This is pretty much the single source now for authenticating ww2era japanese swords based on their makers signatures. I would be remiss if i did not mention that while this post has focused exclusively on genuine shinsakuto nihonto newlymade japanese art swords, there is a strong contingent of smiths working outside of japan, not licensed and not necessarily working in the stringently traditional methods, but still producing beautiful and masterful works of their. Including 22 blades, 58 tsuba, 31 kozuka, plus other fittings, as well as a glossary. In japanese sword fighting, worldrenowned ninja grandmaster and bestselling author hatsumi reflects on the hidden essence of this revered martial art and its role in the modern world. Japanese sword oshigata tang translations of the showa era ww ii period. He often produced blades with a straight temper line. Masamune is known to be the most famous japanese sword maker of all times. Goals the main purpose of the index is to provide a comprehensive list of japanese sword makers with sufficient information given to identify particular smith in japanese sword literature, look for further references and collect data about smiths work in a form of separate record. One by one master named all metallurgical activities he saw on the blade. Modern japanese swordsmiths 1868 1945 download ebook pdf.
His swords can be distinguished by clear grey lines called chikei and lines that resemble when lightning strike called kinsuji. Jan 01, 2002 a brilliant book superbly written and pieced together that shows us that the art of the japanese swordsmith flourishes today in japan. A common listing is nco wwii sword or wwii japanese officers sword. The technique of making oshigata by tokutaro inuzuka, condensed by junzo sato.
The japanese sword and its fittings japanese sword society of new york 1966 this book catalogs the colabrative collections of cooper union museum and the new york club members. Military officers name and date casted to the side of the blade 15th year of showa 1940, sato kotaru. A major reference for the samurai and fitting collector. Ww2 japanese officers showa era type 98 shin gunto katana. Swords have been made from as early as the kofun period, though most people generally refer to the curved blades made after the heian period when speaking of japanese swords. Includes many photos and topquality oshigata of both the ningen kokuho living. T are a total of 168 oshigata tang rubbings which show the signature of the smith and more then 300 smiths listed w no oshigata was available.
This book was first published in 2001 by john scott slough in paperback. This video features a post wwii japanese setting in the life of a sword smith who eventually became recognized as a living national treasure. If any money depends on the information you hope to find here e. Nov 26, 2017 in the 1966 japanese classic film sword of doom daibousatsu to age, kihachi okamotos adaptation of kaizan nakazatos serialized novel, the merciless samurai ryunosuke tsukue was a ragefilled swordsman who used his blooddrenched sword to slash one character after the other, void of utter emotion or compromise. About swordsmith index nihonto club japanese sword.
It is a must have book for collectors of ww2 japanese swords. Click download or read online button to get modern japanese swordsmiths 1868 1945 book now. A comprehensive study of the different military markings stamped on the japanese blades. I will try to update the gallery as often as possible. The reason behind that is because the soldiers would take their swords into combat. This really outclasses previous attempts to cover this subject, with extensive and very. Any of the japanese sword societies will be pleased to help you avoid wasting your cash. In many cases, when defeat was inevitable, they would launch a suicide attack known as the banzai charge. A japanese sword is one of several types of traditionally made swords from japan. Written in a time postwwii in which antijapanese sentiment was high and the american publics understanding of the samurai sword was a mix of myth and sinister legend have things changed much in that respect. Kanji character ten no emperor of japan and serial number 46127. Historically, katana were one of the traditionally made japanese swords or nihonto.
This is a brand new copy of john sloughs book on modern sword from shinshinto to showa. With the handle removed, the makers marks can be seen as well. Toron index northern california japanese sword club. It is one thing to read the characters on a sword tang and something. Secrets of the samurai usually dispatched within 6 to 10 days. Aratogi roughly sharpening a sword by the smith before tempering. Gendaito traditionally forged sword blades by modern smiths before wwii. Brand new japaneses sword book cataloging 57 blades by masamune and swordsmiths of. Hawleys book is undoubtedly the most influential so far, due to its importance across englishspeaking sword appreciation community, accessibility written in english and systematic approach which gives each smith record a unique id.
