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The Art of the Japanese Sword: The Craft of Swordmaking and its Appreciation

The Art of the Japanese Sword: The Craft of Swordmaking and its Appreciation

  • Downloads：7290
  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2021-05-20 11:56:24
  • Update Date：2025-09-07
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Yoshindo Yoshihara
  • ISBN：4805312408
  • Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
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Summary

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 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

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Reviews

nobuyuki ishibe ，

Very detailed to make and maintain the Japanese sword worthy as not only a weapon but also as the artistic work。

Austin Berry ，

In Leon and Hiroko Kapp’s The Art of the Japanese Sword: The Craft of Swordmaking and its Appreciation， the third-generation swordsmith Yoshindo Yoshihara and his son Yoshikazu analyze， construct and document the creation of a fully functional， mounted nihonto。 Inviting readers into his workshop for a detailed look at each step in the process， Yoshindo naturally elicits appreciation for both their macroscopic and microscopic attributes。 Leaving not the chemical carburization of iron， the cell wa In Leon and Hiroko Kapp’s The Art of the Japanese Sword: The Craft of Swordmaking and its Appreciation， the third-generation swordsmith Yoshindo Yoshihara and his son Yoshikazu analyze， construct and document the creation of a fully functional， mounted nihonto。 Inviting readers into his workshop for a detailed look at each step in the process， Yoshindo naturally elicits appreciation for both their macroscopic and microscopic attributes。 Leaving not the chemical carburization of iron， the cell wall thickness of different charcoal types， or the contrast between synthetic and natural polishing stones untouched upon， he believes that a thorough study of each and every operative detail is essential to mastery。 The book is compiled with an abundance of experience， knowledge and， certainly， a fitting amount of care。 Each chapter is titled in calligraphy written personally by Yoshindo and arranged not only chronologically but also in a manner that takes into account political and social context throughout history。 Chapter one covers the basics of sword viewing， handling and cleaning， as well as the general sword and polearm shapes and features。 Chapter two delves into the timeline of Japanese history from the Nara to the Heisei period and traces the evolution of jokoto （very old swords） into gendaito （modern swords） through various movements that resulted in alteration of their structures; some of the most noteworthy swords are illustrated as oshigata drawings。 Sword aficionados agree that the best way to view a sword is in its physical form alongside these drawings so that the hamon detail can be fully appreciated; thus， it is unfortunate that there are not many photographs of extant original swords in this chapter。 The photographs of several stylistic replicates of long swords and tanto crafted by the Yoshihara family included at the end of the chapter， however， prove rather sufficient。 Chapter three introduces tamahagane， a precious steel and the main component of Japanese blades。 The chapter also covers the smelting process that uses iron sands of different carbon content to refine particular parts of the sword， and means by which swordsmiths can manipulate its chemical makeup。 Chapter four takes us through the entire detailed crafting procedure up until Yoshindo turns the completed blade over to Setsuo Takaiwa for polishing， which is covered in the final chapter。 As many Japanese sword enthusiasts are quick to point out， the greuling task at hand for the craftsman is to introduce vitality into an otherwise cold and callous slab of steel。 The techniques used to accomplish such a feat are extreme。 The metal passes through hellish conditions in its refinery， all of which Yoshihara and company capture superbly in high-definition color photos that accompany the text at nearly every individual step。 The layout of each section allows for accessible visuals， and interspersed diagrams and tables bring a plethora of detail and break up the otherwise straightforward photographic report。 The repeated definition of each vocabulary as it is used is also welcoming to beginners who do not have a background in the Japanese language。 A most impressive aspect of the sword-making process is the care involved in transforming it through such a miniscule window for manipulation: it is the job of a craftsman like Yoshindo to create a unique and versatile blade that retains its functionality without becoming merely aesthetic。 The painstaking development of a Yoshihara blade is shared by both its creator and the audience and is presented without a single dull moment。 On the whole， The Art of the Japanese Sword is as much a work of art as the swords themselves， and surely will stand as a fundamental introduction to the craft。 。。。more

Reference

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