Japanese Art and Antiques

Only we, ourselves, in all the world, collect, specialize in, deal in, has a collection of, has knowledge of, and has web sites for, nearly EVERY sub-category of Japanese Art or Antiques; and this makes me unique in all the world - or so I am told.

Many collectors ask me about my knowledge and interest in Japanese Art. In reply, I wish to state, categorically, that my shop is unique in all Japan and that you can, nowhere, in any country, find another like it --- I say this because dealers and knowledgeable experts and others have told me so first, before I thought of it, so now let me tell you why I can make this statement:

From my University days, when I was 21, I have been primarily, a collector and then later, a dealer of Japanese Art.

I became a dealer after becoming a collector, and I became a dealer for the following reason: all the dealers from whom I was buying woodblock prints and samurai swords and armor, knew NOTHING about Japanese art, could not read any kanji characters, could not speak a word of the language and knew nothing of the culture, had no love for Japan at all, had not bought or studied or read any of the standard Japanese language reference books that were needed to know about major areas of Japanese Art, and most especially had no love of Japanese Art; they were only looking to make a profit and were equally comfortable selling Chinese Art or African Art or Modern Art or even modern reproductions of art, anything to make a buck. And each was not ashamed to say so!!! But I love Japanese Art, and have repeatedly made tremendous sacrifices in time and money, and put tremendous energy into becoming an expert in my chosen field.

I have over 1,000 books in my houses on Japanese Art, some costing over $1,000 each (for the big Samurai Sword Taikans such as Hizen Taikan and Bizen Taikan - on Munakata Shiko alone I have 35 volumes); I have spent all my time these last 36 years searching for and finding thousands and tens of thousands of Japanese Works of Art to collect and buy; I have travelled over 5,000,000+ airline and car miles doing all this; have held over 100,000 items of Japanese Art in my hands to examine and have sold, amazingly, over 10,500+ Japanese Samurai Swords to collectors to date (each registered adn counted by the Japanese Government), enough to fill several very large rooms to the ceiling, and I have done all this in dozens of areas or categories, which leads me up to what I am saying: I and only my shop in the entire world specializes in and features and offers and displays and sells Japanese Art across the entire glorious rainbow of Heian to Taisho periods, from Japanese Swords to Buddhist paintings hundreds of years old, from gold Inro and lacquer to shibui Japanese chawan. All other stores sell a single category such as Tansu and folk art, or Netsuke only, or online Samurai Swords bought from dealer's auctions and pawn shops where only dubious goods are offered up for low prices, or perhaps sell Ukiyo-e Prints only, etc. But check the list below to find out more:

Here are the Japanese Art and Tokyo Samurai Art areas that I am an expert in:

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I specialize in, offer, collect, display, sell, have knowledge of, (and offer web sites selling), and am a tremendous expert or near expert in all the following areas of high level Japanese Art and Antiques:

Japanese Samurai Swords: Tanto, Wakizashi, Katana, Daisho, Tachi, Koshirae Only: ( I have more on display that any other sword shop in Tokyo --- and more held back but for sale from my collection). I have beautiful fully mounted ones, Horimono engraved ones, fully equipped and Kinko mounted Samurai Swords, Shirasaya blades in polish, unpolished "ubu" swords, affordable swords, very fine ones, Juyo Koho (potential) swords, Meihin, Museum Class, Sword Books and rare Taikan, and much much more. We also are looking to buy Samurai Sword Collections.

