The Art of Tsukamaki

Author: Thomas Buck
Publisher: CreateSpace
ISBN: 9781505226140
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 136

Book Description
Tsukamaki, combining aesthetics, form and function, is the deceptively simple Japanese art of sword handle wrapping. Dr. Buck's work presents a general historical overview of the evolution of Japanese samurai swords and sword mounts, as well as step-by-step instructions and diagrams for 25 specific types of sword handle wrapping. It also includes a compact visual glossary of Japanese swords, general temper patterns and common signature characters. As a reference book, it is both an excellent introduction to the art of Tsukamaki, and a complete how-to guide for the beginner tsukamaki-shi, or sword handle wrapper.

Koshirae - Japanese Sword Mountings

Author: Markus Sesko
Publisher: Lulu.com
ISBN: 1300333243
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 204

Book Description
With this publication I try to systematically and comprehensively process the subject of ,,Japanese sword mountings". It was not my goal to depict as many extant interpretations of sword mountings as possible but to deal with their different styles. With this publication the reader will be informed in which way the Japanese swords were mounted over time, the origins of the various styles, what changes they underwent and it will also serve as a reference material to classify extant specimen. In this sense the descriptions were embedded in an explanation of their historical context rather then listing them simply by their interpretation or in alphabetical order. As the main focus lies on ,,koshirae", explanations on the sword fittings - the tosogu - were omitted because their descriptions can be easily found elsewhere. Also, the military mountings - the gunto-koshirae - were left out because there are excellent publications available which deal with them in great detail.

Art of the Japanese Sword

Author: Yoshindo Yoshihara
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
ISBN: 1462909965
Category : Antiques & Collectibles
Languages : en
Pages : 592

Book Description
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

Lethal Elegance

Author: Joe Earle
Publisher: MFA Publications
ISBN: 9780878467754
Category : Samurai
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
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.

藤本壮介武蔵野美術大学美術館・図書館

Author: 藤本壮介
Publisher:
ISBN: 9784872751642
Category : Architects
Languages : es
Pages : 62

Book Description

The Art of Japanese Sword Polishing

Author: Setsuo Takaiwa
Publisher: Planeta Publishing
ISBN: 9784770024947
Category : Antiques & Collectibles
Languages : en
Pages : 200

Book Description
To understand Japanese sword polishing is to understand the Japanese sword. Down through the years, the great sword connoisseurs in Japan have been sword polishers. A swordsmith can spend a large amount of time forging a classic sword, but refining and bringing out its final shape, color and texture so that all the details of the steel and hamon (the temper line) are clearly visible is the responsibility of another craftsman - the sword polisher. An experienced polisher can tell immediately by whom a blade was made, so discintctive is each smith's work and so vital is such knowledge to the skilled polisher.The Art of Japanese Sword Polishing is the first book in English to examine in great detail the polisher's techniques - skills it often takes up to ten years of apprenticeship to master. The book illustrates the methods, materials and tools used for this process. But its true aim is to enable the reader to fully appreciate the beauty of a well-crafted Japanese sword. As readers learn both how the sword polisher enhances the beauty of the blade and how he handles the problems of coaxing out its finest qualities through his polishing techniques, they will come to a deeper understanding of the fine art of making the Japanese sword and will be able to view, purchase or collect swords with greater pleasure.

Shozo Michikawa

Author: Shozo Michikawa
Publisher: Arnold'sche
ISBN: 9783897905054
Category : Ceramic sculpture, Japanese
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
"Torsion and tension are characteristic of the vessels created by the exceptional Japanese ceramicist Shozo Michikawa (b. 1953), whose works are reminiscent of rock strata and lava flows. Michikawa is known for his unique technique, for turning edgy, dynamic sculptures on the potter's wheel. First he cuts and scores a solid block of clay before he carves out the interior hollow through pressing and turning with a rod and his hands. Natural-looking surfaces emerge, just as geological forces formed the earth's surface - an irrepressible energy from the inside out. With a selection of works from the last fifteen years, Shozo Michikawa introduces the first comprehensive insight into his ceramic production, which has attracted attention across the globe. Shozo Michikawa's work is highly sought after throughout the world. The Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg (DE), LACMA Los Angeles County Museum of Art (US), Ashmolean Museum, Oxford (GB), National Museum of Wales in Cardiff (GB), Philadelphia Museum of Art (US), Qinglingsi Temple in Xi'an (CN) and Shimada City Museum (JP) are among the institutions that have acquired his work." -- Publisher's description

Art of the Samurai

Author: 原田一敏
Publisher: Metropolitan Museum of Art
ISBN: 1588393453
Category : Armor
Languages : en
Pages : 358

Book Description
"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.

Sliding Modes after the first Decade of the 21st Century

Author: Leonid Fridman
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3642221645
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 604

Book Description
The book presents the newest results of the major world research groups working in the area of Variable Structure Systems and Sliding Mode Control (VSS/SMC). The research activity of these groups is coordinated by the IEEE Technical Committee on Variable Structure Systems (VSS) and Sliding Modes (SM). The presented results include the reports of the research groups collaborating in a framework of the Unión European Union – México project of Fondo de Cooperación Internacional en Ciencia y Tecnología (FONCICyT) 93302 titled "Automatization and Monitoring of Energy Production Processes via Sliding Mode Control". The book starts with the overview of the sliding mode control concepts and algorithms that were developed and discussed in the last two decades The research papers are combined in three sections: Part I: VSS and SM Algorithms and their Analysis Part II: SMC Design Part III: Applications of VSS and SMC The book will be of interests of engineers, researchers and graduate students working in the area of the control systems design. Novel mathematical theories and engineering concepts of control systems are rigorously discussed and supported by numerous applications to practical tasks.

Flashing Steel, 25th Anniversary Edition

Author: Masayuki Shimabukuro
Publisher: North Atlantic Books
ISBN: 1623175038
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 593

Book Description
An updated edition of the classic guide on the techniques, philosophy, and applications of iaijutsu—the art of self-defense with the Japanese sword. The 25th anniversary edition of the best-selling guide to iaijutsu (or iaido) expands on the previous two editions and includes: • Deeper guidance on fundamentals—preparation, etiquette, progression, sword nomenclature • More practices and techniques, including 55 ways to deploy a samurai sword in self-defense • Additional solo and partner exercises to develop timing, distance control, focus, etc. • Information on defense and attack scenarios with wider applications to other martial arts • Overview of philosophical tenants that inform ‘the warrior’s life’ • Expanded history of iaijutsu and a biography-tribute of Masayuki Shimabukuro • Updated guidelines for promotions and tournaments Organized into 23 chapters with black and white photographs throughout, Flashing Steel is an essential resource for understanding the philosophy and practice of the Japanese sword arts.