brian all connected with (or to what level), so I will leave announcing or contacting others up to you. I am comfortable with this information being shared. https://www.zimmerfuneralhome.com/obituaries/brian-klingbile " Our condolences go out to those who knew him, may he RIP.

Hello fellow woodworkers: I wanted to share this shirasaya I made for a naked Monju Kanesada yari. Mostly because of the saya's unusual shape. The shape was inspired by an existing shirasaya I have on a Inoue Shinkai yari. The wood is aged (i.e., very low to no VOC's left from the tannic acid) hard maple with an ebony inset for the mekugi. What makes it particularly difficult to manufacture are the number of compound angles. There is a central peaked rib that runs the length of saya but only on the top, which makes it easier to index which way the top aligns to the bottom half. From the rib, the width is a flattened oval, widening out just after the mekugi ana to accomodate the extra width on the blade section and rounded on the back side. The rear end is also dome-shaped and the tip is sort of boat or airplane shaped. All of which brings me to the challenging part - this must all be done by hand. No power tools involved (with the exception of drilling the mekugiana to keep it straight). Just a kanna (Japanese block plane), some different sized oire nomi (chisels), a bench scraper, and some files. The finish is a standard woodworkers finish of boiled linseed oil followed by carnuba paste wax. Thanks to the various bench scrapers, the wood is extremely smooth and tactile. The Japanese do not usually use sandpaper so I didn't either. It's tough not to hold it! If you have any questions on the process, I will be happy to answer. John C.

Well, feel i have to add something positive here as folks seem keen on pulling Aoi apart. All i will say (in my experience), there are no special saint type dealers in this game. Every dealer will have sold something to someone that has ******them off. Its how they respond that makes the difference. My experience with Tsuruta San has been 95% positive, he accepted a sword back that i was not happy with, without making a big song and dance about it. Antiques in general is a minefield. Personally, i think there are far worse dealers to moan about. Lets face it, buying swords online is less than ideal.

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

Wanted to share an Aikuchi koshirae, entrusted to me by a very good friend. I've held it in my collection a number of months now, so thought it was about time I put together a short post on the piece. The koshirae once housed a Sunobi-Tanto. It must have been a blade of spectacular quality, to be paired with such a koshirae. Visually, the fittings themselves these are quite interesting. Each piece of the set is colourfuly adorned with crabs and water plants, set against a soft background of Nanakoji. Upon closer inspection, I suspect these "waterplants" to be wild ginger, or hollyhock; as stylistically they are similar to the 'cloves' seen on certain Kamon. I thought that this may have been an intentional choice; perhaps to celebrate family ties/allegences of the original owner who commissioned the piece. I feel that these being in *gold* of all things is no coincidence. Now onto the saya... I'm especially fond of this style of urushi; I particularly enjoy the inclusions of aogai and flaxseed/rice husks within the lacquer- it gives the piece a very "three-dimensional" feel. It must take a great degree of skill to achieve such a finish. I do not believe the kozuka itself is original to the set, yet it's subject loosely follows the "aquatic theme" The kozuka shows good workmanship. We see "Omori-esque" beads of silver set into the base, which is a nice touch. The tsuka itself is neatly bound in Jabari maki, black silk over white samegawa. Several sizable 'emperor-nodes' are visible. The selection of samegawa is a telling sign of the overall quality. Again, we see the nautical/riverside theme continuing into the Menuki, with a singular crab peeking through the wrap.

Hello, After some research in the Wakayama I found that most of the Hirata production was in shakudo. However 8th and 9th generation works also in shibuichi and made butterfly among other. So maybe ?! Sharing additionnal photos, just for the pleasure

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.

Let them eat cake! [chocolate for desert!]

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

One of NHK's more recent videos explores the use of Nihonto in Kabuki theatre. It explores the Japanese mindset around swords, how legends influence culture and this space through dramatisation. Nihonto have found a lot of interest through the recent Touken Rabu manga series which has now been brought to life in Kabuki. Animating the sword, makes the people associated with it come alive and makes the art form even more interesting. It was a fascinating watch to get an insight into the spirit of the Nihonto. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/shows/3025180/

I like them both — each set has its own character. And yes, according to the origami, it’s a joint work made at the same time. Sokujo and Teijo were cousins. Sokujo lived a very short life and passed away at the age of 31. His son Renjo was four at the time, so although he was the intended successor, uncle Teijo stepped in to take over the mainline, raising and training Renjo until he came of age. Renjo, assumed the position at 25, becoming the 11th-generation head.

