Team Bios
2017 Shinsa Team Members
Yoshikawa Eiichi:
Shinsa team head, director of the NTHK, curator of swords for the Japanese Imperial Household Agency, the Shosoin Imperial Repository and the Seikado Museum collection. Head of the Yoshikawa school of sword polishing and polisher to the Imperial Household. Mr. Yoshikawa participated in the 1997 shinsa in New York and Los Angeles under his father the late Yoshikawa Kentaro Sensei. Since his fathers passing he has headed the NTHK and besides regular lectures at the monthly meetings has been invited to make presentations at distinguished institutions such as the Seikado Museum and others. This year he was a featured speaker at the Seikado special exhibition; “Perfect Guide to the Japanese Sword.” Most recently headed the 2015 Shinsa Team at the Chicago Sword Show.
Okada Moriyoshi:
Shinsa team member, director of the NTHK and Chief Editor of Token to Rekishi. Joined the NTHK in 1988, became a member of the board of directors for the Osaka-Kobe branch in 1993, became a permanent member of same in 1995, became a member of the board of trustees of the NTHK in 1996, became a researcher for the shinsa team in 1997 and participated in the New York shinsa in October of the same year under the late Yoshikawa Kentaro Sensei. Became the chief editor of Token to Rekishi in 1999 and a full member of the shinsa team in 2000. Became a director of the NTHK in 2001. His special area of interest is Yamato den.
Iwamoto Toshiki:
In 1971 Mr. Iwamoto was employed by the Nakamiya Art Sword Shop. The Nakamiya Art Sword Shop is the longest established sword shop in Osaka. In 1990 Mr. Iwamoto went independent and established the Iwamoto Sword Shop in Osaka. In 1991 he took over as head of the Namihana Kodôgu Kenkyû-kai (Sword Fittings Research Society). The Namihana Kodôgu Kenkyû-kai was originally the Nihon Tôken no Gaisô no Kenkyû-kai (Japanese Sword Fittings Research Society) established by Dr. Suenaga Masao of Kansai University, which held monthly meetings. In the sphere of fittings research, the society’s intention was to carry out further research into tsuba makers and soft-metal fittings makers, drawing on the knowledge of the leading authorities on fittings in the Kansai area such as Mr. Naniwa Gofu and Mr. Nakamiya Keidô. Their meetings began around 1955, giving this society a rather long history.
Gordon Robson:
Gordon Robson became the translator and interpreter for the NTHK in 1985. He became a trustee, and a researcher for the shinsa team in 1999. In 2000 he was made an assistant to the shinsa team, and an editor for the journal Tôken to Rekishi in 2001. He became a full member of the shinsa team and a director in 2002. In 2014, Gordon was made a shinsa team member for both swords and fittings. Professor Robson has written extensively on the Kanabô School of Yamato and on Sengo Masazane. He has also written on the iron sukashi tsuba of Kyoto, Owari, Kanayama and Ko-Shôami as well as the fittings of the Ko-Gotô, Ko-Kinkô and Ko-Mino Schools. In addition to his translations for the NTHK, he has translated for the JSSUS, producing such works as The Art and the Sword series as well as the two-volume set Sue-Kotô, and the Kyomono no Ko-Meisaku. His areas of interest include the works of the Sue-Bizen School, Sue-Tegai School, the Kanabô and Fujiwara smiths of Nara, the Sengo School of Muramasa, the Shitahara School of Musashi and the Shimada School.
Jim Gilbert:
Shinsa team member, director of the NTHK, president of the New York Token Kai and vice president of the American branch of the NBTHK. He began studying Japanese art history in college and later developed an interest in swords and fittings. He joined the NTHK and began visiting Japan to study in the 1990's. He began volunteering at NTHK shinsa in the US in 1997 and formally joined the shinsa team as a researcher in 2002. He became a full member of the fittings shinsa team in 2004. His area of specialization is pre-Edo period tsuba and kodogu. He has published on the subject in the US and Europe.
Ogino Mitsuaki:
1971 joined the Hyaku-tô-kai. Around 1990, he joined the Katana-Yoroi-Kai and studied under Iida Kazuo Sensei. After that, he also studied with the NTHK, the Harugasumi-kai and other sword clubs. He is particularly interested in Kotô, especially Kamakura period works of the major schools. He also has a fondness for the works of Kotetsu and Shinkai. Mr. Ogino’s other interests are in collecting porcelain and in all kinds of other Japanese antiques.
Kawakami Yoichiro:
Assistant to the Shinsa team, and a third generation sword polisher, studying under Yoshikawa Eiichi Sensei. In January 2017 he was a featured craftsman at the Seikado special exhibition, “Perfect Guide to the Japanese Sword,” where he demonstrated the art of sword polishing.
Takemoto Fukukazu:
Takemoto san is assistant editor of the NTHK publication, To-ken to Rekishi.
