What is the best Nihonto book for a beginner that is somewhat easy to obtain?

[rematron]

Looking for the opinions of all you awesome people

[Toryu2020]

Jeremy -

I hate to be "that guy" but if you look under the FAQ heading you will find Recommended Reading for Beginners -

 

The best and easiest to obtain is The Samurai Sword by John M Yumoto...

 

-t

[reinhard]

I don't know wether it is easy to obtain by now, but after many years of studying Nihon-To I strongly recommend:

"The connaisseur's book of Japanese swords" by Nagayama Kokan (ISBN 4-7700-2071-6)

 

One of Japan's foremost experts and polishers gives you not only an precise description of schools and workmanships but also a short historical and geographical overview of their development. A very good point to start from.

 

reinhard

[Seth]

Jeremy, you can not go wrong with either of the books noted above. Thomas is 100% correct check the FAQ at the top and read it ALL, it has many book recommendations as well as other useful information. 

 

[Tensho]

1 hour ago, reinhard said:

I don't know wether it is easy to obtain by now, but after many years of studying Nihon-To I strongly recommend:

"The connaisseur's book of Japanese swords" by Nagayama Kokan (ISBN 4-7700-2071-6)

 

reinhard

Agreed. Unfortunately,  a bit of a sticker shock now on the price.

[Rivkin]

This question comes up often and unfortunately the answer is, paradoxally perhaps, there are no good books for beginners.

Any classic textbook will spend pages on what is Awataguchi and what is ko Ichimonji. You'll learn a lot about matters you'll never see and nothing about (crap) you'll see all the time.

What's more important there is no book that teaches you how to separate crap from Awataguchi level.

 

Such is life.

 

I would buy any basic book like the one by Kanzan Sato and then jump immedeately to everything by Markus Sesko. Like his kantei series.

[PNSSHOGUN]

Best to get some books with good pictures as well, the two below have some of the best swords with excellent photos. 

 

• One Hundred Masterpieces from the Collection
• Meibutsu Token: Takaramono no Nihonto

https://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/ - Grey is a member here and is very easy to deal with.

[rematron]

Thank you very much for your answers! I apologize for being bad at navigating the sight and not seeing the ‘recommended reading for beginners’. Of course there’s already a place for this question because of course there is. I will check that out. Thank you! 

[Brian]

If you post a wanted ad for Connoisseurs here, you'll probably find someone selling a copy at a decent price.
I also recommend that as a book that can take you from the beginning through to some pretty advanced study.

[Franco D]

http://www.nihontocraft.com/Nihonto_books_for_sale.html 

 

Best ???

 

The Craft of the Japanese Sword I would recommend as essential reading for a beginning student. 

 

Marcus Sesko publications and articles are a must read. Many are available online.

 

[Brano]

4 hours ago, PNSSHOGUN said:

Best to get some books with good pictures as well, the two below have some of the best swords with excellent photos. 

 

• One Hundred Masterpieces from the Collection
• Meibutsu Token: Takaramono no Nihonto

https://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/ - Grey is a member here and is very easy to deal with.

For books with photos of the best (as a plus the price is very affordable) I would go to the two volume publication Showa Dai Meito Zufu
You can buy it in Japan for 10-15k Yen

https://buyee.jp/item/search/query/昭和大名刀図譜?translationType=1

 

The book contains 313 blades mostly Kokuho/ JuBun and JuBi and was created in Showa (hence the name) as an effort to create a book that will be on the level of Kyoho Meibutsu Cho
But - in order to appreciate an excellent blade in a good photo, knowledge is needed so that one understands what one is looking at

[Baba Yaga]

The Japanese Sword Index http://www.japaneseswordindex.com/nihonto.htm is way more comprehensive then The Samurai Sword by John M Yumoto... 

And it's FREE! 

[ckaiserca]

I have found the book Study of Japanese Swords: Chronological Study of Japanese Swords and Japanese History

by Yurie Endo Halchak to be very useful. 