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.

General In 1944 it was realized that the decisive battle of the mainland of Japan was soon to be fought. There was a call for complete national armament and because of the shortage of weapons the study and development of simple weapons began. The purpose was to arm everyone in Japan both military and civilian, with some type of fighting weapon. Research was started in the summer of 1944 and was nearly completed by the summer of 1945. WRF Simple Weapons. Pistol Included among the simple weapons was a pistol. An example of which can be seen below. RARE Japanese Civilian Defense Pistol

Huge thanks for the Sacramento Japanese Sword Club in doing this, and for you Brett to posting it up here. I remember I used to have the Yamanaka books years ago as the red cover variants. I try to avoid the Sōshū timeline as I cannot really figure it out and to me it is not that important. There is just so much contrasting information it is difficult to know what to believe. For example if Kunimitsu died at that time there are still 1315, 1316, 1319, 1320, 1322 and 1324 dated blades. For me it is also very difficult to grasp that Shintōgo Kunimitsu pretty much always signed and sometimes dated blades, yet for Yukimitsu and Masamune it is quite rare and for Sadamune I am not sure if experts accept the extremely few signed and dated swords by him as legitimate. Then Hiromitsu and Akihiro and onwards the blades are pretty much always signed again. The sword in question might be Kotegiri Gō? It is in collection of Kurokawa Research Institute Some info on it can be found here> https://www.tsuruginoya.net/stories/kotegirigou/ Sometimes it is important how things are written out as meaning can be understood in various ways. To my understanding there is a one single Ōhara Sanemori blade that has the character 勝 on it, likewise there is one single signed item by Norishige that has the character. To me drawing connection to these to smiths and two items 150+ years apart would feel like extremely optimistic. Now if the character would appear on the majority of Ōhara Sanemori blades I might feel differently but as it is on a single blade by both smiths I would think it has a different meaning and does not connect the smiths. I do think it is good and interesting that theories are researched and suggested but sometimes it can be difficult to find reference examples to support the theories as this is especially problematic with Sōshū due to lack of signed works by some smiths.

