Any Feedback on Yamashiroya (Antiques and Swords Yamashiroya)?

[MikeyJ]

I'm close to making my first purchase from https://www.yamasiroya.com/. From my research Yamashiroya appears to be a well established and well respected shop. Before I take the plunge, I'd appreciate any input from the sage members of this forum. 

 

[atm]

I don’t have information about them beyond what’s online. But I plan to visit the store in a few weeks when I visit Tokyo. I’d be happy to give you a report then.

[MikeyJ]

17 hours ago, atm said:

I don’t have information about them beyond what’s online. But I plan to visit the store in a few weeks when I visit Tokyo. I’d be happy to give you a report then.

I'd really appreciate hearing your first-hand impressions of the shop. I went ahead and took the plunge on a papered Naginata  from their website (image below). I worked with Nobuo Shimada and he was very helpful and an excellent communicator.

 

[Geraint]

Dear Mike.

 

Well you have a very nice, papered naginata in koshirae.  That's a nice first blade and an unusual choice as most people want to go for the archetypal katana.  

 

Enjoy the journey!

 

All the best.

[atm]

Congratulations, Mike! I like your choice a lot.

[MikeyJ]

1 hour ago, Geraint said:

Dear Mike.

 

Well you have a very nice, papered naginata in koshirae.  That's a nice first blade and an unusual choice as most people want to go for the archetypal katana.  

 

Enjoy the journey!

 

All the best.

Sorry for my confusing post, while I am indeed a very novice collector, this is not my first Nihonto. It's my first time purchasing from this shop, and my first Naginata. 

 

And you were spot-on, my first Nihonto (2-3 years ago)was an archetypal (Shinto) katana. Luckily I had connected with  a well respected dealer and he steered me to a choice that I am still very happy with.

 

Edited June 12 by MikeyJ
Typo

[Bazza]

Here is an interesting read about Nobuo Shimada from 2016:

 

https://www.hse.ru/e...earch/149898155.html

 

BaZZa.

[Geraint]

Ah!  My mistake but it's still a nice thing.

 

All the best.

[Jacques D.]

It's worth noting that Japanese dealers are increasingly reluctant to show off their fine pieces - they know that many of their visitors aren't there to buy. In any store, there are several "floors": the low end, the fine pieces and the high end.

 

[atm]

For posterity, I can now report that I visited Yamashiroya a couple of days ago. The shop is relatively small, but there is an area with seating to examine swords and several display cases of inventory. Nobuo Shimada, the owner, only speaks a little English, but Google translate filled in the gaps for us. He is very nice and accommodating. I would not hesitate buying from him.

[Lewis B]

4 hours ago, atm said:

For posterity, I can now report that I visited Yamashiroya a couple of days ago. The shop is relatively small, but there is an area with seating to examine swords and several display cases of inventory. Nobuo Shimada, the owner, only speaks a little English, but Google translate filled in the gaps for us. He is very nice and accommodating. I would not hesitate buying from him.

Did they show you any of the good stuff?

[atm]

18 hours ago, Lewis B said:

Did they show you any of the good stuff?

I had looked at his inventory online before visiting. I was focused on seeing one sword there before going to an appointment at Aoi Art, so I did not have time or ask to see more.

[Lewis B]

3 hours ago, atm said:

I had looked at his inventory online before visiting. I was focused on seeing one sword there before going to an appointment at Aoi Art, so I did not have time or ask to see more.

Did you meet Tsuruta-san? What was the overall experience at AOI like vs a more boutique retailer such as Yamashiroya?

[atm]

I did not meet Tsuruta-san, unfortunately. There were two younger people working there (I did not get their names). The woman was busy packing boxes for shipping and answering the phone. The man helped me, spoke decent English, and was nice, although he wasn’t as knowledgable as the woman and asked her for information several times. I liked that he was accessible for questions but he did not stand over me or rush me as I examined the swords.

 

Aoi is also a fairly small shop (and a bit cluttered) with a seating area for examination and a few display cases with swords. Most of the inventory is in a storage room. I had previously told them the three swords I would like to see. Those three were out of the shirasaya and waiting for me to view on my arrival. The man also provided me with an iPad that already had the Aoi listings for the three swords. They were well prepared for my appointment.

