In-person Meetings Have Resumed!
Next meeting:
Nov 20, 2022
The Satsuma Kagoshima Han, Satsuma tsuba, Masafusa, Tamaoki,
Masayoshi, Oki, Hojoji and Shinto Naminohira schools.
Future meetings:
December 18, 2022
December is “Boxing Day” – in a
nod to all those boxes of presents that we hope are under your tree, and
to Canada’s Boxing Day we invite you to bring in your fine Japanese art
items that are accompanied by boxes. If you have something in a box,
lacquered or inscribed, elaborate, cute or compli-cated please bring it
and the box along to share.
There will also be space for new acquisitions and of course a fine
kantei blade for us to study
NOTE: In addition to our
regular meetings we are introducing something new -
Shijo Kantei!
The
careful study of Japanese swords in hand is the best way to learn and
understand these wonderful works of art. For over 25 years the Northern
California Japanese Sword Club has offered in-person, hand-on study of
Japanese masterworks ten months out of the year – if you have been a
member that long that is over 300 blades studied in person at our
monthly meetings! No other organization in North America offers this
many opportunities for study.
Another
way that one can study is with “Shijo kantei”,
paper kantei,
an exercise on paper to determine the maker of swords as described in
words and pictures. Many organizations in Japan supplement in-person
study with these paper kantei.
Starting this month (August) we will begin our series of monthly shijo kantei.
The program is based on the Hon’Ami school of sword appreciation and
will be presented in English but in the same manner as in Japan with an
opportunity for successful bidders to have their name published in our
newsletter. That’s two ways we help our members to improve upon their
knowledge. No other organization in North America offers this many
opportunities for study.
During the
unfortunate Covid quarantine of the past year we instituted an online shijo kantei via
zoom. This proved very popular with local and out of state members as
well. We will continue to provide monthly online kantei exercises
for our members. If you are not a member you cannot participate. This is
three ways the NCJSC provides for the further education of the student
of nihonto. No other organization in North America offers this many
opportunities for study.
If you are
not an NCJSC member, now is the
time to join.
If your membership has lapsed, now is the time to
re-up.
If you’re currently a member now is the time to remind your collector
friends of the pleasures of studying Japanese swords and the benefits of
membership.
