Poem: The Steel Warrioress

The inspiration bug bit me pretty hard tonight (well, technically this morning, since my schedule is akin to that of a vampire). I was looking at some photos of my swords and got inspired to [again] write a poem about them, so I sat here and scribbled in my notebook like a woman possessed and then typed it all out on Word. Sappy, I know; I'm sure those tough hunks of steel are all incredibly embarrassed. I will post the photos that were my inspiration randomly around the poem. Hope you enjoy my random sappiness!

The Steel Warrioress

Copyright 2011 by Midori T. Kawakami

In the moonlight, she glistens

Atop rumpled silk, by lantern light she shines

In silent snow, she boldly makes her presence known.

She freely converses with old warrior and dignitary alike,

For she is both old warrior and dignitary.

Peace keeper.

Gate keeper.

A relic of the past, she sings the songs of the old heroes in a language long forgotten,

Heroes nearly unknown to this time, yet made legend in spite of it.

Loyal to her lord, she will forever serve him

And will serve the new lord in the old lord’s stead,

For human life is fleeting; a season

A cherry blossom on the breeze,

Yet she is immortal.

Limitless and proud.

Ageless, so long as her lord is as dedicated to her as she to him,

Lest she become dullen and rusted.

A glimpse of the past.

A treasure of the future.

She will serve her myriad masters by spilling blood

So they will not be forced to spill their own.

Rest, proud warrioress, rest.

Your job is done.

You’ve fought your battles.

No more is there a lord to serve.

Now the nameless masses admire your beauty,

Deadly masterpiece that you are.

The souls of our ancestors reside within your cold body, speaking to us over a sea of  time.

You can sleep now; sleep for the ages

Safe

Until your service is needed once again. 

Sword Buyers Guide Reviewer Profile: Midori Kawakami

Reviewer Profile: Midori Kawakami

                                       

Name: Midori T. Kawakami

Age:  28

Collecting Since:  Knives: Some time in 1987; Swords: Summer of 1998

Customized Kris Cutlery Katana

Why I Collect: Ever since I was very young, I've always had a fascination with world history and mythology. Of course there is a direct correlation between the advancement of civilization and the development and use of weaponry. Swords, to me, are the apex of this development. Over the eons, they have conquered nations, kept the order and dethroned tyrants, to name a few of their varied and colorful accomplishments. Alexander the Great didn't conquer his vast empire with guns, after all.

But with the advancements in metallurgy came advancements in society; codes of honor and conduct to live by. The men and women who lived by the sword were noble and adhered to high moral and ethical codes, such as Chivalry and Bushido. They fought the holy wars of their day and defended their homes from those they believed would harm their land and their way of life. Swords have been fundamental, like a sharpened key, to advancing civilization. No other weapon has held so much sway for so long as the sword has, and it continues to be a symbol of this--the hopes, fears and dreams of a species--to this day.

Source: http://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/파일:Seven-Branched-Sword.jpg

Swords have played every bit as large a role in mythology and folklore as in history. It is said in an old Shinto legend that the Goddess dipped her blade into the ocean and the water droplets that fell from it became the islands of Nihon (Japan). Even now, some temples in Japan keep swords enshrined in them. They are typically average sized swords (though some are huge) made specifically for use by the gods.

The Norimitsu Temple Sword, Forged in 1447. Source: http://japantrip.tripod.com/nodachi/norimitsu.html 

The Mabinogion speaks of the quest of Kulhwch to win the hand of Olwen. One of the tasks set before him and his party was to procure the sword from Wrnach the Giant, with the help of his cousin, King Arthur. Kei, a friend of Arthur, pretended to be a craftsman and approached the giant, offering to polish his sword. Kei then polished Wrnachs' sword before killing the giant with it.

And there are many more such tales, both old and new. Far too many to reasonably list here, and all worth researching.

Another, simpler reason is that I've always been interested in martial arts and have always been attracted to shiny things, but not the shiny things most girls are attracted to. I could really care less about jewelry and clothing et cetera, but show me a Juyo Token in art polish and I go weak in the knees. Of course, my knowledge of swords wasn't always as extensive as it is now and the more I learn the more I realize I really don't know. I must credit much of my knowledge to my fiancé, as he is a man possessed and obsessed when it comes to swords and their histories. We are a match made in sharp, pointy heaven.

The iaitos my fiancé and I use.

