Historically, Japanese warriors considered their swords to be far greater than simple weaponry. Their swords were both lethal tools and divine companions-social and religious icons. Traditionally worn by the samurai as a sign of social status, the Japanese sword represented the junction between the reigning military class and those whom they ruled. Moreover, the Japanese sword was a technological and artistic marvel. Many sholars consider it to be the finest sword ever constructed.

In terms of symbolism and historical importance, no other blade comes close to the Japanese sword. With a historical, iconographical, and technological perspective, author Colin M. Roach provides an in-depth study of these magnificent weapons in Japanese Swords.
This richly illustrated book weaves the sword's primary influences together, tracking its history and illuminating its progress from infancy to grandeur. By studying the evolution of the Japanese sword from this perspective, we better understand Japan and its warrior archetype.

Combining research materials from multiple disciplines, Roach uses his expertise as an educator to guide readers through the sword's rise to greatness in a unique way. This book discusses the history, development, and spritual symbolism of the sword, as well as the esoteric metallurgical techniques used in making it. It also covers the difficult training practices used by skilled swordsmen.

Through exhaustive research, Roach has collaborated with several top-level artisans, historians, and marital arts experts in completing Japanese swords. In adition toa foreword by acclaimed martial arts teacher andauthor Niclaus Suno and a sidebar by Makans-level plosiher Abe Kazunori, Japanese Swords includes rare looks into the world of Mukansa-level swordsmiths Kawachi Kunihira and Gassan Sadatoshi. Hundreds of stunning high-resolution photos complement Japanese Swords, and the book also includes a companion DVD featuring a beautifully-filmed documentary that explores the traditional swordmaker's craft. The DVD also contains an introduction to the Japanese sword at a sword shop in Kyoto and a visit to a dojo for a beginner's class in the medieval sword-drawing art called iaido.

Colin M. Roach, M.Ed. lives in the high mountains of Utah with his wife and three sons. He is a private school adminstrator with expertise in the areas of differentiated teaching and learning, and member of the all Kinds of Minds Institute's national teaching faculty. Mr. Roach is an avid student of Japanese history, culture, and martial arts. Four generations of familial connection to Japan have fueled Mr. Roach's passionate study of Japan's archetypal warrior culture. In addition to his academic study of sword-related symbolsim, he has trained with some of the top teachers of aikido and iaido in Japan and America. He holds the ranks of Yondan (4th degree) in iaido and sandan (3rd degree) in aikido. He alos holds the teaching title 'Shidoin' in both arts. Mr. Roach often travels to teach sword-related symbolism, traditional Japanese swordsmanship, the etiquette involved when handling a Japanese sword, and iaido's role in cultural preservation.

Contents

Dedication
Foreword
Introduction History, technology and iconongraphy
Sympolism and the sword: Lifting the cultural veil
The sword's application
Part 1 Introducing the Japanese sword
Chapter 1 Appreciating the Japanese sword
Blade types
Distinguishing blade characteristics
Sword tip design
Temperline patterns
Grain pattrns
Viewing and handling
Maintenance and cleaning
Quality and value
Valuations
Availability of antique and modern swords
Collecting Japanese swords
Purchasing swords
Chapter 2 Creating a Japanese sword
Manufacture of traditionally smelted steel
Refining the steel by forge-folding
Assembling a sword's component steels
Elogating the billet
Creating the profile
Quench-hardening the steel
Final shaping
The polishing process
A brief history of the Japanese sword and the importance of polishing
Spirituality in the sword craft
Part 2 History and culture
Capter 3 Early Japanese swords
The Jomon period
The Yayoi Period
The Kofun Period
The sword of the gods
The sword's role as an imperial icon
Shinto stories of sword-wielding deities
Shinto in the smithy
The blades of ancient Japan
Yayoi Period swords
Kofun Period swords
Chapter 4 Nara Period swords
The Nara Priod
The sword of Chinese influence
Taoism in Japanese Warrior culture
The sword of Taoism
Lao Tzu: A balance betweeen war and wit
Chuang Tzu: Swords as metaphor
Japanese adaptations
The swrod and martial spirituality
Blades of the Nara Period
Chapter 5 Medieval Japanese swords
The Heian Period
The Kamakara Period
The Muromachi Period
The sword of esoteric Buddhism
Buddhist stories of sword-wielding deities
The sword of Zen: The sword of insight
Heian Period swords
Kamakura Period swords
Muromachi Period swords
Chapter 6 Edo Period swords
The Edo Period
A scholar-warrior ruling class
Edo Period swordsmanship: A case study
The fall of the Edo Period
Edo Period swords
Chapter 7 Modern Japanese swords
The Meiji Period adn nward
Spirituality, modernization and martial arts
Post-war period martial arts
Meiji, Taisho and Showa Period swords
A glmpse into sword-making apprenticeship today
Part 3 The art of swordsmanship
Chapter 8 Japanese swordsmanship today
The classical art of iaido
Envision iaido
The history of iaido
A living tradition
Swordsmanship today
Studying iaido today
The sword of iaido
The sword and society
Conclusion Passion and preservation
Endnotes
Bibliography
Photo credits
Index