What School To Study Next

[lonely panet]

Morning gentlemen,

 

I wish to ask a general question from you all.

as you may or may not know I, have been collection IJ swords for a while now but I feel I have achived all I can in that area.

I have own just about all models of swords in that period, with only period blades housed in them, but I feel its time to change to a different area as I feel that the quality of the blades are stonewalling me to a certain extent to progressing in my study and learning of more traditional aspects of nihonto.

 

I have set my self some goals

my first goal is, and I know this might sound like a noob, but I wish to be able to accurately identify the following grades of nihonto

 

UTILITY

ART

FINE ART

I wont bother with high art because that might be to optimistic for another 10-15 years ahahhah.

 

so the big question is what is a good school and period to start off with, in the wide and scary world of choices? also my budget isn't big

 

I was thinking Bizen Yokayama, as I started off with sue bizen kiyomitsu.

 

I throw open the thread to get some ideas

 

kind regards Hamish

[Ken-Hawaii]

I'm a bit of a Bizen nut, myself, Hamish, but why are you limiting yourself to a single school?  Why not a period in history like Nambokucho, when Japan was in an uproar because of the Mongol invasions?  Nice & short, less than 60 years, & blades were changing quickly in many ways.

 

Ken

 

[Rivkin]

Its very hard to answer. Lets take Bizen Yokoyama - as most shin-shinto, the imagery is very strong, "in your face", very clearly defined. In books it is often noted that it recreated classic Ichimnoji style, but one is not aware of almost anyone making a mistake between the two. They copied the style, but with a drastically different steel, drastically different techniques, I would say, as the rest of shin-shinto - much more simplistic and crude tools: you need strong masame hada - just mix some steels up, do fewer folds and you have characteristic thick "damascus" lines.

 

If you have a lot of money I recommend going to DTI or, better - Sokendo, with couple of cases filled with cash, and picking up the blades you like. In the latter case it is unlikely you'll make a big mistake. If you don't have a lot of money, I would still go to DTI and at least try to understand what you like.

Try to handle some top of the line Kamakura Bizen, Rai, Awataguchi, Soshu. In shinto - classical shinto style like Sukehiro, Shinkai, Kotetsu, Yasutsugu.

See what you like.

Much of nihonto is a copy or interpretation of such work.

[nagamaki - Franco]

 

UTILITY

ART

FINE ART

I wont bother with high art because that might be to optimistic for another 10-15 years ahahhah.

 

so the big question is what is a good school and period to start off with, in the wide and scary world of choices? also my budget isn't big

 

 

kind regards Hamish

 

1) The Japanese suggest in their writing to go with the best possible from the very start. 

2) Books. Read through Yamanaka's Newsletters revised, AFU's Nihonto Koza, etc., and as you do I suspect something may trigger and peak your interest, something to pursue, but first you have to learn what's out there, and begin to understand how to properly evaluate it. 

3) Where to begin, hmm, how about at the beginning? It is not necessary to own a sword in order to begin studying it.

[lonely panet]

very solid advice guys.

 

I was trying to head to the next DTI, and  I loved the NBTHK museum, but the glass gets in the way. so the DTI would be great. I would like to arrange to head over with a few aussie to make it a real event. 

what also hinders me is that, there's is very few collectors in my state, so its only militaria shows that provide a regular source of hands on stuff (twice a year). and there is never really anything of quality to see.

 

BBBUUUTTTT I have to give a big shout out to the 3 very kind  people in VIC that gave me a day I will never forget. the 1600 km round trip was well and truly worth the effort, just need another excuss to head over hahhaha.

 

kind regards Hamish

[Kronos]

It's always easier to learn when you're most interested so maybe take a look around at some websites and see what tradition/age/school appeals most to you and start there.

 

Otherwise why not Koto Bizen? Most swords are from Bizen so there's a lot of availability, there's a wide range of prices from the worst Sue Bizen right up to Fukouka-ichimonji and the likes of Tomonari to suite your budget and there's a wide variety of styles so when you decide what you like you can hone in on that area.

 

Franco is right in that it's not necessary to own swords to study them and starting from the beginning gives a better overall picture as there's much of it is reinterpretations of earlier work. If I could start again I would do it that way.

[Rivkin]

DTI->big dealers-> Tokyo Museum->few Tokyo shrines with old swords->Tokugawa museum in Nagoya->Atsuta shrine->if really hard core Yokoyama and Bizen and local museums->Omishima shrine.

 

Sorry to make an abrasive statement: more quality swords then all the US shows for the past xx years combined.

[Toryu2020]

Kamakura swords are the model, all others are technically re-makes with the exception of some new forms, new hamon. The thought is if you learn the gokaden and the masterpieces from this golden age, you will be able to place all later works in their proper context. I love Shinshin-to but my teachers insisted I learn in this order and I agree that it is the way to best approach the subject.

-t

[paulb]

Two points to consider:

1. I think Tom is 100% right if you study good works from the Kamakura period you will understand what many, if not most later smiths were trying to achieve. So trips to the DTI or museums in Japan are a great help but as a good second best start lookng at some of the excellent publications from the 60s 70s and 80s illustrating high level works.

2. As there are as many Bizen blades as all other schools put together it would make sense to focus there but why limit yourself? what happens if in your quest for a Bizen blade you stumble across a maginficent Soshu or Mino work that makes your heart sing? Do you ignore it and remain focussed or do you take the opportunity to broaden your knowledge?

 

I think to start lookng at ealier work than you have now is absolutely the right thing to do. I also think buying the very best you can afford and having fewer better pieces (mantra drilled in to me for the past 20+ years by various teachers) is also right. But your choice regarding direction and what should be first and foremostly driven by what you like and based on study of good quality work.

[Alex A]

It's always easier to learn when you're most interested.

 

 

 

This. I learn fast when I have a deep interest in an aspect of this hobby, usually when spending hard earned money is involved.

 

When not in that mode, I'm just reading, information tends to get lost.

 

Everyone's different, we all learn different ways I suppose.