The old Japan Sword Co.

[jamesicus]

In the New Member Introductions section I wrote:

 

Greetings to all Forum members. I am 82 years of age and this is my first venture into the wonderful world of Nihontô in over fifty years. My introduction to the Japanese sword came about when I was stationed at Yokota AB (about 30 miles NW of Tokyo) as a member of the United States Air Force, 1960-1963. I was determined to learn as much as I could about Japanese history and culture as I possibly could during my tour of duty. It didn't take long for me to become enamored with Nihontô. It was but a short train ride into Tokyo and I was soon spending much of my off-duty time in Tokyo sword shops -- especially The Japan Sword Co. shop (Inami-san).

 

The first sword I bought was a Wakizashi Bizen blade by Norimitsu in a Shirasaya for 30,000 Yen (at that time the exchange rate was 360 Yen to the dollar so it cost me approx. $90 US). It turned out to be an excellent sword -- I took it to the National Museum in Tokyo where a Sayagaki was rendered. And now for a sad -- but I am sure not unfamiliar -- tale of woe here: when I returned to the States I developed a passionate interest in arms and accoutrements of the old American west and traded that Wakizashi for a Winchester 66 "Yellowboy" carbine!! I have regretted that ever since -- I would give my right arm to have it back again! But I can't bring it back and so it is now just a fond memory.

 

I bought other Nihontô in Japan, most notably a pretty nice Edo period Katana (but nothing exceptional) that I had polished at Inami-san's Japan Sword Co. shop, the Koshirae refurbished and fitted with a Tsunagi -- which I then displayed in my house on a typical sword stand. That, along with another Koto Wakizashi, is also gone. So I am left to discuss and admire Nihontô with you nice people here.

 

To which Toryu responded:

 

Welcome aboard James! You really must tell us all about those heady days in 1960s Tokyo. The elder Inami-san and the Japan Sword Co. in that era are legend to most of us here. Looking forward to your cntributions ..........

 

And I replied:

 

They were heady days indeed, Thomas. I do have many great stories to relate about (the elder) Inami-san and the Japan Sword Co. shop. I will try to not embellish them too much, but now that I am an Oji-san I think I am capable of doing that. Of course I will be recollecting people and events of some fifty years ago -- but I will give it my best shot. Right now it is thirty minutes past midnight in Tucson so I will not be able to do any story telling in this post. Only old-age insomnia brings me to the keyboard but my eyes are tiring and so I must sign off. Again, Thomas, thank you for the warm reception ..........

Well then, this is a tentative feeler -- I will commence with an introductory anecdote and then see if there is enough response to merit continuing. If there isn't I will understand -- "old war stories" are not everyone's cup of tea. On the other hand they sometimes contain snippets of useful information.

 

James

[Curran]

This forum is quite large and I think you will be surprised how many of us are interested. There are many listener and readers.

 

I had only a few conversations with Col. Dean Hartley before he passed, but enjoyed them immensely.

Website: http://home.comcast.net/~ColHartley/index.html

 

Often I enjoy more talking with collectors from the 1960s and 1970s.

[Brian]

James,

As Curran said, I think you would be surprised at how much most of us will enjoy anecdotes and tales of "the old days"

Many of us are too young to have known times when tsuba were sold by the barrel full, and many names are only recognised as authors of books on our bookshelves. I look forward to, and welcome, any recollections you would care to share.

 

Brian

[Baka Gaijin]

Good evening James,

 

Your recollections would be most welcome.

 

Cheers

 

Malcolm

[jamesicus]

Thank you for the encouragement Curran, ERazer and Brian -- it is especially nice to have the Site Administrator himself respond.

 

I will try to always keep a sharp focus on Nihontô as I relate my stories. However, I feel a need to get some "living in Japan in the early 1960s" business out of the way first. I was fortunate to have a USAF job that afforded me some unique opportunities to interact with native Japanese daily: I was in charge of the Yokota Air Base Small Arms Marksmanship Training Unit and firing range during my entire tour of duty, my staff consisting of six USAF Smallarms Instructors (3 NCOs & 3 Airmen) and four Japanese (all Oji-san) contract civilian range maintenance workers. The daily interaction with the older Japanese workers (especially the foreman, Tani-san) helped me to learn a lot about the Japanese language conventions and culture. Not only that, I had frequent contact with the official Base interpreter, Sato-san (?) ("Bennie-san" as he liked to be called) due to us providing our firing range facilities for training the the Base entry point guards.

