Andi B.

One order (mid August) came from Nagoya to Germany and EMS was no problem! The other (end of July) from Hiroshima prefecture went to Osaka, then Kobe and is now on ship... I'm asking myself: Is it possible for the sender to influence the transportation way? If he insists in EMS would the Japanese Post transport the sword to a non-stop airport to enable EMS?

My tsuba took only 3 days from Japan to Germany and a blade only 5 days. But the wakizashi blade I'm waiting for was send by surface due to the new "no-non-direct-flight-law" so I have to wait for a couple of weeks...

Thank you for the translation and the link. I found this link with delivery days from Kobe Post Office: http://search.post.japanpost.jp/int/del ... be_en.html "Standard days" are 2 to 3 month to Germany (and also the U.S.). Is this true - has anybody experience with surface mail?

Hello, this is not about any inscriptions but Nihonto related... I'm waiting for a Wakizashi coming from Japan. The Japanes Post EMS tracking's last location is KOBE BRANCH (Dispatch from outward office of exchange), 25. July. [i suppose it's on a ship now - the seller told my, it can not be send by air due to new laws...] Today I received this mail from Japanpost: 【結果通知】配達完了メール通知結果ご報告 郵便事業株式会社「配達完了メール通知サービス」をご利用いただきありがとうございます。 受付を致しました郵便物等の配達状況についてご報告いたします。 【受付日時】 07月22日(水) 18:55 【受付番号】 931-7693-766 【お問合せ番号】[here is my tracking number] 【郵便物等】 国際小包 【取扱店】 神戸支店 【取扱日時】 07月25日(土) 11:36 【配達状況】 郵便物等の配達完了が追跡期間中に確認できませんでし たので、お近くの取扱店へお問い合わせください。（国 際小包・EMSについては、本サービスを提供していない 国がありますので、ご了承ください。） ※「配達完了メール通知サービス」は、送信専用アドレスで送信しております。 このメールに返信されても受信できません。 What does it means?

Please forgive my newbie question: How was the surface intended to be by the smith e.g. on a tsuba like this: Many tuba look "old" now but how have the looked like when they were new? Which of the surface details were done intentionally by the craftsmen and what are simple signs of age or usage?

??? This is strange, I created the file using winrar and the link works very well for me ???I will link some of the pictures and attach another zip-file with new photos of the blade. In the case that the problem remains, it seems, that ´`ll have to link all of the photos. I also use WinRAR and both zip-files work...

...my boardstyle is subsilver2 (style of this forum's appearence) so I see nothing but yellow text on pale blue ground....

I turn 38 on next Friday... I own one wakizashi unfortunately without any hamon but two (also low level) blades are on the way. I have to start with something... Since I was child, samurai were one of my favourite intererest. And then - while visiting a Japanese festival in my hometown many years ago - I got in contact with nearly a dozen guys (amateurs & real professionals) who get together monthly and talk about Nihonto and show their new aquisitions. That's really a lucky strike! My main interest is the technique behind Nihonto (I tried to create "hamon" on simple steel ) but more and more I realize, how huge and fascinating the historical and artistic field of Nihonto is. I have so much to learn...

The dealer from whom I bought my first piece from Japan one week ago told me the same with these new law (allowed only on direct flights). Any idea how long it will take to ship a parcel from Japan to Europe without airplane?

Thank you for the link! than if I'm correct - the blade's lenght is 1 shaku, 9 sun, 5 bu = 59,085 cm ? - sori is 0,6 cm ? - it has three mekugi ana? But what is the sword type character "P"?

Hello, can anybody please tell me, what is this kind of paper is (and what is written on)? Is this a kind of registration paper with some characteristics of the blade (or a launderette bill )? Thank you!

I'm waiting for my first blade from Japan and I received this info from the dealer. Maybe some of you have heard the same? "...I have bad news. The international aviation law was changed from JULY. I can not send the swords and spears by not nonstop airplain. From Japan to your country (Germany), there is not nonstop airplain. So I can not send to your country by EMS and SAL. I can send by surface only. But surface is without insurance and need one month ~ two month..." Let's see, how long it will take - I'm currently tracking the parcel with Google Earth and JP Post EMS Search and it is now in Kobe (~200 of 9.100 km)...

Hello, I have a simple question regarding Wakizashi: How long were they (normally) produced in history? Also in the time after the 1870s? Thank you & regards!

In many counties left handed children were/are forced to use their right hand quite recently Fortunately I'm both handed (could use sword left and gun right) so its an interesting topic for me. But I'm neither a shooter nor a swordsman... :lol: When I try to build a DIY koshirae, should I do it in traditional manner or a left handed version for me ...? What is the reason for the traditional placement on a katana tsuka, if it's more practical for a left handed person? Not "form follows function"? And from an individual point of view - a left handed swordsman trained to fight against right handed opponents could have an advantage against a right handed person only trained to fight with other right handers...?

