Grandmother's Valentines day advice...

"Just love' em and leave 'em...!" - My 90 year old grandmother >:-)

Even MORE pics!!!

Shinken (real) top; mugito (alumi/zinc) bottom

Closeup of mekugi (pin), fuchi (collar behind the -->), tsuba (guard)

Gold Dragon menuki

More Pics:

Tsuba, Habaki, & Hamon 1

Hamon 2

Hamon 3

Hamon 4

Hamon 5 & Kissaki

....and just to prove that it is actually in *my* possession...Get the point?

A dream achieved...my REAL katana

After wanting one for 28 years, I am finally the proud owner of my own real-deal, 100% authentic katana (AKA a shinken --> literally meaning "real sword"), AKA the sword/soul of the Samurai. After Saturday's (1/31) massive "New Year's practice" with all the groups that fall under the Meishi-ha of Mugai-ryu Iaido, the only other two Japan based white boys in the organization and I dragged our asses out to Machida-shi to Hataya-sensei's sword shop.

Hataya-sensei is a shihan in Toyama-ryu, a different style/organization from the one I train in, but one that many of our people cross-train with because they are heavily into cutting. Hataya-sensei is The Man to go to if you are in the market for a sword to be used for serious training. A lot of other sword shops are mainly focused on selling the uber-beautiful 'art' swords; the ones that are nice to look at, but are too high-class to actually use for kata training/cutting practice. It is the difference between dating the stuck-up prom-queen, and dating the fun, out-going chick down the street. The prom-queen will stroke your ego, but the other girl will stroke your...>;-)

I had gone there a couple weeks ago with (kokusai-bu) Bucho and Elvis and had looked at a few swords, but he has so many, it would literally take all day to see/handle them all. Fortunately, he lists all of his available blades on his web page...I take this as a sign of Hachiman's assistance in my quest. I checked out the specs of the blades, and wrote down the stock #s of the ones I was interested in. My requirements/preferences include:
- Length: no shorter that 70cm, no longer that 73cm
- weight: minimum of about 750g, no more that about 1100g
- NO SHORTENED BLADES!! This abomination was usually done because the bureaucrat Samurai of the Bakufu found the length of their swords got in the way of their indoor paper pushing. I find any such deviation from the sword's original purpose-built design unforgiveable. This. is. Spartaaaaah!!!
- No Hi in the blade. Called a "blood-groove" by know-nothings, Hi is carved into a blade to lighten it or for decoration, neither of which I particularly desire
- a blade over 100 years old, because it is over 100 years old
- decent furniture/fittings. Not too plain, but not too guady either

Well, list in hand, I went there, and walked out the door with this blade:

Here's some pics:

The sword bag and cord that Hataya-sensei threw is as a 'freebie' --> which they call "sabisu" ~> 'service' here in Japan.

My new toy!!

With my zinc/aluminum mugito in my sword stand, a fan for decoration, and a book of Soto-shu Buddhist chants. --> The founder of Mugai-ryu was also Buddhist priest, so many of us also practice Zazen.

I finally need the second sword rack! Steel sword is on the top with the sageo that was also a freebie, zinc/aluminum sword is on the bottom (Sorry Hoss, there's a new sherrif in town...)

A close up of one of the two golden dragon menuki. They look identical, but are slightly different. This has the dragon holding a ball/jewel(?), in the one on other his hand?..paw?* is empty.
("Do dragons have large talons?")

More sword pics to follow... -->This is a also goo training for using my other recent purchase, my HD Sony camera (see below/the archives). I need to really pay attention to the depth of field of the close ups...it makes all the difference between a great shot and garbage.

New year, New Goals

Injuries to my back and shoulder seriously hindered my training goals for Iaido and (especially) Aikido, but both feel better, so hopefully I will be able to accomplish more in both areas this year.

New dojo...

Went to check out the new Kudanshita dojo on Monday. I got there too late to train :-(, plus had plans to meet other friends later, so I just bummed around waiting...

...for Elvis and the others to finish expressing their autistic..er..artistic talent through paintng the sign....

...when I noticed this at the bottom of the board:

(300)

I take this as a sign from the Good King

...to get my ass in and train more, which is exactly what I plan to do now that my injured right shoulder seems to be getting better..!