The 2011 NTHK Shinsa Team
The final members of the shinsa team will be announced shortly. Here is the team from the last shinsa in San Francisco 2010, Sydney's team will include most of these 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.
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.
Gordon Robson: Shinsa team member, translator and director of the NTHK. Has been a member of the NTHK since 1972. He became the translator and interpreter for the NTHK in 1986 and has studied kantei under Yoshikawa Kentaro Sensei and Kataoka Ginsaku Sensei. He served as researcher for the shinsa team before becoming a full member in 2000. Considered a leading expert on the Kanabo school, he has also specialized in Bizen den and in the kantei of yari and naginata. His translations and research articles appear in publications in the US and Japan. Prior to joining the shinsa team, his success at kantei at the NTHK placed him above competition.
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.
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.
Takemoto Fukukazu: Shinsa Team member, Director of the NTHK, longtime member and student of Yoshikawa Koen Sensei.
Kawakami Yoichiro: Assistant to the Shinsa team, and a third generation sword polisher, studying under Yoshikawa Eiichi Sensei.
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