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The Craft of the Japanese Sword (Hardcover)

by Leon Kapp (Author), etc. (Author), Hiroko Kapp (Author), Yoshindo Yoshihara (Author) "Only forty years ago, it appeared that the ancient craft of the Japanese sword would die out ..." (more)

5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)

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This item: The Craft of the Japanese Sword by Leon Kapp
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The Samurai Sword: Handbook by John M. Yumoto
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The Japanese Sword (Japanese Arts Library) by Kanzau Sato
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Product details

Hardcover: 168 pages
Publisher: Kodansha America, Inc (1 April 1987)
Language English
ISBN-10: 087011798X
ISBN-13: 978-0870117985
Product Dimensions: 25.9 x 19 x 2 cm

Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)

Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 95,281 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Popular in these categories:

#12 in	Books > Home & Garden > Antiques & Collectables > Antiques & Collectables by Subject > Militaria & Weapons
#15 in	Books > Art, Architecture & Photography > Print & Decorative Arts > Metal & Iron Design

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Product Description

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

About the Author
Leon Kapp is a molecular biologist at the University of California in San Francisco. He has studied swordmaking in Japan at the forge of the swordsmith Yoshindo Yoshihara. Hiroko Kapp was active as a graphic artist in Tokyo for ten years and is now a correspondent for the Tokyo-based Senken news organization. The Kapps live in San Rafael, California.

Yoshindo Yoshihara is a tenth-generation swordsmith who is ranked among the top sword craftsmen in Japan today. He began forging blades at the age of twelve and has exhibited several times in the United States. His son is currently working with him and will become the eleventh generation of the family to carry on the tradition.

The Kapps and Yoshindo Yoshihara have also collaborated on Modern Japanese Swords and Swordsmiths: From 1868 to the Present.

Inside This Book (Learn More)

First Sentence
Only forty years ago, it appeared that the ancient craft of the Japanese sword would die out. Read the first page

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	66% buy the item featured on this page: The Craft of the Japanese Sword 5.0 out of 5 stars (6) �20.15
	22% buy The Samurai Sword: Handbook 4.4 out of 5 stars (5) �13.59
	5% buy The Japanese Sword (Japanese Arts Library) 3.5 out of 5 stars (2) �20.49
	4% buy Samurai: The Story of Japan's Noble Warriors 5.0 out of 5 stars (2) �17.00

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Customer Reviews

6 Reviews

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
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Average Customer Review

5.0 out of 5 stars (6 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How modern swords are made (with colour pictures), 12 Nov 2001

By	Dave (Morecambe, Lancashire United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

Beutifull & Fascinating book. Big and well illustrated with lots of photos, many colour. Cover all the processes of making a blade from casting the raw iron to fitting a scabbard & collar. Loads of information, and a great read. It follows the work of Yoshihara one of the best smith in japan today. Nothing to do with Iaido, just a beutifull book about the sword itself & how it is made. Buy it !!

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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, and different to most others, 20 Dec 2000

By	Andy Dingley "andy_dingley" (Bristol, UK) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

This is a book about swords, but more than that it's a book about sword makers. Although it will serve as an introduction, Kanzan Sato's book is probably a better choice for swords alone.

Where this book shines is in its description of the craft processes that go to making a sword. Four makers are included; a smith, a polisher, a habaki maker and a scabbard carver. All describe their contemporary work, in great detail. It's a very modern treatment - formal koshirae are mentioned, but the scabbard maker's tale is of working on a plain "white scabbard", as that's what his current market is.

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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Swordsmithing for beginners, 14 Mar 2004

By	Dr. Gregory J. Parker "cybermystic" (U.K.) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

There are several very good books out there on the Japanese sword, but in my opinion as a newcomer to this subject, this one is the best. Very straight to the point, lots of information, and many fine black & white photos of Japanese blades in excellent detail.
For me the balance of the book is just about perfect. It tells me in sufficient depth all I want to know about the various aspects of sword making, down to the fitments and the scabbard, and it keeps subject matter like sword appraisal to a nice minimum. I am unlikely to ever want to appraise a sword, in fact it is highly unlikely that I will ever hold a genuine Katana, that being the case, I certainly don't want to be informed of the finer details of appraisal.
All in all a truly excellent introduction to the Japanese sword, and far better than some of the weightier and more expensive tomes that are currently available.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Informative, but colour pictures would go a long way...
This is an excellent book, not just in binding quality, but in the way information is presented to the reader. Read more

Published on 9 Mar 2004 by brownhornet

5.0 out of 5 stars Probably the best book on this subject you can buy.
This book taught me almost everything I wanted to know about Japanese sword making. A well researched, written and presented book. Read more

Published on 7 Jan 2000 by brook.family1@virgin.net

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is excellent for beginners to learn about swords.
I know a little about Japanese swords but not all the details of how they were made. This book is a great beginning for those who want to understand the manufacturing processes... Read more

Published on 24 Feb 1999

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