Arts of Asia

Arts of Asia
Title Arts of Asia PDF eBook
Author
Publisher
Pages 486
Release 1992
Genre Arts
ISBN

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The Craft of the Japanese Sword

The Craft of the Japanese Sword
Title The Craft of the Japanese Sword PDF eBook
Author Leon Kapp
Publisher Kodansha International
Pages 176
Release 1987
Genre Antiques & Collectibles
ISBN 9780870117985

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

Art of the Samurai

Art of the Samurai
Title Art of the Samurai PDF eBook
Author 原田一敏
Publisher Metropolitan Museum of Art
Pages 358
Release 2009
Genre Armor
ISBN 1588393453

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"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.

兵法家伝書

兵法家伝書
Title 兵法家伝書 PDF eBook
Author 柳生宗矩
Publisher Kodansha International
Pages 200
Release 2003
Genre Philosophy
ISBN 9784770029553

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This is a translation of an important classic on Zen swordfighting. Yagyu's Buddhist spirituality is reflected in his central idea of the life-giving sword' - the notion of controlling an opponent by the spiritual readiness to fight, rather than during the fight. This is a translation of an important classic on Zen swordfighting. Yagyu Munenori was so widely renowned that he was appointed official sword instructor to two Tokugawa shoguns. (The position was always coveted by Miyamoto Musashi, but he never succeeded in gaining the post). Yagyu's'

The Japanese Sword

The Japanese Sword
Title The Japanese Sword PDF eBook
Author Kanzan Satō
Publisher Kodansha International
Pages 218
Release 1983
Genre Antiques & Collectibles
ISBN 9780870115622

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One of the foremost experts on the Japanese sword describes their history andppreciations in this book, with photographs and illustrations.

On the Laws of Japanese Painting

On the Laws of Japanese Painting
Title On the Laws of Japanese Painting PDF eBook
Author Henry P. Bowie
Publisher
Pages 264
Release 1911
Genre Painting, Japanese
ISBN

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Inventing the Way of the Samurai

Inventing the Way of the Samurai
Title Inventing the Way of the Samurai PDF eBook
Author Oleg Benesch
Publisher Past and Present Book
Pages 305
Release 2014
Genre History
ISBN 0198706626

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Inventing the Way of the Samurai examines the development of the 'way of the samurai' - bushido; - which is popularly viewed as a defining element of the Japanese national character and even the 'soul of Japan'. Rather than a continuation of ancient traditions, however, bushido; developed from a search for identity during Japan's modernization in the late nineteenth century. The former samurai class were widely viewed as a relic of a bygone age in the 1880s, and the first significant discussions of bushido at the end of the decade were strongly influenced by contemporary European ideals of gentlemen and chivalry. At the same time, Japanese thinkers increasingly looked to their own traditions in search of sources of national identity, and this process accelerated as national confidence grew with military victories over China and Russia. Inventing the Way of the Samurai considers the people, events, and writings that drove the rapid growth of bushido, which came to emphasize martial virtues and absolute loyalty to the emperor. In the early twentieth century, bushido; became a core subject in civilian and military education, and was a key ideological pillar supporting the imperial state until its collapse in 1945. The close identification of bushido; with Japanese militarism meant that it was rejected immediately after the war, but different interpretations of bushido; were soon revived by both Japanese and foreign commentators seeking to explain Japan's past, present, and future. This volume further explores the factors behind the resurgence of bushido, which has proven resilient through 130 years of dramatic social, political, and cultural change.