Library's review
from dust jacket
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 Japan's most durable cultural assets. Part of its mythical appeal lies in the unique harmony of its historical roles as deadly hand-held
The types of sword that have been made, their forging methods, and the styles of blade have been influenced by historical events and shaped by developments in the means of combat, giving rise to five distinct periods and a host of styles and schools. The most recent period, gendaito, began in the late nineteenth century, during Japan's drive to modernize its military forces. The demand for traditional swords all but disappeared, and many schools and styles became virtually extinct.
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 work of key craftsmen active today. Through a detailed chronicle of major events in the modern sword world, the authors illustrate the developments in sword-making, its movement into artistic spheres, and the challenges swordsmiths have faced over the last century.
Many of today's smiths seek to revive the ancient arts of sword forging, and at the same time create a vital and meaningful artistic role for the sword in a modern context. In part three of this book, the authors present informative interviews with twenty-two modern smiths, who demonstrate how the blade's aesthetic power derives from a symmetry of the sword's basic elements-steel, shape, and texture-and this harmony affords the blade a singular and delicate beauty. Part four widens the scope beyond swordsmiths to include perspectives from other experts involved with gendaito, from martial arts practitioner to metallurgist. The book also includes comprehensive and intricate lineage charts of the major historical schools.
The heightened aesthetic sense that characterizes the contemporary sword and its production has ushered in what can be categorized as a distinctly new period of sword history-shin-gendaito. Throughout this book the authors make a compelling argument for the introduction of this new term, which can more accurately refect the dynamic changes that have taken place in this most modern chapter of sword history. Lavishly illustrated with rare historical photographs and works of the best smiths, including Living National Treasures, this will be essential reading for the student and connoisseur alike, as well as readers interested in skilled craftsmanship in general.
Leon Kapp is a cell and molecular biologist working in the San Francisco Bay area. He hs spent a considerable amount of time studying Japanese swords with the swordsmith yoshindo Yoshihara. Hiroko Kapp is a correspondent for the Tokyo-based Senken Shinbun news organization. The Kapps live in San Rafael, California.
Yoshindo Yoshihara is a swordsmith who is ranked among the top sword craftsmen in Japan. His family has been making tools and swords for several generations, and his son is also a swordsmith who now works with him in Tokyo. The Kapps and Yoshindo are the authors of The Craft of the Japanese Sword, which describes how a Japanese sword is made and finished.
Tom Kishida is professional photographer living and working in Tokyo. He worked with the authors on their last book, and he has been photographing swordsmiths and their work for more than twenty years. His acclaimed book, Yasukuni Tosho, is widely recognized as the definitive study of Yasukuni smiths.
Contents
Foreword
Introduction
Part One Teminology
Historical periods
Main sword categories
Koto and the Five Traditions (Gokaden)
Types of swords
Parts of the Japanese sword
Sword structures (Tukurikomi)
Types of Sori Curvature
Types of Kissaki
Types of Mune
Types of Sinogi
Types of Nakagojii (Tang Ends) and Yasurime (file-mark patterns)
Types of grooves (Hi) and carvings (Horimono)
Jigane and Jihada
Nie and Nioi
Types of Hamon
Hataraki (Activity)
Types of Boshi
Part Two History
The first half of the twentieth century--
The Mieji era
Revival of Gendato
Yasukuni shrine and the nihonto tanren kai
Nihonto tanren kai
The nihonto tanren denshu jo
Seki and Showato
Showa-to
Showa-to production in seki
Materials and techniques used in seki
Traditional swords and their construction
Showa-to production techniques
Fujiwara kanefusa
The latter half of the twentieth century--
Kowa-kinen-to
NBTHK and the annual new sword competition
The tatara
Non-japanese contributors
Colonel Victor Cadwell
John Yumoto
Albert Yamanaka
Keith Austin
Yasu Kizu
Richard Fuller
Swordsmiths in the Heisei period--
Becoming a swordsmith
Registratin of swords
The craft today
The future of the Japanese sword
A Shin-gendaito era?
Part Three Interviews
Amata Akitsugu
Osumi Toshihira
Yoshihara Yoshindo
Yoshihara Kuniie
Gassan Sadatoshi
Kanbayashi Tsunehira
Yamaguchi Kiyofusa
Kawachi Kunhira
Ono ToshimitsuSo Tsutmu
Mikami Sadanao
Miyairi Norihiro
Seto Yoshihiro
Hiroki Hirokuni
Miyairi Kozaemon Yukihira
Okubo Kazuhira
Yoshihara Yoshikazu
Ogawa Kanekuni
orii Tanetsugu
Sumitani Masamine
Hokke Saburo Nobufusa
Enju Nobutsugu
Part Four Perspectives
Comments from a living national treasure swordsmith
Gendaito: A curator's viewpont
Gendairto: A metallurgist's viewpoint
Gendaito: A polisher's viewpoint
Gendaito: A martial artist's viewpoint
Gendaito: A swordsmith's viewpoint
Lineage charts for modern swordsmith schools
Acknowledgments
Bibliography
Index
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 Japan's most durable cultural assets. Part of its mythical appeal lies in the unique harmony of its historical roles as deadly hand-held
Show More
weapon, embodiment of the samurai spirit, and powerful symbol of warfare.The types of sword that have been made, their forging methods, and the styles of blade have been influenced by historical events and shaped by developments in the means of combat, giving rise to five distinct periods and a host of styles and schools. The most recent period, gendaito, began in the late nineteenth century, during Japan's drive to modernize its military forces. The demand for traditional swords all but disappeared, and many schools and styles became virtually extinct.