Norishige is an interesting one... The Kiami-Bon Mei-Zukishi of 1351 states that Norishige was the student of 1. Shintogō Kunimitsu from 1308 to 1311 (aged 18-21). That was only 3 years which is not long enough to become a smith under normal circumstances. What it does not state is that it was only three years because Shintogō Kunimitsu got ill and shortly afterwards died. Meaning that Norishige needed a new Sensei and so we are told he moved to Toshiro Yukimitsu's forge to continue his study under him in 1311. As we know Yukimitsu is said to be the father of Goro Nyūdō Masamune and the most senior student of Shintōgo Kunimitsu, so this move makes logical sense in the context of the relationship with Shintogo Kunimitsu. FYI, Kunimitsu died a few months after Norishige left in 1312 - he was only 62. This move is captured in the Koto Mei-Zukishi Taizen who expands on Norishige's studies and states that Norishige studied for a further 15 years (18 years in total) and had a total of 3 more sensei after Shintōgo Kunimitsu. They read like the proverbial whose who of Soshu smiths: Sensei 2:⁠ ⁠Toshiro Yukimitsu (Time spent: 1311-1321) He spent 10 years with Yukimitsu and as such Yukimitsu can be considered Norishige's foundation smith (although he was just teaching him what Shintogō Kunimtisu taught him... Soshu Style. *As a side note, Yukimitsu was actually older than Shintōgo Kunimitsu by two years. That his first dated blade appears in 1319 makes sense in this context. "Saeki Norishige made this." Sensei 3:⁠ ⁠Gō Yoshihiro (Time Spent: 1321-1324) He then spent 3 years studying under Gō. Many assumed Norshige taught Gō but it appears the opposite was true. This is while we know Gō was 9 years younger than Norishige and died 1 year after Norishige left his forge in 1325. Norishige was clearly seeking knowledge from the best regardless of age. Sensei 4:⁠ ⁠Masamune (Time Spent: 1324-1326) After Gō, Norishige finally went to go study under Masamune and spent a further 2 years studying under Masamune - Gō died the following year in 1325. Norishige according to the Koto Mei-Zukishi Taizen literally learnt under the greatest smiths ever - I am not sure there is any other smith that can claim such an incredible lineage of sensei. If anyone was a product of Sagami/Soshu, it was Norishige. Unreal! It also shows the amount of thought and experimentation that was going on during this time - Norishige's blades are renowned for showing all his learnings and experimentations (some great and some not so much) and you can definitely more than any other smith track his progress and development through his blades. He was a keen learner and experimenter and wanted to learn under as many smiths as possible to find out what worked and what did not in persuit of the perfect blade. This included studying under his junior by age, Gō Yoshihiro, just like his Sensei Yukimitsu studied under a younger Shintogō Kunimitsu. It is therefore appropriate that the Etchu School of smiths can rightly be called the Gō School. It also shows how close and familiar all these Soshu smiths really where with each other. To explain the period I can only really compare it to the early days of Silicon Valley, everyone came in from everywhere share ideas, learn, experiment and build a brand new way of doing things. Because everyone was willing to share, everyone literally knew everyone! This is why this period really was the Golden Age. I also want to share a little side story here about Gō which is kind of fun in terms of chronology. From the above we know that Norshige studied under Gō in 1321, but what makes this date even more interesting is that it gives us an end date for Gō's studies with Masamune. That is Gō started his studies under Masamune at the age of 21 according to both the Kokon Mei-zukishi Taizen and Oseki Sho, this means if we do the math then Gō only studied for a total of two years or so, from 1319-1321, under Masamune - as he was aged 21 in 1319. This means this kid somehow managed to download everything Masamune was teaching in just 2 years (creating blades that equalled his master) and then he went on to teach Norishige at just 23 years of age. This kid was a trip. Yup - mind truly blown. I also have some ideas as to what encouraged Masamune to start teaching as I believe Gō was one of his first students, but I will leave that for another day. What is not answered is how this boy genius already possessed enough smithing skills and gravitas to impress Masamune enough in the first place to allow him to study with him at age 21 (I am still researching this - was there a Yamato link, which specific blades suggest the link? Much to learn.) What we do know is that Mount Tateyama, in whose foothills Gō grew up and had his forge (Matsukura District) is one of the three Sacred Mountains of Japan and as such it is said to be the home of heaven and the underworld, so perhaps Gō on one of his hikes up the mountain did a deal with the devil? Would not be the first. Also explains why he died at age 27 like every other legend. I think he may actually be the first to join the 27 club? (I jest by the way - or do I?) Regardless, if the stories are to be believed then, the word prodigy in the ilk of Mozart or Da Vinci is deserving of this kid from Etchu and he definitely deserves to be one of the Tenka-Sansaku. 🤯 Here is a image of a cross section of one of Gō's Tokubetsu Juyo Masterpieces where the Hamon looks remarkably like the reflection of Mount Tate in the Mikuriga-ike Pond. If I was to guess, this kid Gō clearly loved this mountain - he is said to have climbed it to get it's iron sands for his swords from the streams as close to the source as possible. That the quality of his blades have lasted 700 years, some as fresh as the day when they left the forge, speaks volumes to the secret knowledge he had managed to collect in his short life.

By the way, the idea of using a peg to hold in a cord like that is neat, but I haven’t seen any evidence that the holes in the pinch flaps were used for that purpose. It’s an idea, and a small pin could serve to stop the cord blowing away at ignition, but cords burn constantly and need to be moved forward with every shot. A locking pin for carrying then, to prevent misplacement or loss of one’s match cord? Many serpentines do not even have holes there. There is also a theory that they were to allow air to permeate the cord, helping to keep it alight. Or were they simply decorative? Anyway just something to think about, as the answer is not yet clear. We’ve had this discussion before. The answer must be out there somewhere.

Hi Gerry, The sword is signed Bishu Osafune Suke X (not sure of the kanji; the blade has been shortened a bit). It is dated Taiei Ni Nen Hachi Gatsu (August of 1522). It has a ray skin saya (same' saya); after the skin is glued to the wood saya it is lacquered and polished down to what you see today. The tsuba appears to be a meld of Nanban and traditional Japanese made. Grey

Hi Robert, I couldn't agree more. My earlier comment was not criticism of the focus. The factual errors that we have vehemently denounced are the product of a particular paradigm of historical analysis that focuses on power dynamics, deconstructionism, and post-modern revisionism. In this paradigm, convergence towards historical accuracy is subordinated to the greater goal of pushing novel narratives to enact society change. It is this inversion of teleology that I take as responsible for the fall of Western scholarship in our field. Or, simply put: when the purpose of scholarship shifts from "finding out what was true" to "changing what people believe," accuracy becomes optional and errors become inevitable. Hope this helps to clarify my position, Hoshi

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.

