Title: Katchū bugu jūyō bunka shiryō zuryoku (vol. 4)Author: Nihon Katchū Bugu Kenkyū Hozon Kai
Publisher: Nihon Katchū Bugu Kenkyū Hozon Kai, 2004
ISBN: 4-88583-018-4 C3672
Language: Japanese
Illustrations: Numerous color pictures
Other: 281 pages, 30 cm by 21.5 cm, hardcover
Topics: Abumi, Bagu, Bugu, Kabuto, Katchū, Kura, Menpō
ID: B0004
The fourth of the official Japanese Armour Society (Nihon Katchū Bugu Kenkyū Hozon Kai – NKBKHK) books with pictures and descriptions of the next 135 jūyō graded armours and samurai related items (#391-#525). Overall, very nice and big color pictures and a big improvement over the previous volumes. Again many items also from the Momoyama and Muromachi periods. Most items are tucked away in private collections, so this book is for many of these probably the only way to get some documentation.
In total 5 books exist (as of 2014) in this series. All of them were quite expensive when published as they were printed in very small quantities. Every item has a picture (on the left side of the book) and an objective description of the item on the right site, with also the time period for which the item got the jūyō (top) grade. Grades are given in a yearly Shinsa session, with a jury of senior society members.