The executives of 日本美術刀剣保存協会 The Japanese Artistic Sword Protection Society is alleged to have neglected rules regarding the registration of swords in Japan. TBS reports today that 日本刀などの審査や保管をする財団法人「日本美術刀剣保存協会」が、日本刀などおよそ４００本について必要な登録をしないまま放置し、不法に所持していた疑いが強まったとして、警視庁は協会など数か所を家宅捜索しました。 It is suspected that the legal registration of around 400 items including swords was neglected, and prompted the police to search the premises of the museum and [...]
Archive for the ‘Tokyo’ Category
Routine, waza, swords and the law
Posted in art, budo, communications, Culture, Japanophilia, Tokyo on September 29, 2010 |
Hatsumi Sensei told us last year to bring a tachi to training in 2010. Tonight he reminded us that although 太刀 tachi, 剣 ken, and 刀 katana are all translated to sword, each of these close arms are in fact different things, and he is now teaching us. What distinguishes these different blades, as Hatsumi [...]
武神 Bushin Warrior Gods
Posted in art, budo, education, Japanophilia, Literature, Philosophy, Tokyo on October 16, 2009 |
A few times week, I walk the grounds of 明治神宮 Meiji Jingu, the grand shrine in central Tokyo dedicated to the Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. The emperial couple were famous poets who composed about 130,000 poems in the classical Japanese form, waka. Emperor Meiji was born mere months before Commodore Perry’s ships arrived in Japan. [...]
高尾山 火渡りまつり Mt. Takao Fire Walk Ceremony
Posted in black pyjamas, change, Japanophilia, Shugendo, Tokyo on March 12, 2008 |
The view from Takao, the highest spot within Tokyo, takes in a magnificent forest stretching away across the mountain ridges to the north and the south and the towers of Shinjuku. I really feel like I’m flying above the city when I’m up there. At one of the taikais, a yamabushi’s costume was displayed in [...]
