Japanese Sword Evolution

The Japanese katana actually has evolved during the 700 years..


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Jingasa

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Jingasa By: Ian Bottomley Jingasa are items that I have always never really understood. Over the years I have owned a few, and still have some, but I never really found out much about them. What did the different shapes signify? Why were they worn and when? When were they first used ? These are all questions I have never really obtained answers to. Recently I was loaned copies of the ‘Daruma’ magazine in which there are a series of articles on jingasa by Akemi Masaharu that gives some more detail ( issues No 27, 36, 42, 47 and 57). Using that information, as well as my own thoughts on the subject has led me to write these few words on the subject. It is generally acknowledged that jingasa originated as a form of helmet made for lower ranking troops during the Sengoku Jidai. Exactly when they were first made is debatable. Early foot soldiers, ashigaru, were only poorly equipped by their commanders, relying on battlefield loot as their source of equipment ...
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Yamato Hosho Tradition from Kamakura till the Present by Han Bing Siong

The Yamato Hosho Tradition from Kamakura till the Present by Han Bing Siong Traditionally sword students distinguish five different major styles in Japanese swords according to the provinces. Some like Nagayama Kokan sensei, say there are six styles the Shinto being the sixth. Peculiarly, many Japanese sources in specifying the Goka Den first refer to the Yamashiro den, then to the Yamato den. Bizen den, Soshu den and Mino den in this sequence. Those sources, however, are unanymous as regards the Kogarasu Maru by Amakuni, presently in the Imperial collection, being the oldest curved Japanese sword. They are also unanymous on the point that Amakuni was a swordsmith of Yamato province. So why mentioning Yamashiro first rather than Yamato ? Moreover, as the book Shosoin no Token (p.xiii) points out the Yamashiro den must have its origin in Yamato, because swords of sanjo Munechika and Awataguchi Kuniyoshi, both prominent early swordsmiths of Yamashiro province, have niju ba. Nijuba...
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NBTHK Paper levels and their effect on value (discussion from forum to share)

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This is an interesting topic with regards to NBTHK paper levels and their effect on values from the Nihonto forum which I would like to share: Source: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/12048-paper-levels-and-their-effect-on-value/page-2?hl=%20ryumon%20%20nobuyoshi In summary: Some years ago when the Fittings Museum collection was being auctioned at Christie's Darcy went to New York to look at the swords and the sword was attributed to Senjuin by the fittings museum but had no other papers and he  bought it thinking it would attribute to another smith.       http://www.christies... ... 400c019579 GBP 21,510 + 5378 (25% buyers premium) = GBP 26,999 (US$35,000 ~ 38000 depending on exchange rate) After sending it in for Shinsa and i t papered to Ryumon Nobuyoshi.  Now, potential buyers who went out and sought opinions were told that the price of the sword was "too high" because it was "only Tokubetsu Hozon." People were assessing the swo...
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