| Title |
Description |
Notes |
| Swordmaking and Sword Appreciation
|
| John M. Yumoto, The Samurai Sword, Charles E.
Tuttle |
Classic English-language handbook of the sword and
its parts, intended for collectors |
185-page book |
| Inami Hakushi, Nippon-To, The Samurai Sword, Japan
Sword Company, Tokyo |
Nomenclature, forging, analysis of swordblades and
accessories, lists of famous swords, swordsmiths and their home provinces,
intended for collectors |
222-page book, probably out of print |
| NOVA, Secrets of the Samurai Sword |
DVD of Japanese swordsmiths making a traditional sword |
One-hour DVD, originally broadcast on PBS, available from NetFlix |
|---|
| |
| Reclaiming the Blade |
2008 documentary tracks the history of the sword, primarily
European swords, but briefly touches on Asian swords.
|
Streaming and DVD, approximately 77 minutes, available from NetFlix |
|---|
| Japanese Swordsmanship ( Iaido ) |
|
Iaido, from Wikipedia |
Good short overview of Iaido: Its
aims, history and evolution, modern and traditional schools |
one ( html ) page |
| Gordon Warner & Donn Draeger,
Japanese Swordsmanship, Weatherhill |
History of Japanese sword and swordsmanship, ethics, and
12 seiteigata techniques by a committee of sword school heads
for the ZNKR ( "All-Japan Kendo Federation" ), created to
foster the tradition, philosophy and mental focus of the traditional sword
arts. |
300-page book |
| William de Lange and Akita Moriji Sensei,
Iaido: History, Teachings and Practice of Japanese Swordsmanship, Weatherhill |
History of Japanese sword and traditional
swordsmanship and ethics. Discusses and demonstrates the techniques
of the traditional Shinkage Ryu sword school, with emphasis
more on iaijutsu, i.e. technique, comparted to the more modern
iaido, i.e. philosophy and mental focus. |
150-page book |
| Mitsugi Saotome, The Sword of Aikido, Aikido
Today Magazine |
Demonstration of sword and bokken ( wooden sword )
movements and Aikido |
VHS tape, 50 minutes (may be available on DVD by now )
|
| Nicholas Suino, The Art of Japanese Swordsmanship |
Manual of Muso Jikiden Eishin-Ryu Iaido,
including a short overview of Iaido. The techniques are
illustrated by drawings of stick figures |
250-page book |
| |
| The Samurai and Japanese Culture
|
| Daimyo |
Overview of artistic components of Japanese warrior
culture, including a short demo of two-person sword practice culture |
Half-hour VHS from National Gallery of Art in Washington
DC |
|---|
| Samurai: The Last Warrior |
2004 documentary examines the legend of the samurai, interesting
information but the visuals are mostly archival and derivative, such as scenes from
Kurosawa samurai films.
|
Streaming, approximately one hour, available from NetFlix. |
|---|
