Step into the world of samurai scholarship with this rare Edo period woodblock-printed reference manual, a surviving volume of 古今銘盡合鑑大全 (Kokon Meijin Gōkan Taizen) — an encyclopedic guide to Japan’s sword traditions, official ranks, historical lineages, and ceremonial implements.
This compact but extraordinarily dense handbook contains hundreds of detailed illustrations, charts, and technical explanations, documenting the knowledge a samurai, scholar, or craftsman would need in daily life. The pages include:
Sword & Blade Study (Nihontō)
- precise diagrams of katana, tachi, wakizashi, tantō
- classifications of hamon (blade temper patterns)
- nakago (tang) terminology and variations
- examples of blade curvature, tips, grooves, and signatures
- explanations of forging styles and functional differences
Ranks, Lineages & Historical Records
- charts of court ranks (官位) and official positions
- lists of warrior families, notable clans, and historical figures
- diagrams of heraldic symbols, crests, and named inscriptions
Ceremonial & Ritual Implements
- rare woodblock drawings of:
- ritual scepters
- temple tools
- spearheads
- military items
- explanatory notes on function and classification
A True Edo-Era Portable Encyclopedia
Despite the cover title being lost to time, the interior remains clean, complete, and deeply informative. Books of this type were used by:
- samurai retainers
- swordsmiths
- officials
- scholars and collectors
- traveling inspectors
Its illustrated pages show exactly how technical and cultural knowledge was catalogued before modern printing. This is an unusually rich example — not just text, but full-page diagrams, blade profiles, tool illustrations, and compact reference charts that are rarely preserved so well.
Perfect for:
Collectors of samurai history, nihontō, Edo-period books, museums, researchers, and anyone passionate about Japan’s warrior culture.
This volume is not only a study tool — it is a beautiful artifact of Japanese intellectual tradition.
