WWII military gunto parts in Japan

[george trotter]

Hi All, I tried to post this just now but it "disappeared"...so here goes again.

I am going up to Japan for a few weeks Dec 23 - Jan 13 and will have some spare time in Tokyo and Kyoto. Does anyone know of any swordshops, antique shops or military antique shops I might visit that have WWII items ? I am looking for a few gunto bits such as tassels, sarute etc.

Any addresses or recommendations would be appreciated. I speak enough Japanese to communicate so am comfortable to go to "out of the way" shops etc.

Regards,

George Trotter

Western Australia

[Brian]

George,

I saw lots of Gunto koshirae in Japan, but not so many parts on their own.

I suggest emailing a few dealers in advance and seeing if they can source anything. Maybe Aoi Arts?

If you are there over a Sunday, make sure you head to the Yasukuni shrine antiques market on any Sunday. There may be some parts there, and there are always koshirae, swords and fittings and other goodies to look at. I spend a whole day there usually.

 

Brian

[george trotter]

Thanks Brian,

I will certainly go to Yasukuni when I'm there and will try Aoi and Token Shibata etc. I didn't know Yasukuni had a market, good to know. I was there 2 years ago...what a change from 30 years ago...much more nationalistic now. I will see if I can find the site of the Yasukuni sword forge too, just for fun...my neighbour here showed me his Japanese sword yesterday...you guessed it, Yasukuni Tosho Yasunori...navy mounts, mint polish...drool!!!

Thanks again,

George.

[John A Stuart]

You will have no problem finding the forges. They are teahouses lying on the side of a little pond just beyond the main shrine on your left as you waik from the main gate. John

[Ted Tenold]

George,

 

The Togo shrine in Harajuku has a flea market on Sunday morning, though I'm not sure if it's every sunday or just the first sunday of the month when I'm there. There is a man there that specifically deals in Japanese militaria. You might try that one. Take the Yamanote Line to Harajuku station. Exit from the Takeshita street exit, and walk directly across the intersection down Takeshita Street about 1/10th of a mile. There's a slight dog-leg right at this point with small path to the left. Take the path and then a quick right to the back stairway entrance. The main entrance to the Togo Shrine is from Omotesando, the main thoroughfare in Harajuku where there are many Department stores, but from the station it's the long way around, so I just go down Takeshita. It is a flea market, so I'd recommend you exercise the same caution you would at any other, as there are lots of old things to be had, but also some overpriced overhyped stuff, as well as reproductions and imports.

 

Also there's a shop (at least there *used* to be) in Setagaya-ku owned by a man named Reto Kleinpeter.

 

Here's his info and addresss from a business card I got from him some years back.

 

The Real Thing

Reto Kleinpeter

2F, OT Building 2-14-1 Kitazawa

Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 155-0031

03-3410-9311

 

I'd call before venturing over because it was a while back that I met him, and I'm not sure he's still there. I first met him at an antique show in California and he had some very very nice things though the prices reflected what one might expect for very very nice things.

 

Have fun, and Good Hunting!

[george trotter]

Thanks John and Ted,

Info and addresses are much appreciated. I will have a few days to snoop around anyway, but now I have two places to head for on Sunday. Thanks.

George Trotter

[Nobody]

FYI; flea market at Togo shrine

http://www.kottouichi.jp/tougou.htm

[Ted Tenold]

Whoops....George. My directions above have been ammended. I saw a slight mistake that should read:

 

There's a slight dog-leg right at this point with small path to the left. Take the path and then a quick right to the back stairway entrance.

 

It should be faily obvious anyways, but just in case.

[george trotter]

Thank you all, great info and maps. I will be able to check out the Togo Shrine fleamarket as it happens...and will also go out to Itabashi and see Mr Iemura (son of author of Token Yoran) at Token Bijutsu Kogeisha. I visited this shop in 1980 and because I spoke (terrible) Japanese and had an interest in swords this son spoke to his father and took me upstairs to view his father's collection...fantastic, even a Kiyomaro tanto...I think it is still the same son/family business. Those were the days. I also had an enjoyable chat with Fujishiro junior (son of THE Fujishiro) at their polishing shop at Kudan Hill, Yasukuni Jinja, and had tea at the Imperial Hotel with Albert Yamanaka...I'll take my son there and have tea in his memory as well.

This should be lots of fun and nostalgia...and then there are all the out of print sword books in the furuhonyas (old books shops) at Kanda:-)

Regards and Merry Christmas to all.

George Trotter.

[Brian]

George,

Funny thing about Jimbocho district. We spent half a day there, asking every shop for sword books. Most don't have, but direct you to a few that do. Isseido has a lot, and I bought some good books in a few shops at good prices.

Then towards the end of the day, we end up in a shop a few to the left of Isseido. No idea of the name.

I ask if they have any sword books, and he nods, and waves his head to a shelf or 2. Since I don't speak or read Japanese, I start looking at the shelves trying to see which are about swords. And I realise that they are ALL on swords and fittings

He doesn't speak English at all, so after asking the names of a few and buying one or 2 that I know and will be able to use, I eventually gave up looking. Just too many, and he was getting irritated that I asked too many titles. Budget had already been spent (by about 10 times over :D )

Because I would love to know what good deals or rare books I missed out on, I asked if I could take some photos of the books. Maybe someone sees something that I should kick myself over.

 

Enjoy...maybe not all Nihonto books...I have no idea :lol:

 

Brian

 

PS - You are only limited by your luggage. Some Nihonto books are bigger and heavier than a full suitcase! Posting the excess back cost me over $150 but I am really chuffed with the books I got in Japan this year. Among others, I got:

Spare set of Fujishiro's

Great book on Kano Natsuo

Great book on Yasuchika

Nice book on horimono

Great book on Studies into Kyo-Goto

Sano Museum Ichimonji book

..and others.

[george trotter]

Wow Brian...a great lineup of sword books. Luckily I can read enough of the titles to know they are all sword books and I see a set of Fujishiro there too! You seem to have lucked on to one of the most important shops. I found the bookshop guys very helpful and they will mark the half dozen or so shops that deal strongly in swordbooks on the locality map so they are easy to find. I have bought books at 1sseido myself so I will look a bit further to the left also. I am mainly looking for Gendaito related books myself and although I have most of the classics, at least one book, whose title I don't know is still out there...so I will happily search away (I only know it from a photocopied page).

Thank you all guys, If I find a great bookshop like this one Brian I will get his card and post it when I get back.

Thanks again,

George Trotter.

[sencho]

I know that shop, I was in there back in June.... cannot remember the name either however.... would love to have a library of every nihonto related book in that store....

 

George, if it is the same one as Brian is talking about, it is right on the main road there... Nihonto books on shelves... many of them behind the small counter, but on full display from floor to ceiling!

 

Not sure if it is this one, but it is right around here!!

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&g ... 9477626316

 

I did find a few stores in that district that had full sets of Nihonto Taikan and Nihonto Koza.... that were surprisingly cheap for full, as new, boxed sets, too!! opposite Brian's shop there is a back street (if you walk up past the McDonalds - ) running up towards the Medical (?) University

 

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&g ... 6&t=h&z=18

 

I never walk past a "Book Off" either without checking out the large book/art section (usually in the same isle as the magazines)... I have found some ridiculous bargains on rare Nihonto books in there....

 

cheers!