Aloof Pegasus

Domo arigato guys

Thanks Piers and Guido for the good advice. I ran into trouble in Kansai airport few weeks back is why I asked. They checked the sword with magnets, asked for any paperwork, then refused it entry. To their credit they were nice about it and the police officer even tried to phone the dealer- but it was Sunday and he was closed. They seemed to want supporting documents. Perhaps Kansai staff are less up on nihonto than Narita customs. Hope so. Thanks again. Philip

Dear All I've got an unpapered Seki Jumyo wak purchased from Ed Marshall which is coming with me to Japan in a few days for some restoration work. As you all know it will need an Hikiwatashi-sho. Ed kindly supplied a document stating what it is. I've printed out the Shinto swordsmith index showing (Seki) Jumyo right down at the bottom of the Eastern smith list. If possible I would like to avoid having a dealer come out to the airport to authenticate it as that will be expensive. Any thoughts on other paperwork that might sway the customs officers to give it the temp license? Philip

If your wife likes pottery and you want to look at swords then the Tomioka Hachimanga shrine in Monzen Nakacho is a great place, full of stalls selling teaware, assorted pots and with several large stands selling Nihonto. It's open the first two Sundays of the month. It's a very good place for vintage chawan and (expensive) excavated pottery. Monzen Nakacho is easy to get to, it's on the Tozai line, on the east side of the city very near Tokyo and Nihonbashi stations. The shrine itself is close to the Tozai line exit. All sorts of small shops selling tasty food line the approaches. Getting there is a piece of cake because all tube lines make announcements in English- just like the ATM's in the indispensible 7/11 You might like to try Shibu onsen in Yudanaka/Nagano. There are 9 different onsen all in easy walking distance. The 9 are for different parts of the body, eyes, joints etc and old, some of them the colour of miso soup. Each one provides a stamp for your towel which you can then carry up a steep stone stairway to a small shrine, tie the towel to the balustrade and make a wish. Philip

Paul If possible I'd also like a copy. Philip

photos guaranteed, Waynes. With pleasure. btw I had thought to assemble some suitable (?) koshirae for the sword. Now not so sure. Shira saya seems better somehow, what do you think? Any plans to mount yours? Expense aside it really needs a lot of knowledge as well, would you say? Philip

Piers There's a thought. He did sound quietly chuffed about the sword last time we spoke. Apparently the hamon deepens appreciably above the sweet spot. Let me see what I can rustle up! Philip

Waynes Love to see some pics, mate, if not too much trouble. Philip Is it the one pictured in "My new (to me).... Beautiful! Very nice habaki and shirasaya, aren't they. Can't wait!!!

That looks very nice now, doesn't it. Makes them both look the same age(?) What do you reckon? To my untrained eye anyway. I like it shiny, it'll darken up soon enuf, why splatter it with okonomiyaki? Is that ude nuki hole really a design (moon reflected under Mt Fuji ?) 'nother good one Piers. Have a you earned and one for yr friend Philip

I reckon that water buffalo horn tsuba was put in when it fell on hard times. Rest's higo koshirae right? Maybe you'll run across another higo tsuba ( or a Nara) Anyway, well done. Philip PS Calling someone a water buffalo here in Egypt (a gamhoussah) is a big insult!

Piers Came up better than anyone hoped, didn't it Your friend's an artist. What are you thinking on the tsuba? Stay as is? Philip

For all those kind enough to post replies on this thread, it's a pleasure for me to add this short update. In May-ish 2008 Louis Skebo agreed to polish the sword and repatinate the nakago. Btw he agreed with Jacques assessement of the Muneaki mei as gimei. I don't want or plan to remove it however. Since then it has been straightened, all the chips taken out and the foundation polish done. John Tirado is making the new habaki and shira-saya. Insha'Allah ETA is 2 more months when it'll be my further pleasure to collect it 'n post some pics as a kind of inaugoration for the next stage of the swords life. Philip

Duz the kozuka ana seem better cut/placed somehow? S'one went to the trouble to make the dimples either end of straight line cut to help the sekigane fit securely. Philip

Piers Nice find. Very attractive little tsuba. Do you mind a guess this lazy Sunday afternoon? From the plate quality and the motif I would like to say Nara. However I know nothing about tsuba ( not being "Japanese" here, I really know nothing). Philip Cud the hitsu-ana be the later addition since the incision parallel to the blade seems too long? But no that's not right either, now I look again they are both like that so it's not a 'mistake'!

Had a similar experience with Alf Tan. Sword went back, money forthcoming, quick 'n easy. Philip

Piers/Mark There's a fan one here, altho' not as nice as the ones already shown. http://www.8tiger.com/items/448969/item ... tiger.html Cheers Philip

Piers You're right, mate, thanks for correcting the "a" to "o". Shiryo not Shirya. Sorry 'bout that. Philip

Yitzi I don't know what time zone you're in- or if you work nights, but here in Cairo we're 7 hours behind Japan. Week before I went over this Xmas and New Year's I started going to bed earlier each night, and getting up at Tokyo time more or less. Upshot was when they bundled us off the flight at 7:00 am Narita time I bounded into the terminal full of energy, (Got 6 hours on the flight :D fresh and smiling for the customs lady. Everything is so easy and stress-free in the airport (and all over the country) and at the Shinkansen stations, all signs in English, everyone falling over themselves to help. If you can, do an internet Japanese lesson or three, so you can ask for a ticket and so on. Japanese are bad at other languages because their own is so easy- especially after Arabic for me. Give you an example of shopping ease I managed to buy a pair of ipponbageta, have the hannoa changed and try 'em out in the shop- all without being arrested, which gives you some idea of Japanese forbearance. Get ready for the best trip of your life. Philip Loftus

Thanks Dirk for that link. Exactly what I was hoping to read. Great site is right! Cheers Philip

Anyone come across one of these before? Non governmental ones, I mean. Are they just marketing tools issued by shops etc? Depending on the appraiser can they have any meaning? Thanks. Philip Loftus

Mariuszk Sugano sensei died of gangrene of the leg back in 2002/3! Philip Loftus

I think it would come up a treat, everything about it is charming, bit of a 'make and mend' project. Piers if it's not too much trouble pls post pics when it's to your satisfaction. Philip Loftus

John As you probably know if you google "Inaba sensei/Kashima shin ryu" there's some dynamic illustrations of how the tsuba can help in establishing contact with your partner. Philip Loftus

Great downloads, thanks a lot, very nice of you. Philip Loftus

Feels like it some days, but from UK originally. Philip