 

I second (or third, maybe fourth?) the recommendation of getting a copy of  The Connoisseur's Book of Japanese Swords if you can find it for a decent price. It is available on Amazon.com for $60.40, which is a bit on the steep side ($89.00 CDN on sale at Amazon.ca).

[Gakusee]

John Yumoto’s and Basil Robinson’s books are a good very basic start together with Yurie’s and Markus Sesko’s (but the latter could also have advanced stuff, such as kantei by boshi or the kantei from the NBTHK magazine). 

I would leave Fujishiro, Nagayama, Honma/Sato (eg the translated Koza) for more intermediate and advanced studies. 
Tanobe’s Gokaden books. Etc. 
 

Then, for most advanced stuff, the various meikan, the particular school’s Taikan as well as the big Taikan, the Juyo Zufu, the NBTHK magazine. Here one could include all sorts of more advanced literature (eg the Kanto Hibisho, or Showa Dai Meito). 

[Jacques D.]

Buying a book never taught me how to read, a teacher did. 

[Jean]

Learning to read and understanding what you read are separate things, and I know what I am talking about as I spend three hours per week teaching reading to young ones.

[Jacques D.]

I wanted to say that before buying a book you have to know how to read, and to learn how to read you need a teacher, it's the same for the sword, you need a teacher to show you how to read a hada, a hamon, to differentiate the different types of habuchi, nie, chikei  etc. All this cannot be taught by a book, but once you have the basics, the book becomes useful. 

 

Quote

Learning to read and understanding what you read are separate things

You can't understand a book if you don't know how to read, just like you can't understand a language if you haven't learned it. I feel sorry for your students.  

[reinhard]

5 hours ago, Gakusee said:

John Yumoto’s and Basil Robinson’s books are a good very basic start together with Yurie’s and Markus Sesko’s (but the latter could also have advanced stuff, such as kantei by boshi or the kantei from the NBTHK magazine). 

I would leave Fujishiro, Nagayama, Honma/Sato (eg the translated Koza) for more intermediate and advanced studies. 
Tanobe’s Gokaden books. Etc. 
 

Then, for most advanced stuff, the various meikan, the particular school’s Taikan as well as the big Taikan, the Juyo Zufu, the NBTHK magazine. Here one could include all sorts of more advanced literature (eg the Kanto Hibisho, or Showa Dai Meito). 

John Yumoto's book is filled with unproven assertions.

B.H.Chamberlain's book is full of fake blades.

 

Not their fault. They didn't know better at their time.

 

We do, now.

 

[Toryu2020]

I have to wonder what books you all started with if the posted list is full of information we can't use unless we can read in a new language or have a teacher to guide us? 

 

Jeremy - stick with the list - try ti get the terminology down - yes you will need to see good examples to truly understand and yes you will need someone to point some of it out to you BUT believe me there is tons you can learn from these primers before you need to dive deeper and before you need to apprentice yourself to some "teacher." Ignore the noise, enjoy the journey!!

 

-t

[Curran]

On 12/1/2022 at 9:52 PM, Tensho said:

Agreed. Unfortunately,  a bit of a sticker shock now on the price.

 

$50? I thought it a good price. I have 2 copies of the better books like this one.

 

I agree with Franco.

- Before Nagayama, I would recommend The Craft of the Japanese Sword as a good primer for Month #1. If serious, you will eventually own both.

 

 

 

 

 

[Tensho]

1 hour ago, Curran said:

 

$50? I thought it a good price. I have 2 copies of the better books like this one.

I must have been looking at first edition. Which seem to sell for $100+ depending on condition.  If you can get a Brand New second edition of the same book for $50 I think it's worth it. 

[ckaiserca]

It might be worth noting that the current edition of The Samurai Sword by John M Yumoto being sold on Amazon right now is pretty crappy quality. I received a copy today and upon opening it, all of the pages fell out from the cover boards. They are sending a replacement, so it hope it is a bit better. 

[Gakusee]

4 hours ago, reinhard said:

John Yumoto's book is filled with unproven assertions.

