http://www.samurai-sword-shop.com/blog/paul-martin-japanese-sword-specialist/ Your guide through the Japanese Sword World Wed, 09 Jan 2013 15:14:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 http://www.samurai-sword-shop.com/blog/paul-martin-japanese-sword-specialist/comment-page-1/#comment-28094 Johannes Huber Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:18:54 +0000 http://www.samurai-sword-shop.com/blog/?p=891#comment-28094 An excellent and mature overview of the craft of the nihonto and how it presently is perceived in society as well as the basic concepts of its history and construction. I can strongly recommend the book mentioned in the article, “Facts and Fundamentals of Japanese Swords”. It presents an iconoclastic view of the sword, its history and traits, that may, at times, be at odds with the majority view on the blade, but are always thought provoking and well argued as alternative possibilities.
It is also good to see mention of the sword as being, particularly on the battlefields of pre-Edo japan, only one of many weapons used, and by no means viewed as the primary battlefield weapon. An excellent source for more on this are the books of Stephen Turnbull, which document the Sengoku Jidai as well as earlier wars such as the Genpei War and the evolution of the Japanese battlefield and those who fought on it. The author’s comments certainly open the door for a more in-depth discussion of the subject that would be very interesting.
An excellent article.

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