My Collection:

One of my early attempts at an 'artsy' sword photo. Pictured top to bottom: Bugei Bamboo, Shinshinto Wakizashi, Japanese-made Iaito, Practical Plus Wakizashi

Note: This list encompasses both my collection and that of my fiancé, as they share space as we do and we share them. I will note the ones that truly belong to each of us, as there are a few we're rather possessive over.

Rittersteel Odachi

Unidentified Adorable Tiny Tanto (Midoris)

Hanwei Antiqued Swept Hilt Rapier (Midoris)

Four Japanese-made Iaito (Two of which are customized)

Bushido Demigod Katana: Customized

Hanwei Practical Plus Tanto: Customized

Hanwei Nami Iaito: Customized (Midoris)

Dynasty Forge Okatana: Customized (Kevins)

Bugei Bamboo Katana: In the process of restroation (Midoris)

Oni Forge Bushi (Midoris; will be customized)

Last Legend Field Mark IV: Customized (Kevins)

Kris Cutlery Folded Katana: Customized (Midoris)

Shinshinto Wakizashi: In the process of restoration (Midoris)

Yoroi Doshi Made by Shannon Boyles on SFI (Kevins)

Chubby Little Tanto made by Shannon Boyles on SFI (Midoris)

Many bits and pieces of antique koshirae sets (Not a sword obviously, but it is sword furniture)

Many other assorted knives, weaponry, armor and training equipment; of note is a particularly gnarly set of gauntlets with claws on the fingers and spikes on the backs of the hands.

Pending:

Custom Wakizashi from Shannon Boyles of SFI

Kensei Satsuma Odachi

Two Pavel Bolf Katana

Munetoshi Kumo Katana

(We have apparently sold off more of our swords than I realized! Time to expand again!)

My Wish List: I want two of every bladed weapon ever made; an antique and a modern, functioning reproduction of it!

Also high on my list are fine Nihonto, custom made blades, a well-made unokubi zukuri (in honor of my sensei) and some well made Euros, as I don't have nearly enough of them. I'd love a few ATrims and some work by Brenno of Fableblades, as his swords are exquisite and extraordinary.

Also very big wants: Dynasty Forge, Kensei, well-made Filipino blades.

All I really want out of any sword, save for historical accuracy and proper shaping, is that they perform as they should, are generally attractive and are reasonably priced. I will make price exceptions for a few things (customs, well-preserved Nihonto); to date, I have not had to compromise on this point.

About My Reviews: I feel that I am in a rather unique position; I used to work for a sword manufacturer and vendor and have had the opportunity to handle literally thousands of blades. If I had any questions as to how a sword performs, is shaped, or if it is a good value for the money, all I had to do is pull the sword in question from our warehouse shelves and play with it for a while.  As an iaidoka, fencer and collector, I am a harsh critic and feel I hold myself and the blades that pass through my hands to a very high standard. I truly hate to see someone get a real stinker of a sword when I personally know they can have much better for the same (or very close) price. I look at swords with a very critical eye when considering one for purchase, or one to recommend to someone.  I would never recommend anything I would not use myself to someone willing to listen.

Old Warriors at the Dojo

 I realize that my reviews could potentially save people a lot of money, but I also realize that they could cost people money as well, and feel there are ethical standards that must be met and a harsh honesty that must be doled out in these reviews. I do my best to meet those standards with every review I write, even meeting pieces I truly love with a very critical eye. I want the people who read my reviews to know exactly what to expect from the sword in question before they take the plunge so that they will be happy with whatever they do purchase in the end.

Hopefully my reviews will entertain, perhaps educate and possibly help those looking for a sword but not knowing exactly what they want or maybe not knowing what to look for.

                                       

Edo-era tsuba from my collection

Review Index:

Munetoshi T-10 "Kigan" Review

Munetoshi Korean Sword "Yuki" Review

Munetoshi T-10 Sword, "Light Cutter" Review

Hanwei Practical Plus Wakizashi Review

Hanwei Nami Iaito Review

Japanese Mogito Review

A Review for April Fools

Review: The Bugei Bamboo (Part One)

                                

This is where we used to live...

Sincerely,
                                          

Me and my girl Freya, not long after we rescued her.