@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

I didn't know Brian personally, but I had warm regard and I felt a connection, with Winchester. He often popped into my posts with an emoji and he was always understanding and encouraging.....never changed. Maybe (selfishly), he fitted my narrative, I don't know, but for someone I have never met or messaged, I just felt a connection.....he was a real gentleman. Thankyou Sarah for sharing this....thinking of you and Brian's extended family. We will miss him. Rob

The Honno-ji Temple Museum DAIHOUDEN (The temple where Oda Nobunaga died), has been hosting an excellent exhibition for the last 8 months entitled "Valuing the Invaluable Symbols of the Warrior Class". This has been an excellent exhibition that saw a large attendance. Here they did something more than just show the sword. They also produced life size Oshigata of the whole sword and displayed this below the sword with explanations so the people visiting the exhibition could compare it directly with the sword so that they knew what they were looking at. Basically like looking through the eyes of a Hon'Ami appraiser. This was a great idea. They also provided the valuation according the Hon'Ami based in Gold Coins of how much each sword was said to be worth at the time in gold pieces and converted this to today's value. They gave only one value but the truth is that there are three values that could have been provided, the Gold Price, the Rice price and the Labour price. The most valuable is the labour price whilst the rice and gold price has not really kept up with inflation. Their price appears to settle somewhere in the middle. For example the Masamune Tanto had a price of 50 pieces in 1639: - In terms of rice this would be worth around 2-3,000,000 yen today. - In terms of gold this would be worth around 20,000,000 yen today. - In terms of labour where 1 ryu was equivalent to roughly one year's wages of a labourer. The this would be worth around 200-300,000,000 yen today. These are what the museum estimated today's value* equivalent would be from lowest to highest: - Hirotsugu Katana: 20 million yen (approx. $133,000) - Enju school Katana (attributed Juyo): 35 million yen (approx. $233,000) - Sekishu Dewa-ju Naotsuna saku Tachi (Juyo Bijutsu): 50 million yen (approx. $330,000) - Hasebe Kunishige Wakizashi (Hon'Ami Kōjō origami): 60 million yen (approx. $400,000) - Rai Kunimitsu Tanto: 80 million yen (approx. $530,000) - Norikuni Tanto (Juyo & Hon'Ami Mitsutada Origami): 100 million yen (approx. $665,000) - Masamune Tanto (Hon'Ami Koon Origami): 100 million yen (approx. $665,000) - Rai Kuniyuki Kodachi: 150 million yen (approx. $1,000,000) - Bizen Osafune Kanemitsu Tachi (Juyo Bijutsu & Hon'Ami Mitsutada Origami): 200 million yen (approx. $1,330,000) - Rai Kunitoshi Tachi (Tokubetsu Juyo & Hon'Ami Kōjō Origami: 300 million yen (approx. $2,000,000) This was very interesting and if correct it again confirms that we are living in the 安刀時代 (Era of the cheap sword). 日本刀の美 made a great video of this exhibition that you can view here and you can read more about it here on from Tamaki Joji Togishi's blog post. *I never attended the exhibition but did a quick google and found only one post but without any photographic evidence I could not corroborate these numbers and I could not find anything else so if you did attend or are going to attend before the exhibition closes this weekend, please confirm or deny these numbers. Thank you.

Thanks for the response. Admittedly, I'm only starting out on the journey of Tosogu collecting- I'm still very much in the "honeymoon phase", which may come through somewhat in my writing. I have no doubt that more seasoned (and wealthier) collectors can aqquire much better. I know it's subjective, but for me this is among the nicest I've handled. Just wanted to offer something to the forum, other than my usual reel of questions.

This is an example that you need to compare oshigata with photos. And the matching text. https://www.transfernow.net/dl/202602097pJBrlkZ

Maybe it's just me, but one particular tsuba of mine always gives me a bit of a laugh. It's this little shrimp/prawn and the way it's little mouth is rendered just is quite humorous to me. What do you think...does it qualify for the laugh if the day? Damon

Norishige was also said to be the preferred smith of the Moimoi which makes sense if you are the best smith in the Province. I would love to go back in time to have tapped Albert Yamanaka's mind regarding all of this to get his thoughts or Homna Sensei's or even Darcy's. Man so much knowledge and thinking now lost to time. Of course much of what was not written down is because there is no historic proof and therefore it remains in the realm of theory or speculation but it would have been such a lovely conversation to have had just to hear their thoughts on historical events specific to the the various smiths. Best we can do is read what they left behind (these newsletters being a major asset) and hopefully we uncover a small nugget that helps us understand more. If for nothing else, this is why I love this forum - it is a treasure trove of knowledge and thought.