B.H.Chamberlain's book is full of fake blades.

 

Not their fault. They didn't know better at their time.

 

We do, now.

 

Thanks, Reinhard. Which assertions did you mean? I read it too long ago to remember anything controversial and thought it a very basic and good starter book, which helped with basics and kanji etc. 
Cannot comment on B H Chamberlain at all. 

[reinhard]

19 hours ago, Gakusee said:

Thanks, Reinhard. Which assertions did you mean? I read it too long ago to remember anything controversial and thought it a very basic and good starter book, which helped with basics and kanji etc. 
Cannot comment on B H Chamberlain at all. 

 

First of all:

Mentioning Basil Hall Chamberlain was a silly mistake from my side (although his book about his life in Japan during Meiji-period is still highly informative and much recommended).

I meant Mr. Basil Robinson's book about the swords in the Victoria and Albert museum written in the 1960's (if I remember correctly. Dont send me to the attic, please).

Many of the "big name swords" there can't be taken seriously for what they were meant to be at the time.

Mr.Robinson relied on old Japanese sources more or less valid at the time without having deeper knowledge of Nihon-To himself.

Famous example: The Daisho given to Field Marshall Sir Francis Festing is definitely not was it is claiming to be.

That was half a century ago and a lot of research had been done since then.

 

The same goes for John Yumoto's book from 1958 (if remember correctly. Don't want to search it in the attic to make sure).

Mr. Yumoto noticed that many servicemen brought back home souvenirs from the WWII-East-Asia campaign to the US and didn't know anything about.

Giving them a guide to understand what they have was a respectable task.

Nevertheless John Yumoto is repeating the then accepted kanon of informations outdated by now.

It is common sense by now that transformation from simple Choku-To to Nihon-To was completed during later Heian-period.

There was no Lamborghini Miura before Ford-T.

Nevertheless Mr. Yumoto is repeating old tabulates confirming the idea that there were smiths like Amakuni and Amafuji propelling swords into Nihon-To masterpieces 800 AD.

The main reason why I reject Mr.Yumoto's work is:

At the end of his book he is offering a rating system, which cannot be taken seriously.

 

reinhard

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Rivkin]

Much of pre-Muromachi history and attributions is Edo period's convention, understanding that however is one of the most complex subjects.

I believe Sanjo Munechika was active 1070-1100, as per 13th century books, but then you'll see different (usually 10th century) dates in every single modern text on the subject.

For the basics all of it is frankly irrelevant. Terminology, sugata, periods, that's about as much as one needs to learn first.

Whichever the first book one reads is irrelevant in the long term scheme. 

 

Everything else comes after extensive practical experience with blades.

 

Connesuers is rather dry and advanced reference text, to really use which one needs advanced knowledge. Its quite good for kantei, and is roughly at the same level as more basic kantei texts.

"Facts and fundamentals...." is really a bad choice as the first book. It shifts people into conspiracy mode when they look at Juyo blade and say "oh, but it has this change of sori which "Facts and fundamentals...." warns us is ....". Its a really complex stuff which actually seldom works in practice. 

Trust me, even without "Facts and fundamentals...." 99% of nihonto collectors are in permanent state of hysteria - "what if something is wrong with the papers? What if something is wrong with the sword?".

[Gakusee]

20 hours ago, reinhard said:

 

First of all:

Mentioning Basil Hall Chamberlain was a silly mistake from my side (although his book about his life in Japan during Meiji-period is still highly informative and much recommended).

I meant Mr. Basil Robinson's book about the swords in the Victoria and Albert museum written in the 1960's (if I remember correctly. Dont send me to the attic, please).

Many of the "big name swords" there can't be taken seriously for what they were meant to be at the time.

Mr.Robinson relied on old Japanese sources more or less valid at the time without having deeper knowledge of Nihon-To himself.

Famous example: The Daisho given to Field Marshall Sir Francis Festing is definitely not was it is claiming to be.

That was half a century ago and a lot of research had been done since then.