Midori T. Kawakami
Snakewoman, madwoman, swordswoman and 'sword snob'

For more information, please visit SBG Sword Forums

Kendo Haiku

By Midori T. Kawakami

Saturday morning
Sounds of kiai and shinai
Music to my ears.

My Thoughts on the History of the Sword

Swords were a vital and fundamental part of shaping our history and who we are as a global society today. Nations rose and fell by the blade; yes, people died, but lives were saved as well. Heroes were born and turned into legend through the eons.

It is in our basic nature to struggle for dominance and squabble for resources. The human animal is the only one on the planet that can rationalize and rise above these base impulses, or invent reasons to continue them. It's what truly sets us apart from our animal neighbors, cousins and ancestors.

History has shown time and again that most technological advances are invented in and because of the military and are then spread through the masses. The military is why we have commercial jets and the internet, why we have put a man on the moon, hundreds in orbiting space stations and are now looking to the stars again, dreaming of colonizing other worlds. This would not have been possible without the need for these things during wartime; the internet was an effective means of communication, planes too were weapons and we were after all trying to prove our dominance by placing a man on the moon before any other nation. This would not have been possible without the advent of the sword.

The sword paved the way for advances in weaponry and other wartime technologies, which were later implemented in times of peace. And now, obsolete as weapons, they are a reminder of our long and colorful past and of the wonders and achievements of this animal called man. They are works of art, means to better ourselves through meditation, and hone our minds and bodies as practitioners of the sword arts. They are a reminder of the thousands who died so we could be who we are and have what we have today. Without them, we would have become a different animal indeed.

Swords have an almost mystical feel to them, especially the old ones. We wonder who held it in their hands and why they may have taken up arms. We stare in awe at the wondrous past that we cannot go back and see firsthand, but can see traces of through the blade. We can see the ingenuity and necessity in those that came before us, and we can read about their successes and failures. And maybe, just maybe, we can feel a sort of kinship with them, with the past, through these blades that they have left for us to be in awe of.

Going Crazy Without Kendo

Konbanwa.

Due to recent ickybugs of creepin' crud, I've missed two whole weeks of kendo. I'm beginning to go a little stir crazy and get kind of depressed without it (my schedule is totally messed up now, too). I wasn't always such a kendo baka, but I guess I've become one. It's really grown on me, and is helping me to round out my art as a whole.

Plus, you get to smack people with bamboo swords. Great stress relief and a ton of  fun.

While kendo on the surface seems to have little practical application in modern society, I personally feel that isn't the case. It's a great workout. It helps discipline the mind and hone the body. It creates great bonds between people. Granted, it's not an art one studies for self defense, it's an art one studies for personal betterment. I think most of us could use a little personal betterment whether we want to admit it or not.

So I'm hoping I'll be going to my dojo on Tuesday. If not, I may have to spar my sweetie to get my fix! Hopefully we're both feeling better by then. Stupid ickybugs.

My Art is NOT Better Than Your Art: Respect Stylistic Differences (Rant)

Konbanwa!

I was speaking with a friend this evening who does Haidong Gumdo, a Korean sword art. She linked me to a post on a sword forum that showed a video of a very skilled Gumdo practitioner doing a paper-cutting demonstration. While Gumdo is very different from my own Iaido, I can appreciate it as such. I think it's a fascinating art to watch, though as far as learning, I will stick with Iai.

However, that wasn't what our discussion was about. In the comments, someone (with no martial experience that I know of) dubbed it as 'silly' and said that he 'could not take the practitioner seriously'. There's two things here that I take serious issue with: 'Armchair experts' with no practical knowledge chiming in on matters they really have no clue about, and actual practitioners with a superiority complex.

Seriously guys, get over yourselves.

I'm classically trained in Koryu (traditional art). My Koryuha of choice is Kashima Shinto Ryu through the Iai Tatedo Federation. My art suits me. Does that mean that it's superior to someone else's art? No! Does that mean someone else's art is superior to mine? Again, no. Does that mean my art is right for everyone? For the third time, no. And not all arts would suit me, either. As martial artists, why can't we see the value in arts different from our own, respect them for what they are, and let it go instead of bickering about lineages, how that chiburi looks stupid compared to the one so-and-so learned at such-and-such dojo or how that school under-performs compared to this other one? Why must we argue over the validity of learning from books and videos versus a qualified instructor, whether MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) are better than Koryu or the arts from one locality better than another? Can't we all just get along?

