Over 60 Japanese Swords in gallery format covering 1000 years of technological development. The Yume Collection is a reference and educational guide into the world of Japanese swords. It takes years, if not a life time, to gain the necessary knowledge that helps collectors and practitioners appreciate the intricacies associated with these swords and to understand that as well as being a formidable weapon they are without any doubt marvels of engineering and artistic masterpieces.The eventual shape and structure of the Japanese sword, including the changes in their method of construction are invariably linked to the changes that took place in shaping the nation of Japan and the ethos of the Samurai warriors that wielded them.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1
INTRODUCTION 3
CHARACTERISTICS THAT MAKE UP THE VARIETIES OF JAPANESE SWORDS 5
AN AUTHOR’S NOTE ON COLLECTING 47
USING KANTEI AS A LEARNING TOOL 55
EARLY JAPANESE SWORDS 61
T H E C O L L E C T I O N
THE HEIAN PERIOD 69
THE KAMAKURA PERIOD 77
THE NANBOKUCHO PERIOD 99
THE MUROMACHI PERIOD 135
THE EDO PERIOD
THE SHINTO SWORD PERIOD 161
THE SHINSHINTO SWORD PERIOD 215
THE MEIJI PERIOD 235
THE HEISEI PERIOD 265
F U R T H E R R E A D I N G
HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR SWORD 279
WHERE THESE SWORDS WERE SOURCED 291
BIBLIOGRAPHY 295
LIST OF SWORDS 299
GLOSSARY OF TERMS 301