The Connoisseurs Book of Japanese Swords

Sword appreciation can be deeply satisfying. Each school of sword craftsmanship has its own distinctive shape, characteristics, and overall aesthetic, and the trained eye can consistently and reliably make these distinctions. Here, collected in one volume, is all the crucial information readers need to become true connoisseurs.

Nagayama first provides an in-depth consideration of the sword in Japan, from antiquity to the present. He then examines the five traditional schools of workmanship -- Yamashiro, Yamato, Bizen, Soshu, and Mino -- as well as a few outstanding specimens from the Edo period. The final section, a comprehensive guide to sword appreciation, includes guidance on how to measure a sword, judge its quality, make a correct attribution, and look for flaws.

Throughout, the book is illustrated with the author's own clear, painstakingly detailed drawings, familiarizing readers with the telling differences in each of the most important features of a sword: its decorative carving, the tip of the blade, the cutting edge, and the hilt.

Written by one of the great contemporary sword polishers, The Connoisseur's Book of Japanese Swords is the definitive guide (the original Japanese edition is already in its ninth printing). This important and lovingly produced work is one to treasure.