About NCJSC
ABOUT THE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA JAPANESE SWORD CLUB (NCJSC)
The Northern California Japanese Sword Club, founded in the early 1960’s, is one of the oldest Nihonto clubs in the United States. We are a registered non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and study of Japanese swords as art objects, including sword blades, sword guards, fittings, armor and related works of art.
At its inception the Club was fortunate to be under the guidance and tutelage of the late John Masayuki Yumoto, an internationally respected authority on the Japanese sword. Since Mr. Yumoto’s death in 1988, the Club has been administered by the Board of Directors with elected Officers and has prospered.
BOARD MEMBERS
President: Tom Helm
Vice President: Fred Weissberg
Treasurer: Jeff Adachi
Program Director: Tom Helm
Corresponding Secretary: Junichi Gondai
Board members at large: Steve Crotty, Cyril Skladany, Gary Wortham, Rick Mantegani
NCJSC LOGO
The NCJSC logo is in the form of a Japanese sword guard, or tsuba. The kanji on the face of the tsuba are read (top to bottom, right to left) "Hoku-Ka To-Ken Club". The translation is "Northern California Sword Club". The design is by Mr. Kojima, and has been used since at least 1973.
北
HOKU
Northern
加
KA
California
(Abbreviation for)
刀
劒(劔劍)
TO
KEN
Sword
It is interesting to note that "Hoku-Ka To-Ken Club" does not seem to be the name of our club, but is the name of the 1920's era sword club in San Francisco. In English it might seem more appropriate to add five more kanji (in blue below) to our logo, that if read in English is the actual name of our club. This might look something like:
In Kanji: 北加日本刀剣同好会
In Romanji: Hokuka Nihon Tōken Dōkōkai
In English: Northern California Japanese Sword Club
There is a problem with this, however. When reading the kanji or Romanji, a Japanese reader would find the association of 北加 (Northern California) followed by 日本 (Japan) to be confusing or inappropriate, it being far better to infer the word "Japan"/ "Japanese" simply by the use of the word 刀剣 (Tōken). For this reason, the 日本 characters do not appear in the logo, instead being left inferred.
同好会 (Dōkōkai) may be added to our logo under the word "CLUB", in the future.
HISTORY OF NCJSC
This is a collection of notes on the founding and history of the NCJSC. If you have additions or corrections, please contact us.
1920's to 1950's
In the 1920's a group of (mainly) Japanese Americans gathered in San Francisco, California to study martial arts. This study included the use and history of the Japanese Sword. Some time later, members of this group formed a sword study group called the Northern California Sword Club (NCSC). John Yumoto and Albert Yamanaka, among many others, were involved in this early group.
November 1955
The first meeting of what was to become the JSSUS and, eventually, the Northern California Japanese Sword Club, under John Masayuki Yumoto's leadership, was held on November 6, 1955 in John's home. This group included many non Japanese-speaking sword enthusiasts, as well as members of the NCSC.
Late 1950's
The Japanese Sword Society of the United States (JSSUS) came into being as a response to the need for information about Japanese swords in English.
At the end of WWII many GI's, returning from the Pacific, brought Japanese swords home with them. At the time there was virtually no Nihonto related material available in English. John Yumoto recognized this need, and was instrumental in providing basic information about Nihonto to these non Japanese-speaking sword collectors. John published his book 'The Samurai Sword' in 1958. These new students, together with many members of the NCSC, were instrumental in founding the JSSUS in Berkeley, California. (The first JSSUS Bulletin was published in 1959.) Its founding members included: John Yumoto, Albert Yamanaka, Reg Bretnor, Mr. Yamashita, Paul Allman, and Jack Paras; among others.
January 26, 1964
The first official meeting of the Northern California Japanese Sword Club is held on January 26, 1964 in the home of John M. Yumoto, as recorded in his daily journal.
The Southern California club was also formed in this time period. (Sometime after 1963?)
Late 1960's
The JSSUS reorganizes, changing from local leadership with regular local meetings, to a dispersed leadership with infrequent meetings held in different cities across the United States. This resulted in the loss of many of the local sword activities and meetings enjoyed by the local founding members. This void was quickly filled by the newly founded NCJSC.
1976
The NCJSC was incorporated as a non-profit organization in June of 1976.
The first San Francisco Token Kai was held at the Miyako Hotel in San Francisco, July 29-August 1, 1976.
Early in the club's history, meetings were held in member's homes. By 1980, a regular meeting place was established in the meeting room of the Sumitomo Bank in Oakland, California. Later, meetings were then moved to the Union Bank located in San Francisco's Japan town, where they remained until June 1993.
1987
The Newsletter becomes monthly. Prior to this there were six to eight newsletters per year.
San Francisco Token Kai moved to the San Francisco Airport Hilton Hotel.
October 1, 1988
Sensei John Masayuki Yumoto, one of the club founders, passes away.
July 1993
Monthly meetings moved to the Japanese Cultural & Community Center of Northern California (JCCCNC), in San Francisco's Japan Town.
1995
First glossy inserts added to the NCJSC newsletter.
San Francisco Token Kai moved to the San Francisco Airport Marriott, the old Hilton Hotel was torn down for airport expansion.
August 1997
To-Ron becomes the name of our newsletter. Dr. C. Y. Chin submitted the winning entry in the "Name your newsletter" contest.
February 2001
The Club library moved to a more accessible location.
June 2001
The NCJSC web site is published on June 10, 2001.
Mission Statement
"The specific and primary purposes are to institute programs for the study and appreciation of and promote and undertake activities to encourage the preservation of ancient and modern Japanese samurai blades, sword fixtures, armours and related objects for their cultural, artistic and historical values and aesthetic and expert craftsmanship."