Poll:- New collectors and ages of Nihonto enthusiasts

[benkyoka]

I turn 35 in a few days and have had a 'thing' for Japanese weaponry for a good number of years. Back in Canada I had a couple stainless steel wallhangers which I used to practice cutting things up. When I moved to Japan to further my study of budo and met the woman who would become my wife I also met the person who has been most responsible for my Nihonto interests (obsession?). My at-the-time fiance's uncle, upon hearing of my interest in Japanese martial arts, invited me to his home where he showed me his Nihonto collection (impressive!) and we cut some tatami using real Nihonto. Now that I think about it, I should have at least checked the age and condition of the blade before hacking at the mat.

 

Shortly after my marriage, a long, thin package arrived in the mail addressed to me. I opened it to discover a real Nihonto and a letter stating that this blade was mine and I had to register it promptly.

 

It turns out that the uncle had promised my wife that if we did get married he would give me a blade. She thought he was joking because he was drunk at the time.

 

I immediately started studying the blade, purchasing books, and found this here NMB.

 

Since then the uncle has gifted me with a few more. I consider myself extremely fortunate and am overwhelmed.

 

The NMB community has been a great place to be a part of.

[katanako]

I'm 57. I'm addicted to katana. I need serious help!

I got my first blade when I was 15 years old when I bought a "Samurai sword"

through SHOTGUN NEWS in a classified, for $15. It came in a black wooden saya, a brass hanger, no tsuka, with a rusty civilian tsuba. It had a Seki stamp on it and the sword maker was an unknown.

 

It used to whack down tree branches with it (!!) and I was surprised that I didn't chip the blade! I gave it away to a collector about 12 years ago.

 

Since then, I started to collect the better stuff, mainly guntos:

Minatogawa Jinja, Yasukuni Jinja, Mantetsu, Emura, and Nagamitsu.

 

And my prized possesion, a large katakana, a real "National Treasure" signed

"Hizen No Kuni Tadayoshi GINSU" and inscribed on the other side: "Hontono Hocho Tetsu." Har, ha!

[Ken-Hawaii]

I'm 62, & have been swinging swords (Muso Jikiden Eishin-Ryu iaido) for about 15 years, but didn't really get interested in collecting Nihonto until just a few years ago. A good friend who also happens to be sensei of a different sword style took my wife & me home for dinner while we were visiting Japan & showed me a few of his treasures. Wow!! What a wake-up call!!

 

My wife (also an iaidoka) & I decided on the spot that we would begin our own collection & study. So, no sports cars, mistresses (wife who swings swords - remember?), or other collections any more, but a dozen nice treasures of our own. :D

[Gabriel L]

Well, I'm 24, bought "The Craft of the Japanese Sword" at age 12 and was hooked. I think Mr. Bottomley's story "wins" so far, thanks for sharing.

 

What I find interesting is that the histogram on the first page actually shows a pretty ordinary gaussian distribution.

[outlier48]

I turned 60 this year and while getting ready for a spring "yard sale" I came across a silk sword bag that my grandfather gave me about 15 years ago. He said it belonged to my dad who died in 1976. I never bothered to open it - just set it aside with some other "stuff" I inherited after my dad died. Imagine my surprise! As I have gone through what I now call "the gift that keeps on giving" I have become hooked. The items I inherited were probably (I hope) purchased in Japan shortly after WWII. They include a wak by Toshihide (TOS 22 I think) as well as several other fascinating items. I was fortunate to be directed to NMB where I have received invaluable input for the members. Unfortunately, no one esle in my family has any interest in nihonto at this time. My wife is from Japan so maybe a niece or nephew will want these various items (and others I collect in the future) after I'm gone. If not, I guess I will find a museum or organization - in the US or Japan - to donate them to in my will. I trust that day will not come for many years and that I will enjoy collecting nihinto and related items until then.

 

Charlie

[zuiho]

I am 53. I bought my first Japanese sword in 1965 at the New York World's Fair, a souvenir toy. But I was inspired by the tale told of my Uncle's swords brought back from Japan after WW2. They were kept in my Grandmother's attic and no one was allowed to see them. Their very existence inspired me. Yet, my first acquisition was in 1986, a Showato. After that, several nihonto in gunto mounts and several in traditional mounts, all from gun shows. The result has been that my collection is only of so-so quality and I wish, in retospect, I had bought others I had passed over .