越後守藤原國儔 – Echigo no kami Fujiwara Kunitomo 但シ一部折返銘 – However, it is partially an orikaeshi-mei. 生國　日向飫肥 – Home country, Hyuga Obi 山城國堀川住 – Living in Horikawa of Yamashiro province 信濃守國廣門人 – Pupil of Shinano no kami Kunihiro 時代 - Era 元和頃 – Around Gen’na (1615-1624) 刃長　貮尺参寸余有之 – Blade length is a little longer than 2-shaku 3-sun. 平成五年極月吉祥日　謹研磨之 – Polished this on an auspicious day of December 1993. 研師　眞津仁彰 – Polisher Manatsu Hitoaki

I think Kiipu is speaking of blades that we have seen the tang and machi alignment. Rare to see on the Type 95. For your records, 857 belonged to a friend of mine and has a 東 stamp on the tang. Serial number 4 is my lowest recorded. Serial number 71 is the lowest that I've personally observed photos of; and it has the cutout for habaki. But we have not seen the tang or the ha-machi/mune-machi for this blade. https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/22385-type-95-nco-copper-hilt/ All the best, -Sam

Inspection Marks　檢印　Ken’in The following inspection marks have been observed on the Type 95 Military Sword. They can be found stamped on most of the major parts. Arsenal Final Inspection Marks 小 = Supervisory Section of Kokura Army Arsenal 小倉陸軍造兵廠監督課. 東 = Supervisory Section of Tōkyō 1st Army Arsenal 東京第一陸軍造兵廠監督課. 名 = Supervisory Section of Nagoya Army Arsenal 名古屋陸軍造兵廠監督課. 関 = Seki Supervisory Section of Nagoya Army Arsenal 名古屋陸軍造兵廠関監督班. 仁 = Supervisory Section of Jinsen Army Arsenal 仁川陸軍造兵廠監督課. Factory Inspection Marks ホ = 1st Factory of Kokura Arsenal 小倉陸軍造兵廠第一製造所. キ = 2nd Factory of Tōkyō 1st Arsenal 東京第一陸軍造兵廠第二製造所. ヘ = Heijō Factory of Jinsen Army Arsenal 仁川陸軍造兵廠平城製造所. 社／社 = Old/New characters. Each civilian/private factory under army supervision 各民間工場. Complementary Inspection Marks Can be used by any factory. M = Interim or partial inspection mark. X = Failed inspection mark. Extraordinary Inspection Marks Can be used by any factory. ◯ = Adopted based upon special incident specifications. ㊁ = Adopted as a clause 2 item. This means it was downgraded but still usable.

Hi Gerry, Yes, it is a good example of a type 95 NCO sword.

Here’s a long, actually very long shot, pun included. Neck on line. In 韮山 Nirayama there are the remains of Japan’s first reverberatory furnace where they once made cannon. ‘Barrel made at Nira’ could be got from these two kanji 韮張, assuming of course that the reading is not mistaken, which it could well be. (35% confidence rating) Anyway, just to get the ball rolling, but expecting to get shot down (pun included) at any moment. As they say: “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”

庒内住 = resident of Shōnai 行年六十八翁 = old man of 68 years 岡田雅哉 (花押) = Okada Masaya (kaō)

Here’s what I believe is an Akasaka tsuba, from my collection with this feature. Thanks for creating this thread, I’ve always been curious about it. -Sam

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."

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.

