Baka Gaijin

Hi Guys., The Kamon associated with Takeda is Yotsu Bishi. The Kamon depicted here is known as Maru Ni Yotsu Me.

One for Guido., Recently at a Fair in the U.K., I was shown a blade which still had its Torokusho with it, and thus illegally exported from Japan. (The dealer thought it was a certificate of excellence!) Is there no totting up of numbers of blades registered against blades re - registered ?

Hi Dave., Looks like a much later addition to me. As I recall, a few of the swords from the massive collection of Sir Frank Bowden had been titivated with a similar red and gold paint. Humbrol and Japlac were UK brands available in the 1960's that could be brush-painted to give such a smooth finish. (Much of the Legendary Bowden Collection was sold through Christies in the early 80's) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1364912/Sir-Frank-Bowden-Bt.html

Good morrow chaps., Thank you Ian, you are a constant font of knowledge. Here for everyone else is the book by Mortimer Menpes that you mentioned, (Japan A Record in Colour) The pertinent quotes about the dealer "Inchie" and "decoration" for the European taste are on pages 153 onwards: https://archive.org/details/japanarecordinc01menpgoog

Thank you Ian, You said: "I think it worth repeating that the largest collection of mon in use during the Edo period was a draper's shop - the customers handing the generations of shop keepers drawings of their mon to be added to their new kimono." I think that would be the Matsuya Piece Good Store catalogue from 1913 Dover did the reprint: http://store.doverpublications.com/0486228746.html Matsuya rebranded themsleves and went up market in 1931, they still exist with two huge stores in Tokyo, One in Ginza and the other in Asakusa. You also said: "There is a book I saw in Sendai Museum, whose title I do not know, that had been produced in the 1920's or 30's with vast amounts of information (I was enquiring after a certain mon and the curator kindly quoted a passage describing it). Since I have never seen another copy I cannot be more help on it." There was a major book on Kamon published in 1926, its title is Koyo Nihon Monshogaku by Numata Raisuke Publisher: Tokyo Meiji Shoin Pip Pip Cheerio

Hi Justin and Brian., I'm not so sure that the actual Kamon used by the Emperor was used freely, more an approximation of it. For example, one petal less or more in the Kikumon Kamon makes a different Kamon. Likewise, I have a suspicion that if you count the leaves and lines in what looks like the Tokugawa Aoi Kamon on a Meiji or Taisho article, there will be a slight difference to the actual Tokugawa Kamon. Here's a recent example of potential litigation over the use of the Mito Branch of the Tokugawa Kamon (now a registered Logo): http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201611070058.html Ian B's the man to answer this question I think.

Hi Paul., They look like Kamon (Family crests) If we take the orientation north south (i.e. the two lines running from top to bottom) then it is known as Maru ni Tate Futatsubiki. (Literally two lines standing within a circle). If we take it as east west orientation (i.e. two lines running from left to right) Then it is known as Maru ni Futatsubiki (Literally two lines within a circle).

Be careful for current UK coins as they are steel under the copper alloy

Hi Guys The New Sword Museum is going to be in Ryogoku area of Sumida ward. Big modern construction in its own garden with huge pond, located in the former Yasuda Garden. First Floor will host casual exhibitions and a meeting place for the general public. Second floor will house the Museum and provide administration area and sword maintenance spaces. Top floor will house the sword museum and have a rooftop viewing gallery.

Hi Stephen., I was at the NBTHK Hakubutsukan in November and they had details of the New Museum displayed in the foyer: Mighty Impressive space by all accounts

Hi guys, This is the second I have seen this week with the date on the blade, the one illustrated looks like and acid etch for the Showa Ju Ni Nen. The one I saw locally was stamped Showa Ju Nana Nen but did not have a serial number. Caveat Emptor!!

Hiya Dave, Before I answer your question, let me say to anyone reading this that I was very young and immature in training. I am now quite old and still immature in training (So something's constant!!) I certainly would not now advocate anyone tying tsuka with bandage with the intention of training. It's really quite a dangerous action. Gunto tsuka are now almost eighty years old and in most cases are not fit for any form of suburi or actual training. Good quality Iai -To and Shinken are so readily available that Gunto and Antique Nihonto Koshirae should never ever be used in such a way again. Like I said, I was young, and then (1968/69), it was the only source (Then really plentiful) that we had to train with. That said: I tried it a number of ways and the best way I found for training was to double the bandage in half so that it was about one inch wide. I then got the centre of the length at the top of the Gunto just above the itomaki knots and actually covering the lower part of the KabutoGane (So it would not slip down into the itomaki) I then tight wrapped it in a double overlapping figure of eight i.e. over itself and then around and repeat this all the way down to the Fuchi (I did not wrap the Fuchi as my Gunto had a Chuso spring clip), I used some large bulldog clips to hold the Bandage on, which helped a bit when I slipped the bandage through itself in a kind of crossover knot and then began to overlap wrap it back up the tsuka all the way to the area of the Kabutogane above the itomaki knots. Then with the bulldog clips in place I proceeded to pull through and make the final knots and cut the bandage and made tidy with the excess ends of the bandage by tucking then under the bandage knot with a thin spill of wood as I recall. It was pretty close to what I saw the Japanese Sensei in the U.K. using and worked well. However, It would not last more than six to eight weeks of regular training and discoloured very quickly. Hope this sheds some light on the situation all those years ago.

