[Janel]

This post appeared on the International Netsuke Society Forum, written by "chonchon".

"The phone rang and my friend tells me that the really quite famous sword museum near here is to do a matchlock display for 4 months this winter. In the past they have proudly and studiously ignored Edo-Period guns which are on a lower order than Japanese swords. Or should I say 'in a totally different ballpark'? Their resident 'Gakugei-in' experts know nothing of these beautiful old guns, and they have asked our troop leader to do all the research for the exhibition rooms' information cards. Each gun will be displayed on a white-sheet-draped stand. He'll be arranging them in a) gun styles by geographical area of manufacture, and also styles as set by the 'Ryu-ha', Edo schools of shooting discipline. Many of the accoutrements used, such as banners, armour, targets, ball moulds, powder-testers, powder-flasks etc., will also be displayed. A bit like the Tea Ceremony!

Anyway, he wants me to lend not only a gun, but also the Netsuke flintlock lighter mentioned above in an earlier post, to be part of the display. Nothing quite like this has ever happened to me before. Feeling rather honoured/honored!

Well, this post is kind of Netsuke-related, so I thought readers might be forgiving."


-------The netsuke flintlock lighter is pictured on the INS forum: http://forums.netsuke.org/tool/post/netsuk...ntlock&trail=45

[Janel]

Addition from chonchon:

http://www.city.seto...glish/index.htm

Bizen-Osafune Tou-ken (katana & swords) Hakubutsu-kan Museum. They pride themselves on representing a long history of Bizen sword-making, and besides permanent displays of wonderful swords, they also do workshops on sword-making etc.

The Bizen area is full of craftspeople. This area has been famous for 1,000 years for its particular style of brown unglazed earthenware pottery, its swords, and later its gunsmiths.

[DFogg]

Thanks Janel, I will add that to my list. I appreciate it.