Art of the Japanese Sword
Art of the Japanese Sword

Author: Yoshindo Yoshihara

Publisher: Tuttle Publishing

Published: 2012-09-10

Total Pages: 592

ISBN-13: 1462909965

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

In The Art of the Japanese Sword, master swordsmith Yoshindo Yoshihara offers a detailed look at the entire process of Japanese sword making, including the finishing and appreciation of Japanese blades. Japanese sword art stands out in many ways: functionality as a weapon, sophisticated metallurgy and metalsmithing, the shape of the blade itself--all contribute to the beauty of these remarkable weapons. The Art of the Japanese Sword conveys to the reader Japanese samurai sword history and Japanese sword care, as well as explaining how to view and appreciate a blade. With 256 full-color pages, this sword book illustrates in meticulous detail how modern craftsmen use traditional methods to prepare their steel, forge the sword and create the unique hardened edge. By gaining a good understanding of how a sword is actually made, the reader will be able to appreciate the samurai sword more fully. Topics include: Appreciating the Japanese sword History of the Japanese sword Traditional Japanese steelmaking Making the sword Finishing the sword

The Craft of the Japanese Sword
The Craft of the Japanese Sword

Author: Leon Kapp

Publisher: Kodansha International

Published: 1987

Total Pages: 176

ISBN-13: 9780870117985

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

From raw steel to tempered blade, this text presents a visual account of thencient craft of swordmaking as practiced in modern Japan.

Lethal Elegance
Lethal Elegance

Author: Joe Earle

Publisher: MFA Publications

Published: 2011-03-31

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9780878467754

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

As the "soul of the samurai," the sword is famously both the symbol and instrument of Japanese military prowess. Less known, at least in the west, is its role as a fashion accessory or status symbol. More than the weapon itself, it was the sword's metal fittings--from the hand guard to the small decorative plates on the hilt--that reflected the complexities of samurai life. Some fittings were meant to convey the honor and self-control expected of a samurai, while other, more flamboyant fittings reflected the samurai's leisure-time persona as "man about town." Later, when the wearing of swords spread beyond the samurai class, both the decorative function of the fittings and the variety of their designs increased, leading to some of the most accomplished metalwork ever created. Now in paperback for the first time, Lethal Elegance presents 150 of these remarkable sword fittings, and is one of the few books to focus on their styles and techniques. It discusses the visual effects achieved with different alloys, the evolution of fittings following changes in warfare, symbolism and standards for connoisseurship. Though these objects were created for violent ends, their variety and beauty also reveal them as wonders of self-expression.

The Japanese Sword
The Japanese Sword

Author: Kanzan Satō

Publisher: Kodansha International

Published: 1983

Total Pages: 218

ISBN-13: 9780870115622

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

One of the foremost experts on the Japanese sword describes their history andppreciations in this book, with photographs and illustrations.

Art of the Samurai
Art of the Samurai

Author: 原田一敏

Publisher: Metropolitan Museum of Art

Published: 2009

Total Pages: 358

ISBN-13: 1588393453

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

"This extensively illustrated catalogue is published in conjunction with the first comprehensive exhibition devoted to the arts of the samurai, including the finest examples of swords - the spirit of the samurai - as well as sword mountings and fittings, armor and helmets, saddles, textiles, and paintings. The works in the catalogue, drawn from public and private collections in Japan, include 34 officially designated National Treasures and 64 Important Cultural Properties, the largest number ever to be shown together at one time. Dating from the 5th to the early 20th century, these majestic objects offer a complete picture of samurai culture and its unique blend of the martial and the refined." "Many of the greatest Japanese swordsmiths are represented in this volume, from early masters such as Yasuie (12th century) and Tomomitsu (14th century) to the Edo-period smiths Nagasone Kotetsu and Kiyomaro. The blades by these and other masters, cherished as much for their beauty as for their cutting efficiency, were equipped with elaborate hilts and scabbards prized for their exquisite craftsmanship and fine materials such as silk, rayskin, gold, lacquer, and certain alloys unique to Japan. Japanese armor is also fully surveyed, from the rarest iron armor of the Kofun period (5th century) to the inventive ceremonial helmets made toward the end of the age of the samurai." --Book Jacket.

Modern Japanese Swords and Swordsmiths
Modern Japanese Swords and Swordsmiths

Author: Leon Kapp

Publisher: Kodansha International

Published: 2002

Total Pages: 244

ISBN-13: 9784770019622

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

A comprehensive overview of the major events in the history of the contemporary Japanese sword and the work of many of the best smiths active today.

Cutting Edge
Cutting Edge

Author: Victor Harris

Publisher:

Published: 2005-03-15

Total Pages: 168

ISBN-13:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

First published: London: The British Museum Press, 2004.

Katana
Katana

Author: Stephen Turnbull

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2011-01-01

Total Pages: 170

ISBN-13: 1849086583

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The Samurai sword of Japan is probably the finest edged weapon ever made. This volume by leading Samurai expert Stephen Turnbull reveals the story of how and why it achieved this distinction. Particular attention is paid to the development of the familiar curved blade from the original straight blades, the associated development of Japan's famous steel-making techniques and the challenges from contemporary warfare. Together with the technical details of forging, polishing, mounting and testing; this volume is brought to life with details of the great swordmakers themselves. Moreover, no history of the sword would be complete without a detailed examination of its use in combat, from the greatest Samurai armies to individual duels and revenge killings. Personal accounts allow the reader to discover the art of Japanese swordsmanship in the hands of masters such as Miyamoto Musashi to the unnamed Japanese warrior defending his family's honour. This lively text is perfectly complemented by artwork reconstructions of the sword in use and colour photographs of the swords in use.

Samurai Swords
Samurai Swords

Author: Clive Sinclaire

Publisher: Chartwell Books

Published: 2009-09-01

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9780785825630

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

For 700 years Japanese civilization was dominated by a single warrior caste. This project looks at the weaponry of Samurai men and women over the centuries with specifically commissioned photography of reenactors wearing and museum-quality clothing and weaponry.