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 work of key craftsmen active today. Through a detailed chronicle of major events in the modern sword world, the authors illustrate the developments in sword-making, its movement into artistic spheres, and the challenges swordsmiths have faced over the last century.
Many of today's smiths seek to revive the ancient arts of sword forging, and at the same time create a vital and meaningful artistic role for the sword in a modern context. In part three of this book, the authors present informative interviews with twenty-two modern smiths, who demonstrate how the blade's aesthetic power derives from a symmetry of the sword's basic elements-steel, shape, and texture-and this harmony affords the blade a singular and delicate beauty. Part four widens the scope beyond swordsmiths to include perspectives from other experts involved with gendaito, from martial arts practitioner to metallurgist. The book also includes comprehensive and intricate lineage charts of the major historical schools.
The heightened aesthetic sense that characterizes the contemporary sword and its production has ushered in what can be categorized as a distinctly new period of sword history-shin-gendaito. Throughout this book the authors make a compelling argument for the introduction of this new term, which can more accurately refect the dynamic changes that have taken place in this most modern chapter of sword history. Lavishly illustrated with rare historical photographs and works of the best smiths, including Living National Treasures, this will be essential reading for the student and connoisseur alike, as well as readers interested in skilled craftsmanship in general.
Leon Kapp is a cell and molecular biologist working in the San Francisco Bay area. He hs spent a considerable amount of time studying Japanese swords with the swordsmith yoshindo Yoshihara. Hiroko Kapp is a correspondent for the Tokyo-based Senken Shinbun news organization. The Kapps live in San Rafael, California.
Yoshindo Yoshihara is a swordsmith who is ranked among the top sword craftsmen in Japan. His family has been making tools and swords for several generations, and his son is also a swordsmith who now works with him in Tokyo. The Kapps and Yoshindo are the authors of The Craft of the Japanese Sword, which describes how a Japanese sword is made and finished.
Tom Kishida is professional photographer living and working in Tokyo. He worked with the authors on their last book, and he has been photographing swordsmiths and their work for more than twenty years. His acclaimed book, Yasukuni Tosho, is widely recognized as the definitive study of Yasukuni smiths.
Contents
Foreword
Introduction
Part One Teminology
Historical periods
Main sword categories
Koto and the Five Traditions (Gokaden)
Types of swords
Parts of the Japanese sword
Sword structures (Tukurikomi)
Types of Sori Curvature
Types of Kissaki
Types of Mune
Types of Sinogi
Types of Nakagojii (Tang Ends) and Yasurime (file-mark patterns)
Types of grooves (Hi) and carvings (Horimono)
Jigane and Jihada
Nie and Nioi
Types of Hamon
Hataraki (Activity)
Types of Boshi
Part Two History
The first half of the twentieth century--
The Mieji era
Revival of Gendato
Yasukuni shrine and the nihonto tanren kai
Nihonto tanren kai
The nihonto tanren denshu jo
Seki and Showato
Showa-to
Showa-to production in seki
Materials and techniques used in seki
Traditional swords and their construction
Showa-to production techniques
Fujiwara kanefusa
The latter half of the twentieth century--
Kowa-kinen-to
NBTHK and the annual new sword competition
The tatara
Non-japanese contributors
Colonel Victor Cadwell
John Yumoto
Albert Yamanaka
Keith Austin
Yasu Kizu
Richard Fuller
Swordsmiths in the Heisei period--
Becoming a swordsmith
Registratin of swords
The craft today
The future of the Japanese sword
A Shin-gendaito era?
Part Three Interviews
Amata Akitsugu
Osumi Toshihira
Yoshihara Yoshindo
Yoshihara Kuniie
Gassan Sadatoshi
Kanbayashi Tsunehira
Yamaguchi Kiyofusa
Kawachi Kunhira
Ono ToshimitsuSo Tsutmu
Mikami Sadanao
Miyairi Norihiro
Seto Yoshihiro
Hiroki Hirokuni
Miyairi Kozaemon Yukihira
Okubo Kazuhira
Yoshihara Yoshikazu
Ogawa Kanekuni
orii Tanetsugu
Sumitani Masamine
Hokke Saburo Nobufusa
Enju Nobutsugu
Part Four Perspectives
Comments from a living national treasure swordsmith
Gendaito: A curator's viewpont
Gendairto: A metallurgist's viewpoint
Gendaito: A polisher's viewpoint
Gendaito: A martial artist's viewpoint
Gendaito: A swordsmith's viewpoint
Lineage charts for modern swordsmith schools
Acknowledgments
Bibliography
Index
Show Less
ISBN
4770019629 / 9784770019622
Publication
Kodansha International Tokyo New York London