For everything that has been said about the Bristish Museum in the run up to its latest exhibition... Samurai. Here is some footage from inside the British Museum's first exhibition of their Samurai collection. It is a visual effects tour deforce. If I was to describe it in terms of fashion I would call it "Samurai - The Retrospective." And I think that is what this is, a fashion show that would make any Parisian Fashion House proud. It is visually stimulating. Introducing Gen Z to the Museum World. Is it meant to be a exhibition that truly explores the history of the Samurai? Probably not. Does it try to make Samurai Art/Fashion cool and hip to a new generation? I think yes. I think Gen Z would walk in and say... this is pretty cool. So what if some of the facts may be muddled - they are not reading the boards anyway. This is a selfie moment and it looks cool. And subculture is important. Therefore anything that can be done to break into that is a positive. We need to remember the general theme of museums for Gen Z is... boring. This exhibition is not. Would not be surprised to see strong Japanese themes in the next summer lines coming though Tiktok. The exhibition ends with a Samurai Riding a rubber duckie... this is the high light of the exhibition. Social Media remember. I am sure if Tokugawa Ieyasu was trying to reach Gen Z to promote his Japan, he would approve. Ok, to be honest I am not sure what he would say... This is not a serious, stuffy exhibition for Japanese sword nerds! But it is a lot of fun! And like Touken Ranbu, this does introduce a new audience to the wonderful world of the Samurai. And for that... I think we can count this as a win. (If they really love it they will do their own research anyway!) https://youtu.be/Gk8M78g_FXA?si=tBXqAsTvDeQaIwnh

Hi folks! I just got a set of reproduction samurai armor from Japan, claimed as being somewhat old (maybe 70s or so). I was interested in folk’s thoughts on the quality and value of this armor? Best I can tell it is not hardened, happy to answer any other questions if helpful!

You can also put some padding into the sleeves (kote) so that they get a more “arm like” shape. Cut two cardboard tubes of about 8-10cm diameter, length normally 20-25cm, and wrap the shin guards (suneate) around. The shoulder guards (sode) are sitting a bit high. That’s probably because the bar of the stand is too long. It should be about 36-38cm… Guess that will enhance your display!

For those who have no idea of what we are talking about... here is an article from 2018 about the craze that started in 2015, such is the popularity of the game that it is still a thing today.

Lol

G'day Thomas, The photos aren't great, but almost certainly gimei. Cheers, Bryce

It’s fun following this discussion. I agree with Jussi: some of the theses feel a bit simplified, while others seems romanticized (“Silicon Valley” analogy :)) – though, it could just as easily have been a harsh, Spartan-like environment, separated by hundreds of kilometers of mountains, quite the contrast to the elegance and aesthetic refinement of Kyoto. Some of the counter-theses are also deliberately exaggerated (“whether and which swordsmiths ever even met”), not to make them easier to refute, but to show how the scarcity of reliable sources allows for a huge variety of interpretations – and I think that’s part of the appeal for many of us. These stories feel like little windows into significant folkloric influences, carrying an undeniable charm. Anyway, from this conglomerate, the very pinnacle of the Japanese sword as we know it emerged. I’m especially curious about Gō Yoshihiro. What else is known about him? We seem to know that he tragically died at the young age of 30 – perhaps at the peak of his fame – (which fits the Japanese poetic notion of yo no naka). I’m surprised he’s not better known, given that his life and work seem to embody that quintessential Japanese image of “falling delicate cherry blossoms.” In such a short life, he apparently left some of the finest examples of swordmaking, like the Shinano Gō katana. Do people consider Gō Masamune’s top student because his blades are especially faithful to Masamune’s style? And if he really was a samurai himself, how might that have influenced his standing and recognition as a swordsmith? Historically, samurai were not always considered noble; they were often despised, combative warriors who served the aristocracy for centuries as their "retainers", maintaining order and settling disputes across the provinces and the capital. It’s also fascinating that Gō was younger than Norishige, yet Norishige is said to have studied under him. In a society so focused on ritual, hierarchy, and tradition, that must have seemed pretty unusual. I’d love to hear from anyone who knows more about Gō Yoshihiro – his life, his work, or his influence. I’d be really interested in other perspectives and any sources you can point me to!

大和守口口作 - Yamato kami blank blank saku. Looking down the list of smiths with the title "Yamato Kami" in Sesko's Compendium to try to fill in the blanks, a plausible option might be Ujinaga (氏命) based on the shapes I imagine I'm seeing but it's a bit of a guess. Do you have a better photo Peter or can you do anything to highlight the strokes in these kanji to make them a little clearer?

Chris: I would guess that it's possible. July/August of 1944, the Japanese were still trying to hold on to Guam, Tinian, and New Guinea, among other fronts, as well as Peleiu in September. In addition, Operation Ichi-go was still going on, with over 400,000 troops fighting in China. John C.

Wakizashi attributed to the second generation Omi no kami Fujiwara Tsuguhira.

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.