Category Archives: Book Review

Toraba Collection – Gusoku Series Volume I – A Detailed Study of Tokugawa Clan & Bakufu Daimyō Samurai Armour Sets by Trevor Absolon

Toraba Collection – Gusoku Series Volume I – A Detailed Study of Tokugawa Clan & Bakufu Daimyō Samurai Armour Sets by Trevor AbsolonTitle: Toraba Collection - Gusoku Series Volume I - A Detailed Study of Tokugawa Clan & Bakufu Daimyō Samurai Armour Sets
Author: Trevor Absolon
Publisher: Toraba Samurai Art, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-9867615-1-5
Language: English
Illustrations: Color Pictures
Other: 112 pages, 28 cm by 21.5 cm, softcover
Topics: Bugu, Kabuto, Katchū, Menpō
ID: B0421

Detailed description with many pictures of two high-end armors that were in the (sales) collection of the author. Until now, only volume 1 has been published.

The Watanabe Art Museum Samurai Armour Collection – Volume 1 – Kabuto & Mengu by Trevor Absolon, David Thatcher

The Watanabe Art Museum Samurai Armour Collection – Volume 1 – Kabuto & Mengu by Trevor Absolon, David ThatcherTitle: The Watanabe Art Museum Samurai Armour Collection - Volume 1 - Kabuto & Mengu
Author: Trevor Absolon, David Thatcher
Publisher: Toraba Samurai Art, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-9867615-0-8
Language: English
Illustrations: Color Pictures
Other: 280 pages, 28 cm by 22 cm, softcover
Topics: Kabuto, Menpō
ID: B0420

Catalog of some of the kabuto and menpo from the Watanabe museum in Tottori, Japan. Until now, only volume 1 has been published.

Nihon no shiro by Yasushiro Nishigaya, Gentarō Kagawa

Nihon no shiro by Yasushiro Nishigaya, Gentarō KagawaTitle: Nihon no shiro : tōshi ando danmen irasuto gensen sareta nihon no meijō o kurosu sekushon de irasuto saigen tettei kaibō
Author: Yasushiro Nishigaya, Gentarō Kagawa
Publisher: Sekai Bunkasha, 2009
ISBN: 978-4-418-09218-5
Language: Japanese
Illustrations: Color pictures and drawings, black and white pictures
Other: 415 pages, 27.5 cm by 21 cm, softcover
Topics: Samurai
ID: B0419

Great book about Japanese castles. Especially the many color drawings are very interesting.

Cutting Edge – Japanese Swords in the British Museum by Victor Harris

Cutting Edge – Japanese Swords in the British Museum by Victor HarrisTitle: Cutting Edge - Japanese Swords in the British Museum
Author: Victor Harris
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing, 2005
ISBN: 0-8048-3680-9
Language: English
Illustrations: Color and black and white pictures te pictures
Other: 160 pages, 28.5 cm by 23 cm, hardcover
Topics: History, Nihontō, Paintings, Tōsōgu
ID: B0418

Very nice exhibition catalog from the Keeper Emeritus of the Japanese collections at the British Museum.

Spectacular Helmets of Japan 16th-19th Century by Alexandra Munroe (ed.)

Spectacular Helmets of Japan 16th-19th Century by Alexandra Munroe (ed.)Title: Spectacular Helmets of Japan 16th-19th Century
Author: Alexandra Munroe
Publisher: Japan Society/Kodansha International, 1985
ISBN: 0-87011-784-X
Language: English
Illustrations: Color and black and white pictures
Other: 193 pages, 31 cm by 23.5 cm, hardcover
Topics: Kabuto
ID: B0417

Fantastic book about the exhibition on “Spectacular Helmets” (Kawari Kabuto) that was held in 1985-1986 in New York and San Francisco. The Exhibition was co-organized by the NKBKHK.

Japanese Arms & Armor by H. Russell Robinson F.S.A.

Japanese Arms & Armor by H. Russell Robinson F.S.A.Title: Japanese Arms & Armor
Author: H. Russell Robinson
Publisher: Crown Publishers Inc., 1969
Language: English
Illustrations: Color and black and white pictures
Other: 54 pages + pictures, 31 cm by 25.5 cm, hardcover
Topics: Kabuto, Katchū, Menpō, Nihontō, Paintings, Teppō, Tōsōgu
ID: B0416

One of the early great introductory texts in English, lavishly illustrated with (among others) pieces from the Stibbert Collection in Florence and the Museo Orientale in Venice.

Arms and Armour of the Samurai by Ian Bottomley, Anthony (Jock) Hopson

Arms and Armour of the Samurai by Ian Bottomley, Anthony (Jock) HopsonTitle: Arms and Armour of the Samurai
Author: Ian Bottomley, Anthony (Jock) Hopson
Publisher: Defoe Publishing, 1988
ISBN: 1-870-98105-7
Language: English
Illustrations: Color and black and white pictures
Other: 192 pages, 31 cm by 23.5 cm, hardcover
Topics: Abumi, Bagu, Bugu, Documents, History, Kabuto, Katchū, Menpō, Nihontō, Paintings, Samurai, Sōmen, Teppō, Tōsōgu
ID: B0415

This is probably THE book that started the Japanese armor passion for most Western collectors.

Japanese Armor Makers for the Samurai by Kei Kaneda Chappelear

Japanese Armor Makers for the Samurai by Kei Kaneda ChappelearTitle: Japanese Armor Makers for the Samurai
Author: Kei Kaneda Chappelear
Publisher: Miyoshi Printing Co. Ltd., 1987
Language: English
Illustrations: Black and white pictures and illustrations
Other: 284 pages, 29.5 cm by 21.5 cm, softcover
Topics: Kabuto, Katchū, Menpō, Sōmen
ID: B0413

This is one of the main books that forms the base of many armor collections in the west. It gives an overview (Based on works of Dr. Sasama) of the main schools and smiths. Print quality (often dark images) varies among books.

Armuriers du Japon (XVIe – XVIIIe siècles) Étude du Meikō zukan by Robert Burawoy

Armuriers du Japon (XVIe – XVIIIe siècles) Étude du Meikō zukan by Robert BurawoyTitle: Armuriers du Japon (XVIe - XVIIIe siècles) Étude du Meikō zukan
Author: Robert Burawoy
Publisher: Presses de l'Université Paris-Sorbonne, 2008
ISBN: 978-2-84050-579-2
Language: French
Illustrations: Color and black and white pictures
Other: 259 pages, 28 cm by 21 cm, softcover
Topics: Kabuto, Katchū, Menpō, Sōmen
ID: B0412

The fantastic book of Robert Burawoy about the Meikō Zukan, based on his PhD. Since then, he has published an updated version (see http://www.katchu-no-bi.com/2017/07/17/book-review-etude-de-meiko-zukan-armuriers-du-japon-xvie-xviiie-siecle-by-robert-burawoy/).