 Originaly published in Japanese as Katana no kanshō — Kihon to Jissen
刀の鑑賞 基本と実践 (Sword Appraisal — Theory and Practice) as a semi-private
venture, the book has been released to the rest of the world after nihontō Paul Martin put great effort translating it into English and its adaptation for the Western world.
Its original author, Nakahara Nobuo,
was trained as a professional appraiser under Murakami Kōsuke, a
student of the famed Hon'ami Kōson. The interest here lies with a
lineage that is different from those of most japanese sword study
material ever publised in English, even more so in recent times. The
NBTHK, founded only after the Second World War by individuals of
various backgrounds, has effectively been the Vatican of all things
japanese swords in the last 60 years. But the Hon'ami tradition had
evolved over 400 years of direct contact with the finest blades by
appointment from the Shōgun,
and this book offers an interesting insight into the teachings of the
Hon'ami tradition. Although both Hon'ami Kōson and Murakami Kōsuke were involved with the NBTHK in its early years, they had soon broken away, leaving but only bits of the Hon'ami influence for the NBTHK legacy.
- Ever thought that some swords might have been stripped of their signature on purpose?
- Ever wondered if our perception of the sword shapes in relation to periods was correct?
- Ever preoccupied yourself with the implications of suriage, the shortening of a blade?
- Ever doubt that the common approach of the Gokaden, the Five Great Traditions, might be just one way to look at the whole of sword knowledge, among many others?
Other topics covered will include...
| The sword as a weapon・Science and the swords・The origins of the Gokaden 五ヶ伝 approach (the Five Traditions of Yamashiro, Yamato, Bizen Sōshū and Minō)・Thoughts on appreciation of the shape and overall architecture of swords・Perspectives on mumei and suriage・The study of actual samples with accompanying sword pictures and illustrations・And a lot more... |
Read the following excerp for a foretaste of this refreshing, enlightening book on japanese sword appraisal and study.
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