My Uncle finally sent me photos of his best sword several years ago. It is a gendai by Nagamitsu.

It is likely a presentation piece, one of his best. It has a nagasa of 26 1/2" , itame hada, midare hamon, bohi and horimono of dragons set in lozenges on each side. It still inspires me.

 

William G.

[Brian Hancock]

Hi All, I will be 63 in October. I started collecting about 2 years ago. First 2 swords were an Ujifusa which I swapped a Walther P38 (De-Ac) for it and a Munemitsu Chisa Katana for which I gave an SA Dagger. Sold the Ujifusa but still have the Munimitsu. I love collecting the swords but could quite easily just collect fittings. Vast subject we are interested in and I sometimes find it all a bit bewildering! Brilliant

[Andi B.]

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...

[Kylenn Black]

38 and female and have had an interest in bladed weapons since college. I own none of value (yet) but have a few decorative pieces on the wall and accenting various shelves and bookcases.

 

I saw the Nova special "Secrets of the Samurai Sword" and bought the book The Japanese Sword: A Comprehensive Guide by Kanzan Sato which inspired me focus more on Nihonto. (But I'd never turn my back on a good old-fashioned claymore! )

[Jean]

But I'd never turn my back on a good old-fashioned claymore!

 

Braveheart

[W K Clifford]

34 i am, two wakizashis i have bought, so far. just started collecting a few months ago, actually.

 

i am a mathematician and don't have any uncle who can give away blades as gift.

 

unlucky me!!

[Ken-Hawaii]

Aloha, all:

 

I've been off-net for a few months: my dad passed away & I missed his funeral because I was in the operating room for kidney cancer. I'm 63, & looking to make it well past the 103 he made it to!

 

I've been using a sword of some sort since 1951 when dad hooked me up with his Fencing Master. My wife & I have also studied Muso Jikiden Eishin-Ryu iaido for about 20 years, & it finally dawned on us that there were other types of swords besides iaito. We've only been collecting for about six years, but have a reasonable collection, concentrating on Bizen Nihonto. Our biggest problem has been keeping things from rusting out here in tropical Hawaii, but we finally have that under control.

 

I've recommended this forum to all of the other collectors in the Japanese Sword Society of Hawaii, only one of whom knew about NMB. Thanks for all the past & future help!

[John A Stuart]

Hi Ken, Good to see you back aboard. John

[Brian]

All the best Ken, and wishes for a speedy recovery!

 

Brian

[tagonagy]

42

 

I bought my first sword, a koto uchigatana with more kitae kizu than you can shake a stick at , about a year ago when my wife was out of town. It IS easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission. Since then I've obtained a shinto uchigatana, a shinto katana and a shinsakuto katana. This doesn't include the shinken I use for iado (I started kendo and iaido classes 2-3 months after buying my 1st Uchigatana)

 

My wife is always asking me, "How many Swords do you need?"

My answer: "Just one more."

[sanjuro]

I'm 62. Yes I'm an old guy, yes I have both a sports car and a mistress, but I'm not married. :D

Unfortunately this is where the fairy story ends because I dont have what could be called 'real' money.

I started collecting Nihonto and the study of sword related Japanese bujutsu when in my twenties (Katori Shinto Ryu) and both have been a lifelong passion. My collecting however is in a very narrow field. I collect only koto tachi and tanto, and more recently naginata.

I own only one katana, one of the first I owned. It is a Muramasa school blade which I use for Iaido.

[Curran]

Age: 37

 

First was exposed to Nihonto while a student in Aichi prefecture 20 years ago. An elder neighbor had 2 swords and was kind to share his small collection and his knowledge.

My first item was a Choshu tsuba in 1992 found in an antiques shop.

 

In 1999 I became more active in the hobby when my future wife transferred from New York to Tokyo. At the time there seemed few collectors under the age of 40. Since then, the ranks seem to have filled in a bit in the 30 something crowd. The few under 30 seem to remain the exception, as I once was. Perhaps it is a partial function of disposable income as career progresses.

