Meito Taizen: The Great Masterpieces of Japanese Sword

Product Name: Meito Taizen: The Great Masterpieces of Japanese Sword

This definitive large-format piece collection, also featured in Touken Ranbu, offers a detailed look at the allure and history of famous swords. (Some sections are available in both Japanese and English.)
This collection includes 200 carefully curated Shoso-in treasures, imperial assets, national treasures, important cultural properties, and shrine treasures that span a millennium of Japanese sword history from ancient times to the Edo period. Numerous life-size illustrations are featured in the illustration section, which employs a huge and distinctive B4 format with a hardcover binding showcasing roll folds that dynamically illustrate the appeal of these iconic swords. Additionally, the history of the swords is presented clearly and comprehensively by arranging them according to the era and the schools of prominent craftsmen who were active in various regions, making it easy to understand the intricate history of the swords at a glance.

In the commentary section, printed in a standard vertical B4 format, leading researchers, including the supervisor, systematically explain the history of Japanese swords from ancient to modern times based on the latest knowledge. They provide clear and detailed explanations of the provenance and artistic style of each featured sword from the illustrated section. Essays on intriguing topics such as the status of swords and non-destructive analysis of famous swords are also included. The publication is enriched with materials such as a Swordsmith School Correlation Chart, a glossary of Japanese sword terms, an illustrated guide to the parts of a Japanese sword, an illustrated guide to the classification of Japanese swords, and an illustrated guide to the types of ground iron and hamon patterns. Presented in a slipcase.