As for the 'armchair experts', while of course no amount of writing or talking is going to change the fact that the peanut gallery will always have a running commentary on something, I would like to encourage those who feel it's necessary to comment on something with no practical experience in the subject themselves to receive formal training from somewhere before expressing an opinion on the subject. It's difficult to form a valid opinion on a topic with no practical experience in-hand, and even harder to be taken seriously as a commentator or a practitioner without it. I would also like to add that discretion is the better part of valor and if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. Most armchair experts would never voice these opinions to a martial artist's face, but feel comfortable and secure behind the relative anonymity of a computer screen. If they said the sort of things they type to a martial artist in person, they would be ignored, laughed at or, worst case scenario involving some of my more hot-headed MA brothers and sisters out there, shown just how effective the techniques they're making fun of really are.

[/rant]

For the record, I believe that a good MMA school is just as good as a Koryu, and that there is much to be learned from good instructional books and videos, but that nothing can replace a good instructor, no matter what martial art you're interested in and why. Books and videos are great supplementary education, but not without proper basic training from a qualified instructor. Without a good set of basics, it's more difficult to grasp proper technique application that you find in books and videos. Using a technique improperly could get you injured or make a bad situation worse if you fail to subdue an attacker and proceed only to anger them. Learning the basics from a professional is not just essential as a stepping stone on the path of the way of the warrior; it could save your life.

One more thing I'd like to address: McDojos. Please, do your research before paying your dues to a dojo. Watch for 'chain dojos' that seem to have an office in every city near you. These places are out to make a buck, not really teach you how to fend off an attacker. Whether you want to learn a traditional art or a contemporary one, please choose your school wisely. Get a more experienced friend to check it out for you if you're uncertain. These places are okay if you're only looking for a workout in a setting other than a gym and to build self-confidence, but will not teach you a real martial art, so be cautious when choosing.

Sword Poem

Konnichiwa!

I got kind of inspired and wrote a poem in honor of my favorite sword. Enjoy.

Ode to A Blade

By Midori Kawakami (copyright 2011, Midori Kawakami)

What is there to be said about someone who would fight with you

Die for you.

What can one say?

You’re my perfect partner in this dance of death

Wearing armor of blue

I reach for you in unfettered trust

You take my hand.

Back to back in the bamboo grove

The leaves the color of fall

Together we await our destiny

As other partners gather for the dance

Some comrades, some enemies

Only the strongest will remain standing.

I place my faith in you

You wordlessly place your trust in me

And we dance to the sacrificial dirge

The song of the battlefield

Until only our comrades remain on the field with us

And the stream flows crimson.

We take our leave

I silently thank you for fighting with me as I cleanse the blood from you

For being willing to die for me.

And again I wonder

For one whom fights with you without question

Who is willing to die for you

What can one say?

Introduction: Safety First!

Konbanwa Blogosphere! ^ ^

 My name is Midori and I'm a sword addict. I collect, study, eat, breathe and sleep swords. Swords are also my livelihood, as I repair and customize them for a living. At any given time, my house is full of them. I have so many, I forget about some of them. Their images (as well as information about them) take up the memory on my computer. Books on their history, use and manufacture line my desk. I couldn't imagine my life without them.

That being said, I'm also a martial artist. I've been studying sword arts since I was fifteen. I began with Italian fencing, then moved on to Japanese Sword Arts (hereafter referred to as JSA) seven years later. I now practice Kashima Shinto Ryu Iaido and Kendo, as well as several unarmed arts (more on those in a later blog). Recently, I've noticed I've been building a good amount of muscle and dropping weight because of practicing my martial arts, and it has also improved my mood, confidence, posture, balance and concentration. So I decided to start a blog about it and chronicle my results, as well as sharing some things about swords that you may not otherwise find unless you joined a dojo. ;)

However, I would like to start with one admonishment, THE most important, golden rule: Safety First.

 Safety is a very important factor in any martial art, especially when dealing with large, sharpened blades. Whether practicing a form with a sensei, cutting waterbottles in the backyard for fun or sparring with shinai (bamboo swords), one must always be aware of their surroundings, the space they have, and how close or far people and pets may be. Swords are weapons, not toys, and the proper respect is due to them as such. More information on that is available here.

Well, this has been my first blog, hope you enjoyed; I'll be sure to make the next one less awkward, but I am very new to this game!

Ja ne,

-Midori.