Hi Stephen., The first time I saw a Gunto tsuka wrapped and used for Iai and Batto was about 1968 or 69 by the late Chiba Kazuo Sensei at his first Dojo in Chiswick, London. He used a 2 inch wide gauze bandage in a kind of figure eight pattern down the tsuka and back up on itself with a tight folded under knot at the Kabutogane. He said this was the method traditionally used. I used similar, years back on a tsuka that was a bit suspect, and as long as you really keep the pressure up as you wind, it makes for a really solid grip. This was in the days before reliable Iai-To were available.

Hi Bruce., I've also seen white wrapped tsuka. I was told it was done to preserve the itomaki and in some cases there was an aspect of spiritual purification involved.

Hi Ray, The outer looks like an elongated version of the Kamon Matsu Kawa Bishi ("Diamond" Rhombus form - Hishi gata). The inner looks like Maru Ni San Go San Kiri (Three Five Three petal Pauwlonia within a circle). Hi Neil., The central Kamon looks like Maru Ni Katabami (Creeping Wood Sorrel within a circle). The outer pair are a little unclear, but as it is a Kai Gunto, probably the standard Maru Ni Yamato Zakura (Japanese Cherry Blossom witihin a circle)

Hi Christian., My immediate concern is the top of the stand itself where the flat angles of the boards will meet with the Helmet liner (Ukebari). I would put some padding on those corners and edges to avoid the weight of the helmet tearing through the Ukebari.

Hi Guys., The Harvard database looks promising as it will eventually include complete albums from the periods in question: http://hcl.harvard.edu/collections/epj/albums.cfm

Hi Dave., The image of the Togishi you posted is believed now to have been contrived for the tourist portfolio industry. If you don't have the link, here's the Nagasaki University Library collection of high quality Bakumatsu period photographs, it is quite comprehensive: http://sepia.lb.nagasaki-u.ac.jp/zoom/en/index.html I've put the filter here for Samurai and craftsman related images: http://oldphoto.lb.nagasaki-u.ac.jp/en/list.php?req=2b

Hi guys I used to have a copy the original big hardback Japanese language book on Gunto Soho, Toyama Ryu and Nakamura Ryu by Nakamura Taisaburo (中村 泰三郎) published late 80's. If I recall correctly it contained drawings for what could best be called a "Stropping Rig" . The rig was designed to be made from timber with two adjustable screw points to hold the blade at a precise angle allowing the monouchi to be stropped. I am pretty sure it mentioned it was not to grind metal but was to even out hakobore. The source of much of the information in Nakamura's book was the original Rikugun Gunto Soho training manual, a copy of which is housed at the National Diet Library in Tokyo (I posted this link on another thread recently, but I think it got missed). http://dl.ndl.go.jp/info:ndljp/pid/1460369?itemId=info%3Andljp%2Fpid%2F1460369&__lang=en Note the HInged test Tsuka for Tameshigiri on frame 46.

Hi Guys., Fascinating!! Herewith the Book in 2 volumes that Ford quoted from: https://archive.org/details/myreminiscences04pumpgoog https://archive.org/details/myreminiscences03pumpgoog

Morita san., I have a question please. Why would the artist sign in Hiragana? Was it to display an elegance and sensitivity?

Hi Bruce & Greg., Just an observation, the Officer's type has the push button on the side. As to the practicality of either, I don't know. There was a method of Gunto use devised by the Army known as Gunto Soho, but I don't have any in depth experience of it. Here's the Gunto Soho/Toyama Ryu training manual lodged in the National Diet Library: http://dl.ndl.go.jp/info:ndljp/pid/1460369?itemId=info%3Andljp%2Fpid%2F1460369&__lang=en However some of our members practice the modern styles of swordsmanship derived from this and may have the answer. Here's something to be going on with: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakamura-ry%C5%AB

Hi Greg, Late War production I believe. Needs transferring to the Military Swords section, where you will be inundated with facts.

WOW!!!! They have a collection at Tokyo National Museum: Here's the link: http://webarchives.tnm.jp/imgsearch/search?q=%E7%94%9F%E4%BA%BA%E5%BD%A2&page=2 http://webarchives.tnm.jp/imgsearch/show/C0098393 I wonder if the colour of yours is oxidation of the pigment? As the ones at Tokyo National are lifelike skin tone. Maybe a choice to go more red to make the Gaijin punters happy?? Also a stylising of the eyes and eyebrows, more like a Chinese Opera Make up? Again, perhaps directed by the Gaijin commissioning the work?? Worth firing off an email to TNM to see if they have any red tone examples and what they think about the stylising of the features? There, you got me all serious and businesslike....It won't Last

Thanks for the clarification Piers. Still a magnificent achievement nonetheless.