 

I was determined to learn how to speak Japanese correctly -- essential in my mind if I was going to be taken seriously as a Nihontô purist when I visited Japan Sword shops. The "lingua franca" on the Base was "GI Japanese" employed by US servicemen and Japanese (BX employees, secretaries, laborers, et al) alike. It consisted of contracted and anglicised pronunciations of Nippon. Examples: watashi (versus Watakushi-wa: I/me); seemasen (versus Sumi-masen:excuse me); Ohio gazimus (versus Ohi-o gazimusu: good morning); mama-san (versus Oba-san: older lady) .......... and so on.

 

Please excuse any errors in the above examples -- and in any of my future examples -- it has been a long time since I employed phonetic representations of Japanese words and I am sure many of my attempts here will be clumsy and incorrect -- or both. I haven't spoken Japanese routinely for many years -- just during a few encounters with Japanese tourists here -- although I still unconsciously use an occasional ari-ghato, sumi-masen, mizu, do-mo, do-zo, etc. in conversations with my darling wife, Beverly (a wonderful US Ohio girl) -- she is now used to that and even uses them also.

 

Bennie (the Base interpreter) was my Japanese language tutor (I hired him privately as such). That was a good move, for as he pointed out, it is essential to use the obligatory grunts, teeth sucks and verbal emphases if you wish to converse with Japanese artisans successfully. "Bennie-san" also taught me about whimsical Japanese humor which can be very funny once you understand it. I may include some of that from time to time here although I don't wish to appear loutish when I do. If I commit any "faux-pas" I will rectify the transgression upon being notified -- my intent will always be honorable.

 

I hope I have communicated my respect for Nippon in this long-winded introduction. Now I can get on with my stories relating to the Japan Sword Co. -- and Inami Oji-san.

 

James

[jamesicus]

To most GIs in the 1950s and early 1960s Japanese swords meant one thing: Military Samurai swords -- Bonzai! and all that. As I mentioned previously, the exchange rate at that time was 360 yen to the dollar and with Japanese merchants still suffering mightily during the post-war economic recovery, finely mounted "Samurai swords" with excellent blades (some undoubtedly Koto) could be bought inexpensiely. My USAF associates (including those who worked for me) were somewhat mystified at my intense interest in "antique Japanese swords" and they were astounded at me spending up to a hundred dollars for just a blade in a Shirasaya! In all fairness, most had a smattering of knowledge relating to Japanese feudal history -- and, of course," Bushido" (lots of that on Japanese TV at that time -- those programs along with Sumo tournaments were very popular with GIs).

 

James

[hybridfiat]

Dont stop

[Derek]

Thank you for sharing!

 

 

Derek

[Takahashi]

Very interesting indeed.

[jamesicus]

Thank you hybridfiat, Renshi and Takahashi.

 

James

[jamesicus]

I have googled several of my old Japanese haunts -- Yokota AFB, Fussa-Machi, Tachikawa City, Shinjuku, Haijima, et al -- just to see what they look like now. My goodness, how they have changed! Mostly unrecognisable to me now. And why not after fifty years? I had a pleasant surprise when I visited the Japan Sword Co. Home Page -- it contains a photo of the shop front taken in 1960 -- just like it was when I visited there for the first time that year. Great nostalgia for a sentimental cyber journey. The new building is suitably modern in a now much built up area. To me the web pages have that endearing quirkiness that I have always associated with the Company. You can select an English version, but Katakana, Hiragana and Kanji abound and the English spelling and phraseology is often quaint -- I wouldn't have it any oher way!