 

The same goes for John Yumoto's book from 1958 (if remember correctly. Don't want to search it in the attic to make sure).

Mr. Yumoto noticed that many servicemen brought back home souvenirs from the WWII-East-Asia campaign to the US and didn't know anything about.

Giving them a guide to understand what they have was a respectable task.

Nevertheless John Yumoto is repeating the then accepted kanon of informations outdated by now.

It is common sense by now that transformation from simple Choku-To to Nihon-To was completed during later Heian-period.

There was no Lamborghini Miura before Ford-T.

Nevertheless Mr. Yumoto is repeating old tabulates confirming the idea that there were smiths like Amakuni and Amafuji propelling swords into Nihon-To masterpieces 800 AD.

The main reason why I reject Mr.Yumoto's work is:

At the end of his book he is offering a rating system, which cannot be taken seriously.

 

reinhard

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks Reinhard 

I now understand what you refer to. These are valid points you are raising. And indeed there are various inaccuracies. And also because of these points the texts mentioned are beginner texts and not advanced texts. It is more purist indeed to start with texts which perhaps do not have these but you will then be starting with something much more advanced. 

With Basil Robinson’s choice of swords as illustrations - well, it is true that daisho is not what it is purported to be. But who is going to start studying swords with Basil’s tiny black and white 5x10cm low res old photos? Visual illustration nowadays starts with the Internet (more often than not Aoi Art). The illustrations in Robinson’s are anecdotal at best. But yes, we need to extract only the introductory text chapters. 
 

Regarding John Yumoto. Well, like many he did use old texts - that is true - and perpetuated some old errors. But a lot of texts have such errors (eg the multi generational theory behind many smiths, which in many cases is not upheld currently). That is why one needs to read many books and progress from the starter texts. 
In relation to his poor old chart of values - well, for a complete beginner it could be valuable to know that a Lada is worth 20  a Lamborghini is worth 500 or whatever proportionately. Or that Osafune Nagamitsu is more highly rated and valuable than a Ko Mihara ceteris paribus. It is a shortcut and guideline just like Fujishiro’s or Tokuno’s system (I think Yumoto’s is loosely based on Tokuno’s but cannot remember the details now) and should be taken as such with the relevant caveats. 
 

So I agree with Kiri here - the fact that the Marshal daisho in Robinson’s comprised one modern / Shinto piece disguised as a Masamune and a [Yukimitsu],  well that is irrelevant to a beginner. Or what the legend behind Amakuni is…. Let us abstract ourselves from these factoids that a beginner might not even notice. 
 

Also agree that Nagayama is not a first choice of beginner book. It is too advanced and requires solid understanding gleaned elsewhere or in combination with it. 

[paulb]

I have read the above with interest, not least because one of the most common questions we are asked at the Token of GB is "which books should I buy". 

It is true that the books by Basil Robinson and John Yumoto have errors and have been greatly superseded by more recent texts. However, 40 years ago they were all that was available to us and we cherished such information as they contained. They did at least feed some of the hunger for knowledge and drive us to learn more.

We are fortunate that the combination of a further half century of research and much greater availability of information online has greatly enriched the knowledge pool.

Regarding more modern references, personally in recent years I have found Markus Sesko's publications to be of great use. Again, best read with a grounding of knowledge but even for the complete novice they offer a great deal of information in an accessible form.

Other than that, I fall back on the old favourites of:

Nagayama connoisseurs' book of Japanese swords

Nihon-to Koza

The NBTHK English version magazines

And once one has a basic understanding:

Anything by Tanobe Michiro Sensei 

 

 

[b.hennick]

The Yamanaka Newsletters have a great deal of information all in English.

[Lee997]

I recently had a luck haul from a military dealer who was selling a bundle of 5 books inc- the connoisseurs book and the facts and fundamentals for a little bit under £200 the rest I had from years gone by. So they are out there at reasonable prices you’ve just got to look.

 

as others have said the “The Samurai sword, a handbook “ Is a very easy read and cheap.

[b.hennick]

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