Jigoku Studios

Hi All
Just back from Sydney, feeling tired but pleased with the outcome of the Taikai/Shinsa.

While a couple of my blades got pink slipped (much to my surprise) I feel the trip down was well worth it. It was nice to catch up with some old faces and to meet some new ones, as well as put some faces to clients that I have known only through emails or phone calls. David’s talk on Gendaito was great despite some distractions from the back (Dave your focus was terrific). Adrian was busy juggling everything as always but was kind enough to remember to put his pants on before answering the door after having a sleep while guarding the Taikai room after hours….thank you Adrian.

My bujutsu student Isaac did an excellent job as Security…no one was going to get by without a metal scan including the Shinsa team LOL. I had a chance to catch up with Andrew Ickeringill (another Melbourne boy) who is studying to be a Togishi (sword polisher) in Japan. We discussed a number of things from reptile collections to graffiti art as well as possible future joint projects. His talk on his experience in Japan was professional and well presented, the room was silent for the whole duration as everyone listened intently.

John and his partner (Nihonto Australia) did an amazing job at juggling child responsibilities (and Tina and I know how hard that can be) and professionalism and had a fantastic range available over the two days. Craig (togishi of Gunto and Iaito) worked well at answering everyones questions at our table when I was not available.

Jerry from Melbourne was kind enough to loan me his sword for display that I had previously mounted… this sword also generated a lot of conversation as [1] it is a stunning example of a Hitatsura hamon especially for a Shinsakuto and [2] the Shinsa team couldn’t find out if the smith was still alive, and still cant. The blade is on the front page of the Jigoku Studios website and will be on display in the gallery in the next couple of weeks.

Scott from Enhance Wealth came down with us and was kind enough to donate his time to discuss the future of swords for investment and why now is the time to get into Nihonto instead of the more traditional investments. He was also kind enough to take a lot of photos and videos for me while I was busy with clients.

The 2011 Taikai Book will be available in a couple of weeks with only 100 copies published for the first edition (make sure you reserve a copy). I have to thank Jim and Terry for additional photos and videos some of which will be put up on youtube in the next week or so. More info on the book will be available in the next day or so.

In the lead up to the Shinsa I had some over ambitious ideas about what I would take and how I would present it, I had planned a number of unique artistic pieces as well as the standard buke zukuri koshirae all to be displayed under lights with discriptions of each. Unfortunately I had spent a lot of time on unavoidable day to day issues as well as the usual networking and accommodating requests from clients (all of whom I consider friends) all ways telling myself that I can squeeze them in. The end result was I ended up only taking about an eighth of what I wanted and still having to finish a couple of tsukamaki jobs and final lacquer polish on a couple of Saya there. Although I would have liked to have had it all completed and as planned I was pleased with the response I received from all that stopped by.
The Wakasa nuri was very popular as well as the Jabaramaki Tsuka giving me a chance to hear from collectors what type of tastes and styles they would like to have available as well as giving them a chance to discover styles they were unaware of. I will be finishing the remainder of the jobs that got left at home and will be making a number of them available for purchase over the next month or so. This will give people a chance to own some very unique pieces well below the cost of having it custom ordered.

All in all it was a great trip and it would not have been possible for us to have been there or for Jigoku Studios to exist as you know it if it was not for my amazing wife Tina who took time off work to help volunteer at the Shinsa and help keep me organised and the website on line…. Thank you Boo you rock.

Kam