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

[Alex A]

The Samurai handbook may have errors but what it does well is let the newbie know that all swords are not equal.. Those that are experienced know that well but many new to the hobby just looking for an antique Samurai sword will be oblivious to it.

 

Remember looking through the valuation pages as a newbie and being determined to buy a sword with a smith rating of at least 15 lol

 

Really did get me thinking and working out why, actually exchanged a sword with a dealer for a better one.

 

It does its job.

 

Another book that seldom gets a mention is The Sword of Japan by J W Bott, that's usually quite cheap and worth the price for a basic introductory book.

 

Well done to anyone wanting to buy books, still get surprised by how many swords get sold to people that don't educate themselves 

[rematron]

On 12/1/2022 at 10:15 PM, Brian said:

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.

Thank you Brian.  I found one on eBay and it should be arriving today!  I also purchased a copy of 'Legend in Japanese Art'.  

 

 

[rematron]

Again, thank you everyone for the suggestions!  I will take all this to heart while continuing my journey. Today I learned that a person has a limit to how many times they can react to posts on this forum.  LOL.  So I didn't get everyone.  Yet.  

[vajo]

The best book is in the language you understand and which is written to understand.

If someone wrote in the style kissaki kirikomi o-boshi, notare hamon with ashi and ara nie, mokume, machi okuri nakago in kuri-jiri and a picture of the blade the reader will not understand one word.

 

If the book is seperated in each sword parts it will be boring too. 

When you have a blade as a beginner and you will find out what you see with the help of a book without knowing what you see its like staying in egypt inside a pyramide and watching hyroglyphes. 

 

The fact is someone must explain you what you see. A book couldn't do this. If you know what you see than you can go into the books.

 

Its like in school. If you doesn't have an IQ 130+ you need teacher. 

 

I'm not a big fan of the term "Buy books before buy a sword". But i'm also not the brightest candle on the cake. So don't worry to jump into the water.

 

There are guys which buy as a beginner a top sword, papered and valuable. Then they ask, go into the books and after that they get boring from all the nihonto world and buy a motorcycle...

 

Others buy trash, dont ask anything, buy books, buy more trash, then they ask, go again into the books began to understand realize they have collected trash and have a new passion to find out more. 

 

This nihonto universe is so funny.

"Hi i have bought my first iron tsuba. Could anyone say what it is"

Answers:

"A tsuba"

"Hi, its a sukashi tsuba"

"Welcome. Akasaka or Owari"

"I don't think it is Higo"

"Has it bones?"

Owner: "No bamboo"

"No that are birds"

"I mean did you see bones in the rim"

Owner: "No, there is some rust i think"

...

The poor guy has no clue what bones are and what the hell is that sukashi maker.

 

[Brian]

Personally, I like Craft of the Japanese Sword as a first book. Only because once you see what goes into making one, how difficult polishing is, making the koshirae, even things like habaki and shirasaya etc etc, you learn respect for this hobby and why it is so respected.
Knowing what the entire craft is about is the basis for the study of Nihonto.  Also you get an intro into the glossary, terms and technical aspects.
After that, you can start learning about schools and traits and smiths etc using other books.
For me, this is the place to start though. My opinion, others may differ.

[Stephen]

The craft is a wise start. Yes Yumoto is out of date as posted, but when i sat up at shows and a rank newbie had the thirst id set him up with  John's book. It sparks the thirst more than not. 

We have some very advanced members here who've been in it and know so much they forgot what it's like to get that first want of knowing. Dont let their poo pooing deter you. 

It's a book you'll go back to many times as you advance and become very nihonto knowledgeable.

And when you happen to run across a sword and it has two or three kanji  you translated from the back of the book you'll feel absolutely brilliant even though you haven't started to crawl.

So if your really wanting a rank beginners book go with John's samurai sword handbook.

 

Side bar Brian why are so many words japanese under dotted for the first three lettes. Been bugging me.

[Brian]

The dots were a forum feature. japanese when hovered over, would popup Japanese with a capital letter.
I am going to try and have it change it automatically.
I'm going to roll out a new feature for acronyms, where the whole word will show if you hover over it. Nothing much...carry on

[Stephen]

1 hour ago, Brian said:

carry on

U2

[rematron]

On 12/10/2022 at 5:33 AM, Stephen said:

The craft is a wise start. Yes Yumoto is out of date as posted, but when i sat up at shows and a rank newbie had the thirst id set him up with  John's book. It sparks the thirst more than not. 

We have some very advanced members here who've been in it and know so much they forgot what it's like to get that first want of knowing. Dont let their poo pooing deter you. 

It's a book you'll go back to many times as you advance and become very nihonto knowledgeable.

And when you happen to run across a sword and it has two or three kanji  you translated from the back of the book you'll feel absolutely brilliant even though you haven't started to crawl.

So if your really wanting a rank beginners book go with John's samurai sword handbook.

 

Side bar Brian why are so many words japanese under dotted for the first three lettes. Been bugging me.

Good advice. Thanks. Purchased and received. My book collection is growing. I’ve got John Yumoto’s book ‘Samurai Sword Handbook’, and ‘Craft of the Japanese Sword’ and ‘The Connoisseur’s Book’ and ‘Legend in Japanese Art’ as well now. Good stuff. 

[Stephen]

That's a lot of learning...GFY.

Uh thats good for you...lol 

 

[Brian]

I wondered for a second!

[rematron]

10 hours ago, Brian said:

I wondered for a second!

Just for a second? It took me a double take! LOL 

[rematron]

20 hours ago, Stephen said:

That's a lot of learning...GFY.

Uh thats good for you...lol 

 

oh Good! LOL.  I was hoping it wasn't the other use of that acronym! (Stephen hates me... LOL)

[Toryu2020]

The Connoisseurs Book of Japanese Swords (goodwillbooks.com)

[atm]

As a beginner, I have appreciated (among the other books already mentioned) Markus Sesko’s Encyclopedia of Japanese Swords. It is a great help with terminology that often goes unexplained in other books.

[Stephen]

The Connoisseur's Book of Japanese Swords https://a.co/d/cQbbsP2

 

Save some $$

 

John Yumotos is good to have for basics Kanji 

The earlier edition is better, better paper stock

 

The samurai sword,: A handbook https://a.co/d/9DadO8k