Posts tagged "gansaku"
The Japanese sword is a weapon known as the soul of the samurai. Yet, many people, both in Japan and abroad, are fascinated by its beauty, making it different from other antiques. In particular, if you are a fan of Japanese...
What are Japanese swords? Simply put, Japanese swords or katana are made by a unique Japanese blacksmithing method and are assumed to have been crafted in Japan, but a Japanese sword cannot merely be characterized as a weapon. It has...
The Search for the Mysterious Sword "Kotetsu" By now, many are aware of Kondo Isami. The broad faced bull of a man with a sharp, piercing stare. He was the head of the Shinsengumi, a secret police force appointed by...
Why focus on Mei? Many Japanese swords have inscriptions on the tang. It is recorded that in the Nara period (710-794), a swordsmith’s name was required by law to be inscribed on the tang. However, it is said that the...
Fake swords apparently started being made around the Kamakura period. In the Muromachi period there was already a “certificate of authenticity” which included an inscription on the tang of the words and a description of the blade. In the Edo...