Gentlemen and Ladies
Thank you for your responses, the reason for my dilemma is that I'm listing
these swords in a catalogue for an Museum exhibition for the general public
in the US. Like you all are, I am too, familiar with Shaku etc. I was
interested (seeing as what Japans secondary measurement is) seeing what your
secondary measurement was. Harry, I laughed myself to within a gnats c**k of
a heart attack, and you can't put that into metric either.
Can I just use this airtime to remind you all of the forthcoming "Tosho: The
Yoshihara Tradition of Japanese Swordmaking" Exhibition at the Pacific Asia
Museum in Pasadena CA. It is from March to June next year.(Just a little
topical side-note about myself, I cared for the swords in the British Museum
exhibition from when they were newly polished in 2000, up until Feb 2003).
Additionally the Pacific Asia Museum is a private, non-profit museum. They
are trying to raise the final $10,000 at the moment for the exhibition
catalogue, if anyone can assist it would be greatly appreciated. If you
would like to make a donation, please contact the Museum and specify that
the donation is for the catalogue. The catalogue will contain historically
interesting pictures of Shodai Kuniie, as well as photography of great
swords including A large katana by shodai Kuniie with a fantastic horimono,
Ono Yoshimitsu's Yamatorige (photographed by Fujishiro Okisato) and many
swords by the Yoshihara family members and former deshi. Please keep an eye
on the Pacific Asia Museum website for updates.
http://www.pacificasiamuseum.org/calendar/exhibits.htm
Yours, trying to bring Japanese sword exhibitions to the west.
Paul Martin
www.traditionaloshigata.com
>From: "Paul Martin" <pmartin6@...>
>Reply-To: token_kenkyu_kai@...
>To: token_kenkyu_kai@...
>CC: mastersword53777@yahoogroups.com, nihonto@yahoogroups.com,
>samuraihistory@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: Gendai Measurements ;-)
>Date: Sat, 30 Oct 2004 10:32:53 -0700
>
>My American Fellows
>
>I was wondering what system do you all use to measure your blades, seeing
>as no-one really wants to use shaku and Japans secondary unit is CMs. I
>believe that you are doggedly keeping the feet and inches part of
>imperialism (as well as gallons), is this still the case when it comes to
>Japanese swords, or do you make the exception in this case and use the
>metric system?
>
>Paul
>