Title: Nihon katchū dai zukan Author: Yoshihiko Sasama Publisher: Kashiwa Shobō, 2007 ISBN: 978-4-7601-3171-6 Language: Japanese Illustrations: Some color illustrations, many black and white illustrations Other: 474 pages, 30 cm by 21.5 cm, hardcover Topics:Kabuto, Katchū, Menpō, Sōmen ID: B0013
This is a reprint from the famous (and very expensive) encyclopedia. Almost no pictures but many illustrations from Sasama. Off course, many illustrations come back in other publications, but the big advantage here is, that the book is big, so much more detail can be seen in the illustrations. Still in print so easy to find.
Title: Nihon katchū meihinshū Author: Minoru Iida, Naoyoshi Saitō, Yoshihiko Sasama Publisher: Yūzankaku Shuppan, 1968 ISBN: None Language: Japanese Illustrations: Few color pictures and drawings, many black and white pictures Other: 279 pages, 26.5 cm by 19 cm, hardcover Topics:Kabuto, Katchū, Menpō ID: B0012
Sasama was well known for reusing his material in his many books. As this book focuses on several nice Japanese armour sets (also several Muromachi ones), it is however nice to have, especially with the pictures that appear in the second half of the book. As is regrettable the case with almost all books on Japanese armour, also here only one general picture is shown per set.
Title: Nihon katchū taikan Author: Yoshihiko Sasama Publisher: Gogatsu Shobō, 1987 ISBN: 4-7727-0048-X C3072 Language: Japanese Illustrations: Black and white pictures, drawings Other: 1374 pages, 22.5 cm by 16 cm, hardcover Topics:Kabuto, Katchū, Menpō ID: B0011
This very thick and dense encyclopedia covers a lot of ground on Japanese armour, but as it is mainly text, sparsely illustrated, it will be hard to follow for most. Can probably be best read in combination with one of Sasama’s other, more visual oriented books. The First 1050 pages is an encyclopedia, with the last 300 pages an earlier version of the katchūshi meikan.
Title: Nihon no meitō (3 volumes) Author: Yoshihiko Sasama Publisher: Yūzankaku, 1972 ISBN: None Language: Japanese Illustrations: Few color pictures, many black and white pictures Other: 335, 351, 355 pages, 26.5 cm by 19 cm, hardcover, limited to 1500 Topics:Kabuto, Menpō ID: B0010
In these three books (limited to 1500), Sasama focuses on Japanese helmets, and this time he relies on many pictures, in line with his Nihon katchū meihinshū. In some cases a few views of one helmet are even available. Some helmets are famous, but many you will find probably nowhere else. They are also know as the “blue books”. In many places you will find the alternative reading: Nihon no meikabuto.
Title: Nihon katchū zukan (3 volumes) Author: Yoshihiko Sasama Publisher: Yūzankaku, 1964 ISBN: None Language: Japanese Illustrations: Numerous illustrations, very few color illustrations Other: 256, 271, 261 pages, 26.5 cm by 19 cm, hardcover, limited to 800 Topics:Kabuto, Katchū, Menpō, Sōmen ID: B0005
These three volumes (limited to 800) contain an unbelievable amount of Sasama’s famous line drawings, many of which re-appear in his later works. They are also known as the “green books”.
Title: Nihon katchū dai zukan
Title: Nihon katchū meihinshū
Title: Nihon katchū taikan
Title: Nihon no meitō (3 volumes)
Title: Nihon katchū zukan (3 volumes)