[Takahashi]

Hi there,

 

I am 30 years old and just recently bought my first wakizashi. But I was interested in the Japanese culture since my teenage years. Especially the movies of Akira Kurosawa (Rashomon, RAN and of course Seven Samurai to name only a few) left a great impression on me. It is actually quite surprising, that it took so many years till I got really interested in Nihonto. Now I am, and I already had several arguments about it. My wife just cannot understand why anybody would spend a lot of money on old extra large "kitchen knives" . Therefore the wak will probably be a single piece for some time

 

Cheers,

[David Flynn]

Wife, Swords? Wife, Swords? Wife, Swords? Swords, Wife? Swords, Wife? Swords, Swords, Swords..................

[uwe]

In a few days I`ll reach the 48............ Time is running so fast

As a former bayonet collector (since my earliest youth) I started even with the obligatory, unpolished, gimei koto wak ( ..... wakizashi) about 20 years ago in exchange for an K98. That was the beginning of all the "trouble", 9 years later though. I kept the suspected offender until jet, although it`s far beyond restoration and I spotted the mei still not. Meanwhile, I became interested in both Nihonto and Nihon Katchu. Unfortunately, that`s a bit to much for my wallet........and the nerves of my wife So I decided, to sell the whole stored bayonet collection for my first (and only) gusoku. I never regretted.

I`m fascinated by koto blades, mainly of the yamato tradition or related schools. However, my little collection don`t reflect this fact. Yamato blades are even not the cheapest by any manner of means

Greetings from Germany

Uwe

[Mathieu]

My turn now

 

I'm a month more 22 y.o and always been interested in History. I've started since the antiques times, then medieval history, where I grown up there many castles, even roman's things. When I was 15 to 18 I loved study war history and their weapons from the crusade to XVe century. Particulary interested in chevalry code and the bushido. Many moovies served it very well such as Kurosawa's Kagemusha and Ran, or Richard Thorpe's Knights of the Round Table and Ivanhoé are just great.

 

My grandfather also captured a couple of german swords when he was 16 and Strasbourg liberated, that's why even if I collect many things a main theme in my collection is eadged weapons, but I couldn't talk myself a nihonto collector as I don't own one of them.

 

I'm basically focus on WW2 because my interest is very wider than my budget. I really love the guntos koshirae, it's would be great to find a nihonto in such mounts but I'm happy with what I've got for the moment, I don't want to go to quick to prevent any regrets and financial troubles!

 

About the age of collectors, I want to say that many friends of mine are interested buy nihonto, even if they can put a name of it, but not enought to assume all the research and read it means. They just like see graceful things, and this is never questioned about nihonto

 

Best Regards,

Mathieu.

[Dakota]

My interest in Nihonto most recent. Bought 9 swords over ebay from China last spring/summer. 6 Chinese/3 Japanese. Only have two left. (Temple swords tachi and wakizashi) Plan on posting pictures around March 3rd.

 

I turn 42 on March 2nd.

[Death-Ace]

Age: 16 (Hey I'm old....in teen years) Turning 17 March 10th!

 

Among my personal possessions I treasure are a 1921 DWM luger, a 1924 Saint Gaudens Double Eagle in MS-63 grade, and...a few nihonto

 

Back in 4th (or 5th) grade, this guy here developed an interest in Japanese culture. After a few years of studying, I got into Japanese militaria (games affect one's mind in oh-so many ways :lol: ) I started collecting when I was about 12, with financial aid from my parents of course. During that time, I came across my first blade. She was a Type 3 gunto showato blade signed by Nagamitsu.The mounts were in...less than perfect condition, but the blade looked beautiful. Traded 'er a month back for a Type 94 Nambu. One late war for another...but now that I see the seller has hyped the price waaaay above normal...feel bad. But it's these lessons we learn from.