 

After a few months I was ready for my first visit to a Tokyo Sword Shop. It simply had to be The Japan Sword Co. shop. I had bought NIPPON-TÔ: THE Japanese SWORD by Inami Hakusui -- my first Nihontô book (soon followed by John Yumoto's THE SAMURAI SWORD Handbook) -- and I wanted to meet Inami-san in person and talk about Japanese swords with him. I wanted to undertake this adventure alone, although I was a little nervous and apprehensive at the prospect. "Bennie-san" suggested the best way to go was via main-line train from Tachikawa City to Shinjuku and then via taxi cab to the Japan Sword shop. I got a day off and donned civilian clothes one pleasant spring morning and drove the short distance from Yokota to Tachikawa to catch a train (there weren't many American cars belonging to GIs on the roads in Japan in those days -- I will explain how I came to own one later). During the train journey I mentally rehearsed my meeting with Inami-san: after exchanging the usual Japanese honorific greetings I would impress upon him that I was not a typical American tourist or GI with only a superficial interest in Nihontô. I would do it by demonstrating my knowledge of Nihontô terminology and traditional Japanese sword handling protocols that I had learned through reading. In this way I would gain his confidence and respect and lay the ground work for future visits (we shall see later how all that turned out).

 

Japanese taxi cabs at major venues in those days were available via a three tier per mile system: 70 yen, 60 yen and 50 yen. 70 yen cabs were usually luxurious Toyopets. Their uniformed, white gloved, drivers carried whisk brooms in order to brush off the car seats for the passengers before entry, and their clothing upon leaving. They drove in a measured, sedate manner. 60 yen cabs were plainer model cars and the drivers, although smartly dressed, didn't wear uniforms or carry whisk brooms. They were kind of "businessmen specials". 50 Yen cabs were of a different stripe altogether. They were usually small Datsuns bereft of any frills. Their drivers drove very fast -- often it seemed with reckless abandon -- in order to compensate for the lower milage rate by increasing pick up frequency. The way they careened through narrow side streets and back alleys was a marvel to behold. A ride in a 50 yen Tokyo cab was a never to be forgotten experience. But if you wanted to get some place in a hurry, a 50 yen cab was the way to go -- and you didn't have to keep yelling "Haiyaku, dozo" at the driver -- believe me.

 

I took a 50 yen cab from the Shinjuku railway station to the Japan Sword shop and arrived in one piece. I loved the ambiance of the Shop from the start. The walls of the front part of the shop were lined with glass display cases filled with wonderful "in full Japanese polish" blades. Side display cases contained beautiful Koshirae of all types. I was greeted by an extremely polite and knowledgeable ojo-san (and although I came to know her well, I can no longer remember her name) who asked me if I would like to examine some swords. I lost my nerve -- and confidence -- and simply mumbled some words and asked to see some Koshirae pieces. I could see Inami-san, clad in traditional kimono, seated Japanese style on tatami in the back part of the shop conversing with another Japanese gentleman. It would have been a serious breech of etiquette to attempt an introduction so I bought a very nice tsuba for about five dollars, departed the shop and caught a 70 yen (!) cab back to Shinjuku. During the train ride back to Tachikawa I consoled myself on a groundbreaking first visit to a Japan sword shop.

 

James

[hybridfiat]

and then..............................

[Stephen]

great read and the cab stories took me back to Okinawa early to mid 60s, think we called them scoshi (sp) or banzai cabs, always fast and it was nothing to have your cab being the third cab passing a two slower cabs side by side only to see the same thing coming your way, wonder i ever made it off the Rock...now on with your story...much fun.

[Bruno]

More more please!

[Curran]

The cabs were new to me.

My host father and brother where quite able to thread the needle in their vehicles of choice, and even they looked on with awe at some other drivers abilities.

 

It is hard to imagine squadrons of steel body bucket taxis flying around.

Taxi drivers were so relatively docile during my time there.

[Baka Gaijin]

Good evening all

 

Here's a link to "Rendezvous with Adventure" shot in Tokyo in 1958.

(70 Yen cabs etc...persevere, it has a quaint charm).

 

 

Cheers

 

Malcolm

[Peter Bleed]

This has been a very interesting thread. thank you all.

May I suggest a book I read this summer. It is called "The Yokota Officers' Club." sorry, i can't recall the author's name. A novel and set in the 60's but with some very interesting recollections to the Korean War era.

