Yoshindo Yoshihara

Yoshihara Yoshindo, named Prefectural Living Important Cultural Propertyby the Japanese government, and one of the top contemporary swordsmiths in the world, now has a working forge in the US fordemonstration and cultural educational purposes. The forge is located in Kirkland, WA. Yoshihara’s first U.S. demonstration was at Dallas University over 25 yearsago, where he met with sword polisher,…

Glossary from Harry AFU Watson's translation of Nihonto Koza, used by permission of Mr. Watson.

GLOSSARY Agari: Rise or go up. When referring to the boshi, it means that the tip of the boshi is near the kissaki. Also means going up to the Capital City, such as Kyoto, or now, Tokyo, and in some cases, refers to going up to a larger regional city. Ara-nie: Coarse nie. Asai: Shallow. Kaeri asai is a shallow return of the boshi. Ashi: Thin lines extending out from or entering the hamon. Ashi…

What is Bushido?

By Tatsuhiko Konno Bushido is often said to be fighting with real swords, or bushi no tamashii, the soul of the samurai, the Japanese sword.­ In Japan after the Pacific War, The Act for Controlling the Possession of Firearms or Swords and Other Such Weapons was enacted, and the acquisition of a special certificate for each sword became mandatory. As a result, unfortunately, a majority of…

Yamashiro and Yamato den Lecture notes

Yamashiro and Yamato Den An overview YAMASHIRO DEN General Technical SUGATA Excepting early SANJO school, Yamashiro sugata, like Yamato, is Toriizori. Both exhibit wide shinogi ji. Yamashiro, however, does not have the raised shinogi ridges that are associated to Yamato. Yamashiro has comparatively identical thickness between shinogi planes. Thickness at the shinogi…