 

 

 

Blue skies of Thunderbolts,

Lev

[MrJones]

Well, I too suppose I can number myself among the young - and definitely among the near-totally ignorant. 22 years old (23 in July), I've been fascinated by military history since I was a very small boy; my degree is in military history, and toward the end of my time studying (I'd still like to do a Master's degree, but money is most definitely an object), I started to gravitate towards the Imperial Japanese Navy. Unfortunately, that interest has led to a succession of branching interests. To understand the Imperial Navy, one must understand its men, its machines, its doctrines and so forth; to understand those, one must look to the people and state that created them; and to understand the Japanese people and nation requires that one study the history, culture and (oh gawd) the language. Nihonto are, unsurprisingly, a significant aspect of that. The technology they incorporate, the purposes and thinking behind their design, the history of their use and the men who make and wield them are all bound together with the huge whole.

 

In a heartwarming aside (d'aww), it's all my father's fault; he was the one who bought me the late M. J. Whitley's Battleships of World War II: an International Encyclopaedia. Having browsed the British ships - the floating castles of a glorious past ,gone long before I first saw our green and pleasant land - I started ambling through the rest of the book, and came across two photographs of HIJMS Fuso, running her trials in Bungo Suido after her first, 1933 modernisation. I don't think even heroin bends the mind quite so quickly as those two images bent mine towards the IJN...

 

As for acquiring Nihonto (or indeed, Shin gunto) of my own... I somehow doubt my income could support it, for the moment - and besides, the last time I tried my hand at any of the Japanese martial arts (ninjitsu), at the age of 18, my self-consciousness overcame my wary curiosity, so it seems unlikely I'd be able to acquire one for practice :lol:

[Curgan]

I am 33 now and I had a passion for swords even before I knew how to read. Actually, I have learned how to read 29 years ago because of this passion. My father wouldn't buy me new books with illustrated hoplites, knights and samurai unless I read the small black marks under the pictures. I recall getting my first sword like object made by stainless steel in my early 20's for an exagerrated price. My first live blade 5 years ago and now I am expecting my first nihonto to arrive from Japan.

 

I am closing with my expression of envy for those who were given or found or bought their first nihonto for a ridiculous price :D

I wish I was wearing your shoes

[Jamie]

I am 35 This Month.

I've had an interest in bladed weapons since I was a young child.

My first blade was an old Boy scout knife that I found while hiking. My father helped me clean and restore it and it was my first knife. I've always had interest in swords too. Shortly after- I moved to guns, and have collected them most of my life. And some knives too(Many), but nothing too fancy. I went to a Blade show a few years back and my love of bladed weapons was rekindled. I've been studying since. I have a very small collection of just a few pieces. But I am enjoying learning and looking. Thanks to many helpful and friendly folks.

[Jean]

and Happy birthday Jamie

[BMarkhasin]

I will be 39 this year.

 

My interest was sparked when I was an extra in the samurai movie "Heaven and Earth" which was filmed in 1989 just outside Calgary. I spent 2 weeks marching and battling with yari in plastic armor! It was awesome. The production company had brought from Japan an authentic Muromachi domaru armor for one scene, and I had a chance to view it up close. I was hooked. Concurrently I discovered Ian Bottomley's book "Arms and Armor of the Samurai" as well as Robinson and Yumoto's entry level books. I read those books so often that my first set fell-apart from over-use. That year I bought my first tsuba in a local antique store -- I was 18. I still have the tsuba, and it remains one of my favourites. I have been collecting tosogu now for over 20 years, focussing more and more on the early material. I acquired my first armor in 2002. My very modest blade collection was acquired fairly recently, and consists of 1 daito, 1 tanto and some Kofun period tomb trash.

 

Best Regards,

Boris Markhasin.

[watsonmil]

Dear Boris,

There must be almost enough Canadian Members to have our own Dicussion Section on the NMB It is fortunate for the NMB, given the breadth of our country ... routine get togethers otherwise would be as expensive in travel expense as adding a Masamune to a collection.

Welcome aboard, ... enjoy ! .... Ron Watson

[b.hennick]

Welcome from another Canadian - Barry Hennick! Of course we can all meet this weekend in Chicago at the sword show or in August in San Francisco... :D Good idea eh

(Just had to get eh in there some place!)