 

I was in Tokyo in 1969 and recall finding a copy of Inami-san's book in a Kanda bookstore. I took immediately to the Japan Sword Company and had the Old Man sign it. He graciously did and I treasure it still!

Peter

[Ichi]

Hi James-san,

 

 

Here's a old pics delicated to Tachikawa Air Base.

 

http://yokotapanthers.com/id20.html

 

My girlfriend lived in American Village, so I used to go there on weekends.

 

All the best,

[jamesicus]

great read and the cab stories took me back to Okinawa early to mid 60s, think we called them scoshi (sp) or banzai cabs, always fast and it was nothing to have your cab being the third cab passing a two slower cabs side by side only to see the same thing coming your way, wonder i ever made it off the Rock...now on with your story...much fun.

Great reminiscences, Stephen -- thanks.

 

James

[jamesicus]

Thanks for the input, Curran.

 

James

[jamesicus]

Good evening all

 

Here's a link to "Rendezvous with Adventure" shot in Tokyo in 1958.

(70 Yen cabs etc...persevere, it has a quaint charm) ..........

Thanks for that super input, Malcom. The fare cab structure is different -- maybe it varied slightly in different periods or locations -- or I remembered it incorrectly -- although 70 yen, 60 yen and 50 yen does stick in my mind. Unfortunatrely I am recalling things from fifty years ago and my memory is not what it used to be -- as my family and friends frequently remind me.

 

James

[jamesicus]

This has been a very interesting thread. thank you all.

May I suggest a book I read this summer. It is called "The Yokota Officers' Club." sorry, i can't recall the author's name. A novel and set in the 60's but with some very interesting recollections to the Korean War era.

 

I was in Tokyo in 1969 and recall finding a copy of Inami-san's book in a Kanda bookstore. I took immediately to the Japan Sword Company and had the Old Man sign it. He graciously did and I treasure it still!

Peter

Thank you, Peter. I will Google the book title you provided. I too had Inami-san sign my copy of his book when he rendered an Origami on a Wakizashi I purchased -- I will relate that later.

 

James

[jamesicus]

Hi James-san,

 

 

Here's a old pics delicated to Tachikawa Air Base.

 

http://yokotapanthers.com/id20.html

 

My girlfriend lived in American Village, so I used to go there on weekends.

 

All the best,

Thank you for that wonderful link, "Ichi". There is a lot of great nostalgia (for me especially) in this thread. That is the first time I have heard American Village (the vast, sprawling, Dependent housing complex at Tachikawa AFB) mentioned in some fifty years. I had a good friend (NCOIC of the Base Marksmanship Training program) who lived there with his family and I used to visit him often.

 

But my goodness, I need to steer this "thread drift" back to Nihontô. I will pick it up shortly -- unfortunately I can not sit at the keyboard for too long due to my affliction of edema in my lower legs.

 

James

[jamesicus]

I thought I would wait a few days to see if there was any further interest in this thread.

 

Evidently not, but that is perfectly understandable to me -- who wants to read a succession of "old war stories"? I do want to add this post about what transpired, in a general way, after my first visit to the Japan Sword shop in 1960 -- kind of wrap things up as it were.

 

I was now considered to be an expert on Japanese swords by my friends and associates at Yokota. What a laugh! I had read some books and bought a Tsuba -- but I had never even held a Nihontô! However, that was to change with my second visit to the Japan Sword Shop.

 

[sIDEBAR] I had to convert MPC (Military Payment Certificates -- the legal currency on Base -- to yen at the rate of 360 yen to the dollar). US Currency (greenbacks) was not allowed to be used by the US Military off-base and all had to be converted to MPC while in Japan. I took 36,000 Yen ($100) with me on my second trip to the Japan Sword shop. I also took with me a fairly large carpet bag -- containing both Inami-san's and John Yumoto's books for reference -- and for carrying my Nihontô purchase home.

