Review of Japanese Swords: Cultural Icons of a Nation
By Colin M. Roach
Reviewed by H. E. Davey
• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Tuttle Publishing; Har/DVD edition (December 10, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 4805310359
• ISBN-13: 978-4805310359
• List Price: $39.95
Japanese Swords: Cultural Icons of a Nation is an exploration of the history, iconography, and metallurgy of Japanese swords. Colin M. Roach visited with top-artisans, historians, and martial arts specialists, in Japan and the USA, to produce a distinctive look at these ancient weapons, which he attempts to delve into from historical, iconographical, and technical standpoints. The book includes a foreword by swordsmanship expert Nicklaus Suino and a sidebar by Abe Kazunori, a high-level sword polisher. Japanese Swords also examines the work of top swordsmiths like Kawachi Kunihira and Gassan Sadatoshi, while delving into their lives.
Included are over 350 eye-catching high-resolution photos and a DVD. The visual impact and presentation of both the DVD and book are first-rate, although both could have benefited from more comprehensive editing. Readers interested in completing their library of Japanese sword books will want to take a look at this new hardback by Tuttle.
About the Reviewer: H. E. Davey, the Director of the San Francisco Bay Area-based Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts, is the author of The Japanese Way of the Artist, Brush Meditation: A Japanese Way to Mind & Body Harmony, Japanese Yoga: The Way of Dynamic Meditation, and other works. He has practiced Japanese martial arts, including jujutsu and swordsmanship, since the age of five. His seventh-degree black belt is certified in Japan, and he has also studied sword polishing, appraisal, and restoration under Japanese experts. For more information about H. E. Davey and his classes in various Japanese arts, visit http://www.senninfoundation.com/.
