The Yasukuni Swords – Rare Weapons of Japan 1933-1945
No other weapon in the world can boast of possessing such a high spiritual quality as the Japanese Sword. For over a thousand years the sword was revered as the very soul of the samurai warriors who wielded it, commanding awe, respect, and an almost religious devotion. The tumultuous events of modern Japanese history and the nation's relentless drive toward technological advancement, however, irrevocable sealed the sword's fate, and, along with the samurai class, the sword became an anachronism, both culturally and militarily.
The Yasukuni swords emerged during the build up to World War II, in part to help meet the huge demands of the Imperial Army, but more importantly out of a desire to preserve time-honored forging methods, and to revive the spirit of the samurai. For these reasons, they were notably distinct from so-called 'Showa-to,' which were mass-produced and inferior in quality and artistry.
In his tribute to the Yasukuni smiths, acclaimed photographer and sword enthusiast Tom Kishida has compiled an extensive study of these rare and exceptional swords, drawing on a variety of sources to shed light on this often little-understood chapter of Japanese sword history. With his unique eye for capturing the beauty of the blades in his photographs, he has provided the reader with the most lavishly detailed book on Yasukuni swords to date. This will be an important addition to the libraries of specialists and connoisseurs, and to those who wish to deepen their understanding of these fascinating wartime weapons.
By Tom Kishida. Hardcover. 156 pages.
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