 

The others I visited: Japan Sword was tidy and had several American tourists in it. It was bigger in size than Aoi and Yamashiroya. I did not ask to view anything there. The salesperson was speaking good English to the tourists. Ginza Seikodo is very small but tidy, with few swords on display. Unfortunately, Saito-san was not there, and I did not ask to view anything. Ginza Seiyudo was about the same size as Japan Sword. You ring a bell to be let in, and they have signs stating the store isn’t for browsing. There was one sword I specifically asked to see. A younger man took me to a private viewing room in the back and let me examine it. He also showed me a couple of other swords they thought I might like. It was very professional feeling, and he spoke decent English.

 

I only had one day allocated for sword shopping. With the stores being spread out around the city, and my desire to see specific swords at Aoi, Yamashiroya, and Seiyudo, I unfortunately had to limit the number of other stores I could visit and limit my time in each store.

[Lewis B]

1 hour ago, atm said:

I did not meet Tsuruta-san, unfortunately. There were two younger people working there (I did not get their names). The woman was busy packing boxes for shipping and answering the phone. The man helped me, spoke decent English, and was nice, although he wasn’t as knowledgable as the woman and asked her for information several times. I liked that he was accessible for questions but he did not stand over me or rush me as I examined the swords.

 

Aoi is also a fairly small shop (and a bit cluttered) with a seating area for examination and a few display cases with swords. Most of the inventory is in a storage room. I had previously told them the three swords I would like to see. Those three were out of the shirasaya and waiting for me to view on my arrival. The man also provided me with an iPad that already had the Aoi listings for the three swords. They were well prepared for my appointment.

 

The others I visited: Japan Sword was tidy and had several American tourists in it. It was bigger in size than Aoi and Yamashiroya. I did not ask to view anything there. The salesperson was speaking good English to the tourists. Ginza Seikodo is very small but tidy, with few swords on display. Unfortunately, Saito-san was not there, and I did not ask to view anything. Ginza Seiyudo was about the same size as Japan Sword. You ring a bell to be let in, and they have signs stating the store isn’t for browsing. There was one sword I specifically asked to see. A younger man took me to a private viewing room in the back and let me examine it. He also showed me a couple of other swords they thought I might like. It was very professional feeling, and he spoke decent English.

 

I only had one day allocated for sword shopping. With the stores being spread out around the city, and my desire to see specific swords at Aoi, Yamashiroya, and Seiyudo, I unfortunately had to limit the number of other stores I could visit and limit my time in each store.

Excellent feedback and should provide useful intel for the trip to Japan I hope to take next year. Luckily I will have many days for sword shopping over the 4-5 weeks I will be there.

[Gerry]

10 hours ago, atm said:

I did not meet Tsuruta-san, unfortunately. There were two younger people working there (I did not get their names). The woman was busy packing boxes for shipping and answering the phone. The man helped me, spoke decent English, and was nice, although he wasn’t as knowledgable as the woman and asked her for information several times. I liked that he was accessible for questions but he did not stand over me or rush me as I examined the swords.

 

Aoi is also a fairly small shop (and a bit cluttered) with a seating area for examination and a few display cases with swords. Most of the inventory is in a storage room. I had previously told them the three swords I would like to see. Those three were out of the shirasaya and waiting for me to view on my arrival. The man also provided me with an iPad that already had the Aoi listings for the three swords. They were well prepared for my appointment.

 

The others I visited: Japan Sword was tidy and had several American tourists in it. It was bigger in size than Aoi and Yamashiroya. I did not ask to view anything there. The salesperson was speaking good English to the tourists. Ginza Seikodo is very small but tidy, with few swords on display. Unfortunately, Saito-san was not there, and I did not ask to view anything. Ginza Seiyudo was about the same size as Japan Sword. You ring a bell to be let in, and they have signs stating the store isn’t for browsing. There was one sword I specifically asked to see. A younger man took me to a private viewing room in the back and let me examine it. He also showed me a couple of other swords they thought I might like. It was very professional feeling, and he spoke decent English.

 

I only had one day allocated for sword shopping. With the stores being spread out around the city, and my desire to see specific swords at Aoi, Yamashiroya, and Seiyudo, I unfortunately had to limit the number of other stores I could visit and limit my time in each store.

The young gentleman you met at Aoi Art is probably Mr. Takahashi.

[sabiji]

Oh, and please make sure you have fresh socks and good shoes! There are areas, especially at Ginza traders, where you can't get in with street shoes...

[Tohagi]

Very usefull!

Thank you all for sharing your XP.

I go there the 11 august for my first time...

Best regards 

Éric VD

[Tohagi]

By the way, did anone know à good nihonto Shop in Matsumoto, or is it only à tourist trap?

 

Best regards, 

 

Éric VD