NBTHK IN TROUBLE

[lbkmd43]

WHILE AT THE TAMPA SHOW I SPOKE TO MANY FRIENDS WHO LIVE IN Japan THEY TOLD NE SOME VERY CONTROVERSIAL STORY ABOUT THE Japanese GPVERNMENT INVESTIGATING THE NBTHK THEY SAID TANOBE RETIRED OR WAS FORCED TO RETIRE AND IS BEING INVESTIGATED BY THE GOVERNMENT/POLICE DID ANYOLNE ELSE HEAR THIS RUMOR WHATS GOING ON? L.KANAREK MD

[Ted Tenold]

Lew, please disengage your caps lock. It's poor forum ettiquette.

 

Well, I heard that Elvis is still alive and sharing a condo on the Malibu coast with John Belushi and Andy Warhol. I heard it from a gal who's second cousin's next door neighbor's mailman saw a photocopy of a poloroid picture of a guy that looks like Elvis working at a gas station on Pacific Coast Highway.

 

To set the record straight; http://www.nbthk-ab.org/Updates.htm .

[Bruno]

I heard it from a gal who's second cousin's next door neighbor's mailman saw a photocopy of a poloroid picture of a guy that looks like Elvis working at a gas station on Pacific Coast Highway.

Thanks Ted, you made me laugth today!!!

[Rich S]

Actually Elvis (according to "Men in Black") is an alien who just decided to go home :-) Don't know about Belushi or Warhol, but I suspect they were aliens also :-)

 

Rich S

[Chris Osborne]

Ran across this today on "Soulsmithing", Pierre Nadeau's site. Pierre is a Canadian who has been apprenticing under Kiyota Jirokunietsu. I'm not sure how it relates to the above but it is certainly of interest. Here's an excerpt:

 

July 17th 2009

 

For several months now the creation of a new Japanese sword organization, along with the difficulties experienced by the NBTHK [1], has been mentioned on message boards and in sushi bars. A great number of swordsmiths and other craftsmen of the sword trades broke away from the NBTHK and created a new group aimed mostly at the promotion of their arts. The principal reasons of the craftsmen's dissatisfaction remain unclear [it appears that the two main reasons are rooted in the lack of displayed interest from the NBTHK towards the crafts of the sword, along with the withdrawal by the Agency for Cultural Affairs of its support to the NBTHK, which is interpreted as an alert for the parties involved], but only a third of them participated in the yearly sword forging competition this year [...]. What seemed like an unconsequential trend turned out to be a strong wave of contestation against the NBTHK.

 

Update

It has been confirmed at a special meeting on May 4th that, from next year, the NBSK shall hold what will seemingly become the famed Japanese sword crafts yearly competition. The Agency for Cultural Affairs has announced it will present both the Emperor Award and the Prime Minister Award (which have been retrieved from the NBTHK competition to be offered at the NBSK's) along with the organization's President Award in the Special Prizes category. All four competitions — Sword Forging, Horimono, Sword Polishing and Sword Fittings—will be held. It has not been precized yet how the Mukansa status will be managed in regards to this.

 

Link to article: http://www.soulsmithing.com/LIBRARY/ARTICLES/NBSKEN.html

[lbkmd43]

Chris nice to hear about that article when my friends told me about whats going on i already approached some of the american branch guys about it they of course said nothing similar to the quotes to my original post something big is going on my friends were sure of that and the more i see the more i think so too thanks for the article Lew Kanarek MD

[Pete Klein]

Here you go Bluey Lewey and make certain to watch out for Tricky Nicky!

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sky_Is_Falling_(fable)

[lbkmd43]

bluey lewey tricky nickey seems like an intelligent retort to a serious inquiry and the rank of juyo is hardly warranted

[Pete Klein]

"seems like an intelligent retort to a serious inquiry"

 

Thank you very much -- it was meant to be. :D

[Ted Tenold]

Chris nice to hear about that article when my friends told me about whats going on i already approached some of the american branch guys about it they of course said nothing similar to the quotes to my original post

 

Maybe, it's because there really is nothing going on, and that many of the rumors and hyperbole generated in gossip and heresay actually have no factual foundations.

 

something big is going on my friends were sure of that and the more i see the more i think so too

 

Your friends were sure of something that was happening. Wow that's clarity of reporting for ya. Imagine being sure that *something* is happening. Sounds like the kind of quality headline only top-notch reporting could uncover such as that from The Onion; http://www.theonion.com/articles/area-t ... hing,2645/

 

thanks for the article

 

Not really sure that it's "news" any more after 8 months.

[Rich T]

Oh I love a conspiracy theory. Well done Ted, that summed everything up just nicely. And I would suspect the Onion news more "intelligent" at new reporting than some other folk

 

Oh, and in regards to the comment "seems like an intelligent retort to a serious inquiry"

 

hahahaha, I nearly cried when I read that one. Well done Pete. You are the most intelligent person I know

 

Rich

[Chris Osborne]

And I would suspect the Onion news more "intelligent" at new reporting than some other folk

 

Well, I really hope that wasn't directed at me because I shared that article. This was all news to me as I've heard no mention of any of it whatsoever until now. The article seemed of interest in that regard and I had no idea I was stepping into the middle of a bunch of sword politics, which certainly wasn't my intention.

 

Chris

[John A Stuart]

I wouldn't take it so seriously, these rumours persist and it wears on people sometimes. Be assured though, as is oft' misquoted ' It ain't news 'til it happens'. John

[Henry Wilson]

Why do rumours of the NBTHK being in trouble generate so much emotion? Especially if they are just rumours?

[paulb]

Henry wrote

Why do rumours of the NBTHK being in trouble generate so much emotion? Especially if they are just rumours?

 

Henry,

I think the problem is that for many (me included) the NBTHK, particulalrly under Tanobe-san has offered the greatest point of reference and help available. It has undoubtedly had problems over the years and political intrigue (most long term organisations do) and there are those from within it who have been turned from it.

Within the sword community in Japan there has been claim and counter claim and speculation. This has been added to by people in the west who like to feel they are "in the know".

As a result we have seen rumours such as "The government forcibly closed down the NBTHK last week and formed a new body" appearing in various boards. those generating these rumours generally have little or no involvement with the organisation.

When this occurs it is both frustrating and upsetting for those who are members and appreciate and respect all the good work caried out by the NBTHK

I think it would be a very sad day for the Japanese Sword community (especially the overseas students) if these rumours became fact

I also dont understand how this story has persisted over 8 months and why some seem to delight in the prospect of such an organisation failing