In-person Meetings Have Resumed!
Next meeting:
February 19, 2023
For February and
Valentines this months’ theme will be “Hearts” or rather I-no-me the
heart shaped cutout that represents the boar’s eye and is seen as a
design element on so many items of Japanese art. So please bring in your
tsuba, kozuka, habaki and koshirae featuring Inome as we try to get to
the heart of this often little understood embellishment. There will of
course be a wonderful kantei blade for us to dissect, so don’t neglect
to bring your connoisseurs’ eye.
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.