 

I took the train from Tachikawa to Shinjuku and then a cab to the Japan Sword Shop as I had on my first visit. When I arrived there I was delighted to find I was the only customer and so I asked the Ojo-san Assistant (sales clerk) if I could meet Inami-san and discuss a sword purchase with him. She went and got Inami-san and we exchanged the traditional Japanese greetings. Inami-san immediately put me at ease. I didn't know how to go about making a purchase -- there was no Internet in those days to glean information from. So I simply took the bull by the horns and plunged in. I don't think Inami-san knew much English at that time and my Japanese was rudimentary to say the least. So we conversed through the Assistant, who spoke excellent English, and that worked very well. I didn't know whether my procedure was going to breech etiquette but I didn't know any other way so my request went something like this: "I have 36,000 yen ($100) to spend on a sword. I would like to have a Bizen Koto Wakizashi blade, in a Shirasaya, in full polish". He selected a Wakazashi (signed by Norimitsu) from one of the display cases and motioned me to accompany him to the rear of the shop where we both proceeded to sit on the Tatami Japanese style. This is what I had been hoping for. He wihdrew the blade from the Shirasaya and proceeded to prepare it for examination -- wiping it using Nuguigami and then removing the choji oil by pouncing the blade with a Yoshino-gami -- just like he prescribed in his book! This was great stuff! He handed me the sword and I carefully -- reverently even -- examined it, and wasn't one bit nervous! It looked magnificent -- beautiful beyond belief -- to me. "How much", I asked. "29,000 yen " (about $90) Inami-san replied. "Sold" I said without any hesitation. I had bought my first Nihontô! I like to think that Inami-san gave me a really good deal to fit my budget because he liked me. He inquired if I would like him to render an Origami on the sword -- "please do" I replied. He wrote it out on heavy rice paper using a little stand the assistant brought. This was all too good to be true -- he never did charge me for the Origami or the beautifully brocaded bag he put the sword in. I returned to Yokota in a dream clutching my first Nihontô.

 

James

[Derek]

Please continue, as I am very much enjoying your story.

 

 

Derek

[bluboxer]

James,

please do not let a few quiet days keep you from relating your experience with Japan sword shop.

Inami-san sounds like a very special person and I enjoy and even relish learning about such people; so please continue.

Cheers!

[jamesicus]

Thank you Derek and Alan.

 

One of my first driving trips to Tokyo was to visit the National Museum. I took my Norimitsu Wakizashi with me. After literally gawking with wonderment at the National treasure blades and Koshirae, I set upon my cheeky pre-planned mission : to have my sword examined by a museum official (and maybe even attributed!!).

 

I asked one of the uniformed guards if that was possible. To my surprise he told me to wait where I was and disappeared behind a door. In a few minutes he reappeared accompanied by a kimono clad Oji-san who led me into an interior long room. A long table ran down its length at which were seated (on high stools) several kimono clad Oji-san. He took my sword and with several of the others gathered around him examined and discussed it at great length. Finally he prepared and sheathed my sword and proceeded to boldly write on the Shirasaya in kanji (sayagaki?) an Origami if you will, describing the attributes of the blade. He didn't make any comments to me but I thanked him profusely, hardly believing my good fortune. I am relating this in detail, because I sold this sword (Oh, how I have regretted that!) to a gentleman of Japanese descent (I do not remember his name) in Los Angeles in 1965. Not long after that he sent me an audio tape recorded during a meeting of a San Fransisco sword club (maybe an exhibition) during which a visiting Japanese Museum official selected my (ex) Norimitsu Wakizashi and talked about it and the Shirasaya inscription at great length. I must admit that I didn't even listen to the tape -- I was so filled with regret.

 

James

[Ed]

Great stuff, hope there is more. Thank you for sharing.

[Jean]

I love it Please carry on

[Curran]

Professor Emeritus,

Think of this as an open classroom in a rather large class hall full of other classrooms.

The lecture is Impromptu and students come in as they become aware of it. Many may only listen until they feel up to speed, or may simply listen. The response is much more slow and evolving than in the old email lists, but compounding over time.

 

Some of the more famous or popular topics in the forums have lasted weeks, months, and even a few for years....

I'm still quite here, visiting the classroom whenever I can get a break from my professional work.

 

 

Curran