Japanese Swords: Cultural Icons of a Nation; The History, Metallurgy and Iconography of the Samurai Sword

Description

The Japanese sword is much more than just a weapon-it is a social and religious icon traditionally worn by the samurai warrior as an instrument of justice and courage, the sword was an embodiment of the soul of the person who wielded it that was at once sacred and symbolic. Japanese Swords is the first book to tell the full story of the Japanese sword's rise to greatness by discussing its long history and development, its spiritual symbolism, the esoteric metallurgical techniques used to make the sword, as well as the difficult training techniques used by skilled swordsmen.

Colin M. Roach, M.Ed. lives in the high mountains of Utah with his wife and three sons. He is a private school administrator with expertise in the areas of differentiated teaching and learning, and a 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 symbolism, he has trained with some of the top teachers of aikido and iaido in Japan and America. He holds the ranks of Youdan (4th degree) in iado and Sandan (3rd degree) in aikido. He also 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 iado's role in cultural preservation.

"The imagery here is the real selling point. To me, you've got to show me as well as tell me about Japan. Trust me, if you've wanted to see some historical artifacts, detailed descriptions of Japanese swords, and a little glimpse into the world of Iaido, then you're in for a treat. "--Japan Finds blog "Beautiful photographs of swords, pictures of sword craftsmen at work, and illustrations of Japanese art and artifacts complement the thorough, scholarly text."--Maine Antique Digest "This oversized 176-page hardcover is overflowing with color and black-and-white photographs." --Black Belt Magazine