Product Description
-------------------
The Japanese ... prized as much for its exceptional beauty
as for it s deadly cutting ability. It has endured for a thousand
years as the pinnacle of Japanese culture. Now you can enter a
world rarely seen by outsiders. To experience the true story of
the Art of the Samurai . A story told in the smiths own
words that separate the myth from the fact. Follow the
smiths dream of creating a masterpiece. From the quest to
making an ancient steel to forging a blade equal to those of the
Kamakura, a medieval period that produced the greatest s in
history. For the martial artist the Japanese is a precise
cutting weapon and symbol of the Samurai. For the collector, it
is an art form whose beauty is derived from its deadly function
to cut. As our story of the Japanese unfolds, we bring
together all the artists and craftsmen whose skills turn it into
both a modern work of art and a window into the past. Produced in
association with Paul Martin, a leading Japanese expert and
filmed across Japan with the very best smiths and craftsmen,
each one a master of their art. With unrestricted access we take
you inside the forges and workshops to reveal techniques that
until now have been the craftsmens best kept secrets. Follow us
into the Shinto shrine and museums to look back at the history of
the Japanese which also parallels the history of the
Samurai. If that s not enough for Samurai enthusiasts we feature
the school of Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto-ryu, Japan s oldest
school where fighting is still taught in the
traditional way of the Samurai. Art of the Japanese is a
truly unique exploration of one of the worlds most beautiful yet
deadly weapons. Featuring the following smiths: Kawachi
Kunihira, Matsuda Tsuguyasu and Manabe Sumihira and more. One
Japan s top sellers of Japanese s includes the DVD Art of
the Japanese with each sale, a testament to the quality and
accuracy of this unique documentary.
Review
------
Art of the Japanese is a new documentary from Empty Mind
Films that focuses not only on Japanese s themselves, but on
the many detailed aspects of their production and use. The first
thing worth mentioning is the quality of the footage. The unique
processes through which blades are made, from initial steel
production through forging, folding, quenching, shaping and
polishing are all shown in clear detail. This has the effect of
giving continuity to the various stages, bringing them to life in
a way that step- by-step photos in a book cannot. This DVD
contains many interviews with craftsmen from different
traditions, and the filmmakers have made the sound decision to
subtitle them in English. This gives the viewer a chance to get a
feel for the personalities of the craftsmen, and is much
preferable to watching long stretches of voice-over. As objects
of artistic value, the beauty of the Japanese stems from
fine detail, so it follows that they are the product of some very
subtle and refined labour. Essentially, the value of this
documentary is in its re that s are not made all at
once. Rather they are the cumulative result of the slow and
careful work of multiple craftsmen. The narrative takes care to
depict and explain all aspects of the process, right down to
tsuka-wrapping, engraving, saya carving and more. Watching this,
one can really appreciate how any given stage, no matter how
fine, slow or small, contributes to the final product. Footage of
the work is alternated with interviews with the workers, and we
come to understand that in a sense, their distinct personalities
become part of the blades they produce. Kawachi Kunihara, one of
the many smiths featured, states adamantly that a , ... does
not cut well because it is beautiful. It is because it is
designed to cut well that it became beautiful. Art of the
Japanese conducts a thorough examination into our
fascination with s, and the curious notion that an object
created for the express purpose of cutting people could be so
beautiful in and of itself. Aside from s themselves, there
are also sections that explore how s are used. There is a
brief section on kendo, an explanation of Tenshin Sh den Katori
Shint -ry , Japan s oldest martial art school, and a section on
the relationship between s and Shinto, Japan s native
animistic religion. In short this is an excellent documentary and
a must-have for anyone with an interest in Japanese s. Kendo
World Magazine, August 2011. --Kendo World Magazine
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About the Actor
---------------
Kawachi Kunihira, Matsuda Tsuguyasu, Manabe Sumihira, Tsubouchi
Suketada, Kawashima Masaki, Ando Hiroyasu, Ishida Kunihisa, Morii
Tetsutaro, Matsumura Sotaro, Otake Risuke.
About the Director
------------------
Filmmaker Jon Braeley has been travelling throughout Asia for
over 25 years and has spent the last 12 years documenting the
culture of China, Japan and India and in particular, the martial
arts.
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