Each swordsmith represented is cross referenced when possible with hawleys japanese swordsmiths, toko taikan, nihonto meikan, and gendai toko maikan, and information is given on his exhibition results. The samurai sword katana the samurai sword katana learn about this magnificent weapon history, makings, studying and more the samurai sword also called katana, tachi, and daito. I read the book and amazed by all there was to the the samurai blade and the sword fittings. Nihon toko jiten by matsuo fujishiro japanese, english nihonto meikan by junji honma japanese w. I hope that these oshigata are of benefit to your study of the japanese sword. This book is a must for anyone collecting or studying japanese swords. This section provides an understanding of how to interpret the signatures. Jan 09, 2010 masamune okazaki had learned the art of swordsmithing from shintogo kunimitu. Dedicated to the promotion and preservation of traditional japanese swords, swordsmiths, and related crafts. Masamune okazaki had learned the art of swordsmithing from shintogo kunimitu. This is a wwii to prewwii japanese high ranking officers samurai sword. Part of its mythical appeal lies in the unique harmony of its historical roles as deadly handheld weapon, embodiment of the samurai spirit, and powerful symbol of warfare.
Many major sword publications use oshigata as a means of illustrating swords characteristics for articles and for kantei appraisal practice. In 1942, kurihara hikosaburo, the man who revived the japanese sword, classified ono kuniyoshi as chujo saku, the 4th of 7 ranks of wartime swordsmiths. This is a wwii to pre wwii japanese high ranking officers samurai sword. This section is raw manuscript and appears without the japanese kanji, appraisal notes and multiple signatures.
Can somebody advise me were i could purchase a one. Now that we have established the setting, lets get to your actual question. The lineage of the japanese sword can be traced back over a thousand years, and throughout its long history the sword has emerged as one of japans most durable cultural assets. Take your own name, see it in print, then handwritten and then signed by you. It was obvious, that doubts about abilities and skills of a foreigner in areas of traditional japanese culture are scattered. An oshigata book of modern japanese swordsmiths 18681945 by john scott slough. Nov 10, 2016 an oshigata book of modern japanese swordsmiths 18681945 posted in wanted to buy. Japanese samuari sword books and videos nihonto taikan. With 256 fullcolor pages, this sword book illustrates in meticulous detail how modern craftsmen use traditional methods to prepare their steel, forge the sword and create the. Katana kaji post wwii japanese swordsmith documentary youtube. An american perspective gary murtha 1980 murthas hardtofind, and much sought after, first book combines a wide range of material on the japanese sword.
This is a true nihonto, it is a beautiful japanese sword. Written in a time post wwii in which anti japanese sentiment was high and the american publics understanding of the samurai sword was a mix of myth and sinister legend have things changed much in that respect. In the 1966 japanese classic film sword of doom daibousatsu to age, kihachi okamotos adaptation of kaizan nakazatos serialized novel, the merciless samurai ryunosuke tsukue was a ragefilled swordsman who used his blooddrenched sword to slash one character after the other, void of utter emotion or compromise. Manufactured in the 1980s, a single crate has been found in the back of our warehouse. Signature variations are clearly illustrated and discussed, as well as an occasional short bio, plus the smiths ranking in the sword world, etc. Ww2 japanese officers shingunto seki arsenal katana sword with quality oil. Brandywine militaria oshigata book modern japanese swordsmiths 18681945 an oshigata book of modern japanese swordsmiths 18681945.
The sword shows a wooden handle wrapped in ray skin and a forged steel blade. A comprehensive nihonto japanese sword and related glossary. Find more information about the index, its description and methods of use here. Copyright 20 2018 all rights reserved japanese swords 4 samurai, inc. This book was first published in 2001 by john scott slough in pa. Watanabe art museum samurai armour collection volume 1. Offered together are new introduction to the kantei of japanese swords and its. Shirakami hada fine white hair lines in hada by awa smiths. The sword is missing the guard and shows signs indicative of age, but is otherwise a rare piece. World war ii japanese naval officers sword kai gunto. Shinshinto newnew sword period 1781 to 1868 shinza where a team of judges performs kantei of a japanese sword, toso or tosugu. He said it was a very good basic guide, for he had others, some in japanese about his sword collection.
