NuiNui has published two books themed on katanas and traditional Japanese weapons. Two illustrated volumes, fine editions and bindings, which analyze the concept of Japanese swords and weapons in general in the Japanese tradition. In a country where the arts of war are on a par with the pictorial and literary ones, the sword becomes what separates life and death, witness to the cycle of nature, entrusted into the hands of the samurai who pursue a lifestyle through steel.
Both volumes are informative, accessible and both have a glossary that helps the reader navigate the more technical terms. All seasoned with traditional illustrations and photos of memorabilia still perfectly preserved. Katana, naginata, tanto, armor, kabuto helmets and also pieces of craftsmanship of great value and workmanship.
The secrets of forging by Yoshindo Yoshinara
The first volume “Japanese swords, art and secrets of a great master” takes the reader on a splendid journey through the secrets of forging one of the most iconic weapons in the history of the world: the katana. Yoshindo Yoshinara is a master craftsman from Tokyo Prefecture, one of the few sword makers who still keep traditional and artisanal methods intact. Through him, the traditional method of forging, the sublime art of the Japanese sword, is retraced step by step.
We proceed to describe in detail all the various phases of forging the blade, from the choice of metal to polishing and finishing. It is interesting to see how the book focuses mainly on the forging of the blade itself, while the creation of the handle and guard are little more than mentioned. The reason is simple, the craftsman who makes the sword is not the same as the one who makes the rest, it follows that the creation of a sword is a process that passes through the hands of various extremely specialized experts.
The weapons of the 30 most famous samurai
The second volume “Japanese swords and weapons of the thirty most glorious samurai” focuses more on the figure of the samurai. A book that traces the 800 years of history of the Japanese warrior class, from the institution of the class following the Genpei war (1180-1185), passing through the Edo period, considered the period that best expresses the samurai, up to the decline of this legendary figure in the late 19th century after the opening to the West.
The warrior in medieval Japan takes on a complex and stratified meaning, representing the ruling class of Japan for about 800 years, a social class linked to war but also to the arts, literature, poetry and painting. While in the West a warrior was mainly concerned with combat and sometimes, in the highest ranks of the army, also with military strategy, the samurai, particularly in the Heian and Edo periods, periods of maximum splendor of the warrior caste, was a true own expert in the arts. War, just like painting, poetry and music, was considered a real art, the same was true for the use of weapons, the study of the form of combat, the development of a style. The result is also an aesthetic development of the warrior, so much so that it is known that in the Edo period the samurai dressed in an extravagant, eccentric way, also using make-up and perfume. The so-called samurai dandyism.
The warrior in the East is always linked to an aesthetic that embraces the nature of things and is expressed through every act and every activity that the samurai performs. For this reason the samurai embraces the arts, philosophy, literature, as well as the warrior arts. And so the Western saying “the pen is worth more than the sword” is distorted in Japan: the samurai is “pen and sword together”, strength accompanied by intellect, intellect accompanied by strength, all accompanied by a label and by a moral and ethical code. It is no coincidence that many of the most famous samurai (just think of Musashi Myiamoto) composed works of poetry, pieces of craftsmanship for the decoration of weapons or even paintings and drawings still preserved today.
It therefore turns out that the figure of the samurai is extremely unique in its kind and has no equal in all cultures. Masters of war, excellent fighters, painters, poets, men of letters, in short a figure that contains much more than simple violence and the oppression of the adversary, a figure inextricably linked to nature, to aestheticism and capable of facing death both with great wisdom and great audacity.
The most beautiful sidearm in the world
The making of the katana is a very long, extremely dense process. A process that begins with the rigorous selection of the metal, in this case low carbon steel, which is subjected to slow processing to make it extremely efficient and resistant. Added to all this is the elegance and unique and functional shape of the sword that has literally bewitched the world, the imagery of the stories and the mythology that revolves around this magnificent object.
The creation of these heirlooms is the product of techniques layered and perfected over time, handed down from generation to generation, which have allowed the expert forgers to create a superfine quality of steel, a steel that gives the blade the elegance that distinguishes it and at the same time it manages to be extremely functional in terms of resistance and cutting. But the forgers are not the only actors present, the sword, also characterized by the sheath and the handle (the koshirae), passes into the hands of different types of experts who, through their specific and sectorial contribution, guarantee excellent quality in every aspect .
It is therefore no coincidence that those who still possess the techniques and knowledge to forge a sword in Japan following traditional methods are considered a “living national treasure”, because the importance of the blade and its creation is considered by the Japanese as a legacy artistic and cultural, which testifies to the relationship that the people have with every traditional object that becomes a cult.
The wonder that catches your eye, or at least it was for me, is that the katana does not represent only and exclusively an instrument for war. The katana is a piece that embodies craftsmanship, artistic expression, philosophy and pragmatism. A very particular object, lethal only in the hands of those who know how to use it, of those who have studied the art of oriental fencing, of those who have built a relationship with their blade and take care of it exactly as if it were a living being. In this way, and in my opinion it is a very interesting question, the forging of the katana clearly distinguishes itself from Western forging and has many more similarities with jewelery and the processing of precious materials. It is no coincidence that the katana is still a collector’s item widely used in traditional ceremonies and holidays.
The NuiNui volume invoice
The volumes of the NuiNui publishing house are of excellent workmanship. And they fully justify their price. The first has a wire binding and a very thick cardboard hard cover. The paper used is thick and glossy and allows the images and photos inserted to produce a high quality print. The format is large and bulky but perfect for reading at the desk, perhaps under a lamp that allows you to fully enjoy the illustrations. The layout is very smooth, it doesn’t tire the eyes with too intrusive text, the adaptation and translation flow perfectly in reading and the use of diagrams, representations and photos allows for great immersion in the topic.
The second volume, however, is of a very particular format. A square format with a dust jacket, not rigid, with an excellent resistant binding and the presence of folding pages that hide the life-size photos of some blades and memorabilia kept in the most important museums in Japan. The paper is always thick and shiny and dotted with traditional colors and representations which make the book a wonder for the eyes as well as an interesting volume on the figure of the samurai. The structure of the book itself is very smooth and allows for a very quick read thanks also to a well-curated translation and adaptation. The final glossary is a little gem for the most passionate and for those who want to juggle the more specific technical terms.
Who do we recommend the two volumes to?
To those who adore Kurosawa’s films, to those who have lost themselves in the suspended narratives of master Inoue’s Vagabond, to those who adore duels, fights and are fascinated by a warrior who also pursues aesthetic ideals, not just the idea of the overpowering of ‘opponent. To those who have been enchanted by the elegance and beauty of the most beautiful weapon in the world, sinuous, thin and dangerously sharp: the katana.
Excellent edition for both. Engaging
Use of technical terms very far from our culture
Japanese swords, art and secrets of a great master / Japanese swords and weapons of the thirty most glorious samurai
A thread that separates life and death
The cutting edge of the katana separates life and death, the thin edge contains the cycle of nature. The katana is not just steel, it is a symbol, an heirloom of rare and incredible workmanship that is brought to glory by the hands of an elite warrior, often also a scholar, poet or painter. The katana contains a world, in its simple form it contains within itself a centuries-old tradition, yet another demonstration of the devotion to its own imagination that the Japanese people have always shown with pride.