Martin, Paul Japanese Sword and Armor. Masterpieces from Thirty of Japan's Greatest Samurai Warriors

In "Japanese Swords and Armour", samurai sword expert Paul Martin presents numerous magnificent blades, fittings and armour from the 12th to 20th centuries that belonged to 30 of the most famous warriors and leaders in Japanese history, including: A wooden sword commissioned and owned by Miyamoto Musashi, Japan's greatest swordsman; An exact replica of the sword he wielded in the legendary duel on the island of Ganryu-jima; The Tachi blade carried by Tokugawa Ieyasu, founder of the Tokugawa shogunate and powerful unifier of Japan - and later presented to the Meiji Emperor; The katchu (armour) of Minamoto no Yoshitsune, hero of the Genpei Wars, which was later presented as a votive offering to the Kasuga Shrine in Nara; The naginata (halberd), which was the weapon of choice of Tomoe Gozen, Japan's famous female samurai, and immortalised in the classic "Tale of Heike"; And many more! These masterful works of art are presented in 200 richly detailed colour photographs, including eight double fold-out pages. Many of these objects, which rival the world's greatest military artefacts, have been designated as national treasures or important cultural properties by the Japanese government, reflecting their importance to the samurai, their culture and to the nation and people of Japan.