Probably the most used japanese list of fittings makers names and data. Synopsis this illustrated guide to the development of the japanese sword in the modern era concentrates on the techniques and output of the best smiths. The quality of blades dispayed rival shinto and shin shinto perhaps in my opinion exceed and lead us to the realization that with good tamagahane steel and the dedication of the nbthk and smiths we will soon see blades of koto quality. However, it is likely the case that only a minority of those are making a living as fulltime swordsmiths. Some of the more commonly known types of japanese swords are the katana, tsurugi. The bronze mum can be seen under the wrap of the handle. A must have book for any serious student of the japanese sword. An oshigata book of modern japanese swordsmiths 18681945. Swordsmith index is intended to be a noncommercial resource to support nihonto studies and raise awareness of history and appreciation of genuine japanese swords. These are replacement scabbards made for japanese ww2 military issue swords. An oshigata book of modern japanese swordsmiths 18681945 on.
Jul 26, 2014 this video features a post wwii japanese setting in the life of a sword smith who eventually became recognized as a living national treasure. However the chinese have developed the art to almost a science. Shinsakuto japanese swords made between the end of wwii and present time. Oshigata book japanese swordsmiths wwii samurai sword. It was obvious, that doubts about abilities and skills of a foreigner in. Each scabbard is constructed of steel with decorated brass mounts, throat, toe, a lower decorated brass scabbard band and a second double band near the throat which supports the sword hanging ring. Examples of such are shown in the book the japanese sword by kanzan sato. Wikimedia commons has media related to swordsmiths from japan pages in category japanese swordsmiths the following 17 pages are in this category, out of 17 total. The most comprehensive book on kinko artists for samurai sword fittings tosogu. Japanese wwii samurai sword replacement scabbard grade 2. An oshigata book of modern japanese swordsmiths 18681945 posted in wanted to buy.
This book contains more than 500 swordsmiths with superclean oshigata. It is a very good reference for military collection of japanese wwii swords. The samurai sword was often signed by the master who made it or the factory it produced it. The major problem encountered in trying to decipher mei is that kanji are often distorted as in michi above. The demand for traditional swords all but disappeared, and many schools and styles became virtually extinct. These were used by the samurai warrior of both ancient and feudal japan. What makes the katana distinct than other swords is its curved and single edged blade. Celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of its first exhibition to follow world war ii, the tokyo. The work today bares incredible resemblance to the.
This is not misleading until you see the following there were no brass scabbard japanese swords produced during wwi. All famous swords inside, both pictures as well as oshigata showing the activity. The samurai sword by john yumoto classic starter book. There seem to be a couple hundred or so smiths registered in the all japan swordsmith association. A comprehensive nihonto japanese sword and related. The samurai sword by john yumoto classic starter book this is the book that started most of us on our journey studying japanese swords. There are many types of japanese swords that differ by size, shape, field of application and. This was my brothers book and he collected with my father. Reading japanese signatures japanese sword nihonto. The connoisseurs book of japanese swords by nakayama kokan. It is a comprehensive listing of oshigata, information and ratings in english of japanese sword smiths up till the end of wwii. The sword as a literate art opening the book, by francis boyd, 4pp. An oshigata book of modern japanese swordsmiths 18681945 by john slough.
The wwii japanese soldier was closely linked to the samurai sword. It includes a detailed look at the swords used during world war ii and should be of interest to collectors and enthusiasts. Rivanna river company, may 1, 2001 swordsmiths 272 pages. In this authoritative new book, leon and hiroko kapp, together with leading swordsmith yoshindo yoshihara, coauthors of the bestselling the craft of the japanese sword, describe this most recent period of sword history, and present the. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. A note on prices of japanese swords, by john yumoto, 1970, revised 1981, 1pp. If you have one and willing to let it go, please let me know. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. The type 98 was a development of the imperial japanese army officers type 94 model 1934 kyuyonshiki gunto which was itself styled to resemble the tachi sword type of the classic samurai kamakura period 118532.