Observed arrival · 2026-08-28
HAMON, a Field Guide to Reading Japanese Swords
A compact guide teaches travelers how to examine Japanese swords through five stages of formal appraisal, alongside small tours in Tokyo, Bizen, and Kyoto.
Field notes
The guide organizes viewing into five fixed stops, beginning with the blade’s silhouette and ending with the tang, where signatures, file marks, and oxidation are examined. It also reproduces an illustrative Tōroku Shōmeisho registration record, including a 70.3 cm blade length, 1.8 cm curvature, and Japanese-language measurement labels. The homepage connects this teaching material to listed appraisal-led tours in Tokyo, Bizen, and Kyoto, while tour availability and pricing are not shown.
Observed signals
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Editorial observations of this landing page, not a rating.
One card from the complete issue