On-going classes for Japanese sword study
Shiatsu ( Japanese acupressure massage )
Cancer prevention diet ( Samurai and Ninja style )
Current Japanese sword market ( E-Bay auctions, dealers, etc. )
This week's E-Bay Auction items,
that are worth buying listed.
Click below for your inspection !
Click Above for your inspection !
Dear Japanese sword enthusiast,
We thank you for visiting our site. If you have decided to sincerely study the Japanese swords and sword-related subjects, you are welcome to join our organization, the SFNS ( San Francisco Nipponto Society ).
The annual membership fee is $ 175.
The lifetime membership fee is $450.
You can make a check payable to SFNS and send it to P.O. Box 12235, San Francisco, CA 94112. The annual membership covers the 2 hour weekly class x 53 weeks & 5 hour monthly classes x 12 months ( The total of 166 hours / 106 hours + 60 hours ).
You can bring your spouse and relatives for free attendance.
Subjects: Japanese language, Japanese history, sword history, Samurai diet, Japanese weaponry, Japanese sword appraisal method, special Kanji reading, special Mei reading, E-Bay Japanese sword auctions items, etc
Please see our subpages on these various, specific subjects. The links are at the bottom of this main page.
There is also an online exhibition of select pieces of the SFNS, located here: Exhibition Swords of the SFNS
The unique subjects covered at our Society's meetings:
1. Swords with Kizu ( Blemishes or flaws ) and pseudo-Japanese swords
Go to Kizu (Flaws) page
2. Kiri-saki ( Cutting tip ) proportion
Sample swords: Pseudo-Japanese swords, swords with Kizu
( You can hold them in your hands for inspection )
To get a sense of what will be covered at our meetings, we recommend you look at our page of Basic Questions, located here: Basic Questions
In addition, we suggest you visit our section of common topics and facts in the Japanese sword field: Did You Know?
The weekly and monthly Nipponto ( Japanese sword ) study meeting will be held at our Dojo ( Martial Art School ) in San Francisco.
Date: Every Friday evening
Time: 7 to 9 PM
We hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
Sensei ( Teacher ) /
SFNS ( San Francisco Nipponto Society )
( 415 ) 5 8 5 - 9 4 9 9
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Complimentary sword appraisals available at the meetings !
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A Warning for Newcomers to the San Francisco Japanese Sword Society
It is very dangerous to buy and collect Japanese swords without the proper knowledge.
The reasons include the following:
1. There are too many junk swords floating in the US. In the 1940's, there were many swords made by the Australian soldiers and by the Indonesians.
2. There are many non-handcrafted Japanese swords made recently in China, in the garages of the United States, and in Japan. We have the complete information on these non-Japanese swords or pseudo-Japanese swords.
For more information, visit our page on this controversial subject:
3. There are over 40 different kinds of possible Kizu ( Flaws or blemishes ) in the Japanese sword. If you cannot identify various Kizu & Hataraki ( Special effects ) in the Japanese swords, you will be wasting your precious time and money.
4. There are too many unscrupulous sword dealers in the US. They make shady manuevers in order to cheat good people out of their money! Our Society has met a lot of victims in the past 3 decades !
5. The majority of the Japanese swords found in the US are not polished. Therefore, we cannot see the Hamon ( Tempering line ), Ji-hada ( Texture ) and Hataraki ( Special effects ) to identify the swords' birthdate, production year, or swordsmith location properly.
6. If you cannot distinguish between the Hantanto-Gunto ( partially machine-made military swords ) & the Gendaito ( Modern-made swords ), you will be taken in by the unscrupulous sword dealers. These 2 sword types look very similar, but the true value of each type is totally different. The Hantanto-Gunto were mass-produced for warfare from 1938 to 1945 during WWII. The Gendaito were handcrafted by Japanese swordsmiths from 1868 to the present.
The 3 military swords are illegal to own in Japan. We cannot bring them to Japan for any reason. They will be confiscated and destroyed at the International Airport or International Postal Office.
1. Kikai-zukuri ( 100% machine-made ) military swords
2. Hantanto ( 1/2 machine-made military swords )
3. Manshuto ( Manchuarian made military swords )
7. There is currently no genuine non-Japanese swordsmith in existence outside of Japan. They are not swordsmiths, rather, they simple knife/tool-makers, or producers of replica swords! Master Nobuyoshi ( Mr. Keith Austin ) was the only Japanese Government certified swordsmith who was of non-Japanese nationality. He passed away in the Yuba City area ( Near Sacramento ) in 1997.
The final suggestion: Do not consider buying any Japanese swords before studying them well.
If you are interested in the controversy surrounding Japanese swords in this country, please visit this page: Fallacy of Japanese Swords
Attend our SFNS sword study meeting monthly and weekly for at least 3 months to adequately comprehend the Japanese swords.
During our weekly & monthly sword study meetings, we will discuss the above mentioned matters further. The weekly sword study meeting on every Friday evening at our Dojo (Martial Art School ) from 7 to 9 PM !!
1. Job training in the field of Japanese swords
2. Buying & selling Japanese swords in the E-Bay auctions
3. Japanese sword restoration skills ( Polish, cord wrapping, metal sleeve construction, scabbard and handle construction )
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