Category Archives: Book Review

Book Review: Yanagawa no bijutsu 2 by Yanagawashi Shi Henshū Iinkai

Book Review: Yanagawa no bijutsu 2 by Yanagawashi Shi Henshū IinkaiTitle: Yanagawa no bijutsu 2 (Yanagawa Bunka Shiryō Shūsei, dai 3 shū 2)
Author: Yanagawashi Shi Henshū Iinkai
Publisher: Yanagawashi Shi Henshū Iinkai, 2007
Language: Japanese
Illustrations: Black and white pictures few color pictures
Other: 464+42 pages, 30 cm by 23 cm, softcover
Topics: Abumi, Ceramics, Documents, Kabuto, Katchū, Kura, Menpō, Nihontō, Paintings, Tōsōgu
ID: B0270

Nice catalog about the many art objects from Yanagawa. Some very interesting armour related items are also displayed, among many other items.

Book Review: A glossary of the construction, decoration and use of arms and armor by George Cameron Stone

Book Review: A glossary of the construction, decoration and use of arms and armor by George Cameron StoneTitle: A glossary of the construction, decoration and use of arms and armor in all countries and in all times, together with some closely related subjects
Author: George Cameron Stone
Publisher: Jack Brussel, 1961 (1934)
Language: English
Illustrations: Black and white pictures, and line drawings
Other: 694 pages, 28.5 cm by 22 cm, hardcover
Topics: History, Katchū
ID: B0269

A classic work. Fabulous overview of all kinds of arms and armor form all over the world. Originally published in 1934, it remains one of the best overview works written on this topic. This is the version of 1961. Wikipedia entry of George Cameron Stone: entry.

Book Review: Legend in Japanese art by Henri L. Joly

Book Review: Legend in Japanese art by Henri L. JolyTitle: Legend in Japanese art : a description of historical episodes, legendary characters, folk-lore myths, religious symbolism, illustrated in the arts of old Japan
Author: Henri L. Joly
Publisher: Charles E. Tuttle Company, 1967
Language: English
Illustrations: Black and white pictures, few color pictures
Other: 823 pages, 29 cm by 23 cm, hardcover
Topics: History
ID: B0268

A classic work. Originally published in 1908 (see later), this remains one of the monumental works written on Japan, together with the Ko-ji hō-ten by V. F. Weber (B0178) and Dictionnaire D’Histoire Et De Geographie Du Japon by E. Papinot (B0792). Many other topics besides armour.

A separate “Analytical Index” exist (B0799)

Book Review: Kabuto no mikata – zunari kabuto kō by Seiichi Asanao

Book Review: Kabuto no mikata – zunari kabuto kō by Seiichi AsanaoTitle: Kabuto no mikata : zunari kabuto kō
Author: Seiichi Asanao
Publisher: Yūzankaku Shuppan, 1988
Language: Japanese
Illustrations: Black and white pictures, some color pictures
Other: 189 pages, 26 cm by 18.5 cm, softcover
Topics: Documents, Kabuto, Paintings
ID: B0266

This is the standard work on the evolution zunari kabuto and how they relate to other helmet types. This is the softcover edition. A hardcover edition also exist (B0265).

Book Review: Kabuto no mikata – zunari kabuto kō by Seiichi Asanao

Book Review: Kabuto no mikata – zunari kabuto kō by Seiichi AsanaoTitle: Kabuto no mikata : zunari kabuto kō
Author: Seiichi Asanao
Publisher: Yūzankaku Shuppan, 1976
Language: Japanese
Illustrations: Black and white pictures, some color pictures
Other: 189 pages, 26 cm by 18.5 cm, hardcover
Topics: Documents, Kabuto, Paintings
ID: B0265

This is the standard work on the evolution zunari kabuto and how they relate to other helmet types. This is the hardcover edition. A softcover edition also exist (B0266).

Book Review: Nihon katchū meihin shū by Nihon katchū kenkyū hozon kai Nagano-ken shibu

Book Review: Nihon katchū meihin shū by Nihon katchū kenkyū hozon kai Nagano-ken shibuTitle: Nihon katchū meihin shū
Author: Nihon katchū kenkyū hozon kai Nagano-ken shibu
Publisher: Nihon katchū kenkyū hozon kai Nagano-ken shibu, 1977
Language: Japanese
Illustrations: Black and white pictures
Other: 369 pages, 26.5 cm by 19 cm, hardcover
Topics: Bugu, Kabuto, Katchū, Kura
ID: B0264

Although the quality of the pictures could be much better, the book gives a nice view on the armours that were mainly held at the time of publication in the Nagano area. There is no detailed description of the armours. The back of the book contains some reprints of an armour newsletter of Nagano branch of the armour society.

 

Book Review: Nihon no buki bugu by Tōkyō Kokuritsu Hakubutsukan

Book Review: Nihon no buki bugu by Tōkyō Kokuritsu HakubutsukanTitle: Nihon no buki bugu
Author: Tōkyō Kokuritsu Hakubutsukan
Publisher: Tōkyō Kokuritsu Hakubutsukan, 1976
Language: Japanese with some English
Illustrations: Black and white pictures, some color pictures
Other: 26 cm by 18.5 cm, softcover
Topics: Abumi, Bugu, Documents, Kabuto, Katchū, Kura, Menpō, Nihontō, Paintings, Tōsōgu
ID: B0263

Exhibition catalog for what must have been an amazing armour exhibition in the Tokyo National Museum in 1976. A bigger book was published in 1977 (see B0019).

Book review: Nihon jōdai no katchū by Masao Suenaga

Book review: Nihon jōdai no katchū by Masao SuenagaTitle: Nihon jōdai no katchū
Author: Masao Suenaga
Publisher: Sōgensha, 1944
Language: Japanese
Illustrations: Black and white pictures
Other: 411+12+26+115 pages, 27.5 cm by 20.5 cm, hardcover
ID: B0262

The Nihon jōdai is a monumental book from 1944, completely dedicated to the old, pre-Heian, armours of Japan. It includes also study reproductions. Masao Suenaga is one of the handful armour researchers that people still talk about with a lot of respect. In 1981, the book was bundled with Nihon jōdai no buki  (1941) in a fabulous bookset, see B0206.

Book Review: Arms and armour of old Japan by M. B. Huish (Ed.), C. Holme (Ed.)

Book Review: Arms and armour of old Japan by M. B. Huish (Ed.), C. Holme (Ed.)Title: Arms and armour of old Japan
Author: C. Holme, M. B. Huish
Publisher: The Japan Society London, 1905
Language: English
Illustrations: Black and white pictures
Other: 147+40 pages, 27.5 cm by 20.5 cm, hardcover
Topics: Abumi, Bugu, Kabuto, Katchū, Menpō, Nihontō, Teppō, Tōsōgu
ID: B0261

Old exhibition catalog with a nice selection on armours, swords, tsuba, spears, arrow etc… Interesting to see what was already more then 100 years ago in European collections. Limited to 250.