Hello Thomas, it's Tomo Tsugu (see scan from my blade). The other blade to be up for sale is from "Tomo Tsugu of Etchu province". Never mind that it is for sale, it is interesting to find more information about the origin of my own piece... I thought that the double ha machi / mune machi was an "individual" modification by someone but I'm surpised that I found it on another blade (not to mention that the mei is the same...). P.S. the other Tomo Tsugu was now sold via ebay for about 500 EUR / 700 USD - I haven't bid (still waiting for the real deal... ) And hey - Oktoberfest is going on !!!

Hello, I have an old and valueless wakizashi blade (my first and only). Now I found a nearly identical blade on the web - "same" Mei and same "characteristic modifications" on the hamachi and mune machi (but in better overall conditions) that I presume it could be really the same smith. My beginner question: Is it desirable to collect such a pair (would this be a "Shosho"? ) or does this happen from time to time and is nothing special?

-> try amazon.de...

Here is a content overview of the articles - in German (because the whole book is in German...): - Diener und Herrscher. Die japanische Geschichte im Spiegel der Samurai - Exkurs: Zen - der religiöse Weg des Kriegers - Die japanische Rüstung: Schutzpanzer und Statussymbol - Exkurs: Die Münchner o-yoroi-Rüstung - Die Waffen der Samurai - die Kennzeichen des japanischen Kriegerstandes - Exkurs: Netsuke - Von kriegerischen sowie von schönen Künsten - der Beitrag der Samurai zu Japans Kunst und Kultur - Exkurs: Japonismus - die Kunst Japans bringt Europa eine neue Ästhetik - Die Entstehung der japanischen Teekultur und -keramik - Europa und das feudale Japan - Das christliche Jahrhundert in Japan 1542 - 1637 - William Adams - ein britischer Samurai? - Krieger ohne Krieg - die Samurai in der Edo-Zeit (1603 - 1867) - Frauen des Kriegerstandes - Rauer Kämpfer - sensibles Gemüt: Samuraibilder in der visuellen Kultur bis zur Edo-Zeit - Sterben als Ehre - zum Wesen der rituellen Selbsttötung (seppuku) - Samurai und Ritter - Abbild und/oder Wirklichkeit "Samurai" in der westlichen kommerziellen Fotografie des späten 19. Jahrhunderts - Exkurs: Philipp Franz von Siebold - der wissenschaftliche Entdecker Japans - Das Entstehen von Japan-Sammlungen im Europa des 19. Jahrhunderts - Exkurs: Das Titelblatt von Siebolds Nippon - eine Komposition aus den Motiven aus den Skizzenbüchern Hokusai Manga - Kusunoki Masashige und Ashikaga Takauji: Die Instrumentalisierung zweier Krieger des 14. Jahrhunderts im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert - Charakteristika und Entwicklungszüge des japanischen Schwertfilms - Samurai-Darstellungen in ukiyo-e und Manga - Ein neues Selbstverständnis? - Die Samurai im modernen Japan - Von der Theorie des Kriegers als Helden zur Theorie des Kriegers als Profession

I was told it's TOMO TSUGU...hmm - the second character is similar to the third TSUGU in John M. Yumotos book.

Strange...maybe the blade is etched - then the yakiba turns dark while the ji-hada becomes matt white (the dark tinge comes frome oxides). Otherwise it's very tricky to catch a hamon on photos - maybe it's simply an illumination problem...?

Hello everybody, my only authentic piece is a Wakizashi / shinogi zukuri / ca. 60 cm length /signed TOMO TSUGU. It is in poor conditions because it has no hamon - I suppose the hardness is lost due to unknown reasons... (Careful tests with nitic acid showed no differend kind of steelstructure ) Can anybody tell me something (possible timerange, smiths, ect.) about this blade or the inscription? Declaration of reassurance: It was aleady "conserved" a bit "cosmetically" without any "irreversible" changes by myself. It was very cheap (previous owner is a Nihonto expert and it was also judged by a German togishi) so I'm not in danger of destroying a piece of history and art. Never fear - I am aware of what I'm doing - in respect of Nihonto.

Hello, has anybody a picture of a punch used to create Nanako on fittings? I wonder how the artisans made these fine bumps - one bump per punch or did they use punches with more than one notch?

Only an idea: I have hung up a katana (not a valuable antique) with two guitar strings from the ceiling like a painting. The sword is placed above a plain shelf. The strings are nearly invisible and therefore the sword is "hovering" and not affected by any stand. The strings were cushioned by simply using black wire insulation from an old earphone... (Of course it is not safe and is a bit intricate to handle...)

Is there any Hada (visible steel layers on the surface) visible? If not and judging only from the pictures, this could really be a broken Paul Chen blade... Maybe made only to complete the Koshirae?

Hi Tobias, if you live in/near Munich I probably can help you with a contact... On this Sunday, 15.07.2007 there is the "12. Japanfest" in Munich/Englischer Garten around the Teahouse. http://www.djg-muenchen.de/veranstaltungen/?id=105 There will be a stand of the "Freunde des japanischen Schwertes" where you can ask questions ect. I will be there too... Otherwise we (the guys from this stand) meet regularly each month in a tavern in Munich, where you can bring your blade and get information. Some of them are really Nihonto-professionals You can send me a message for more details. Greeting from /to? Munich!