Japanese Samurai Armor and Armour and Yoroi: Antique O-Yoroi, Buddhist Armor, Christian Armor, Kozane Yoroi, Meihin Signed Yoroi, Gold Dou, Gold Mon, Juyo Armor, Basic Armor, Samurai Armour Armor Parts, Maedate, Bagu, Saddles, Stirrups, Daimyo Garments Edo, more ... ( I have a dozen or two at most times and access to others)

Japanese Samurai Helmets / Kabuto: Muromachi, Momoyama, Edo, 62 Plate, 128 Plate, 32 Plate, Zunari Kabuto, Kawari Kabuto, Eboshi Kabuto, Armor Maedate (I have my Helmet Bowl / Hachi collection as well as pieces on display)

Japanese Samurai Mempo: Iron Samurai fighting face masks; including Full Somen - very rare - Mempo, Menpo, Kawari Mempo, Oni mempo, very enjoyable, very collectable, one tenth the price of African masks (see my sites)

Japanese Samurai Matchlock Guns: I am the top seller of matchlock guns in the world, but they are becoming very hard to find; (I have O-Zutsu, Chu-Zutsu, Wall Cannons, rare multi-barreled pistols, silver mounted rifles and a few museum pieces)

Japanese Samurai Sword Tsuba / Sword Guards Sukashi: (Cut Out Iron) (Only I have a web site featuring hundreds of these - not all shown) Akasaka Tsuba, Owari Tsuba, Signed Sukashi Tsuba, Onin, Goto, full Samurai Sword Mounts sometimes ...

Japanese Samurai Sword Kinko Tsuba: Soft Metal Guards of Shakudo and Shibuichi metal, the gifts of Daimyo (Visit my site - and I have more not shown); Goto signed Tsuba, Ishiguro, Ko-Kinko (a favorite of mine)

Japanese Samurai Sword Kozuka: Utility Knife (unmistakably I love these and have the largest collection in the world of Kinko ones - see my site. I have Goto signed and unsigned, Ko-Kinko from the Muromachi period, Goto Ichijo, Shakudo Nanako, Shibuichi, Mitokoromono, Futatokoromono)

Japanese Samurai Sword Fuchi Kashira: (Only I in the whole world have a site devoted to these; they come in two pieces to create a Samurai Sword handle, signed and unsigned, Goto, Ishiguro, Soten, more)

Japanese Samurai Sword Menuki: these go under the Samurai Sword handle to make the wrapping bulge so that a sweaty hand will not lose its grip at a vital moment (Signed, Unsigned, Tachi sized - Only my shop in the whole world has a site solely devoted to these, and I have many Menuki)

Japanese Samurai Sword Koshirae: Mounts only (These are the outside mounts without an interior blade - collectible, and easy and safe to display)

Japanese Samurai Sword Tachi: only Japanese Daimyo were allowed to carry low slung Tachi to visit The Lords of Edo (See my site). Very expensive, very desirable Many Juyo potentials here.

Japanese Samurai Sword Daisho: fighting pairs of Samurai Swords, hard to find but I sell the sets and also the mounts- (See my site)

Japanese Samurai Sword Stands / Tachi Stands: (very rare and hard to find as they deteriorate so easily due to daily wear - See my speciality site

Japanese Samurai Naginata and Yari: I like these and have more in stock than others, they cost less than swords yet are great for display and collecting

Japanese Ninja Armor: the chain mail is hidden, disguised underneath normal daily clothes

Japanese Buddhist Statues, Shrines, Paintings, and Art: rare and attractive Buddhist Scrolls and Paintings from the 13th century to the 19th century, Wood and Bronze Statues, Shrines, serene Kannon, Sculpture, Paintings, Religious items and antiques, Kamakura to late Edo

Japanese Antique Noh and Kabuki Masks: aren't our several sites the only ones in the world ? Noh, Kabuki, Noh Men, Wood, Edo paper, some signed, folk, kabuki, Edo, more

Japanese Gold and Lacquer Inro and Lacquerware: Inro, Gold Inro, Black on Black Inro, Suzuribako, Fubako, Muromachi to late Edo; one of my long-standing favorites, I have been collecting these since 1974

Japanese Sagemono and Netsuke: these are Japanese Tobacco Pouches with beautiful metal parts: Manju, Ojime, Kanamono

Japanese Zen Paintings: called Japanese Zenga, for example the big paint brush powerful suiboku circles: these are Japanese Zen paintings - very hard to come by but a lot of fun, Nantembo and his students, plus the early Suiboku Daruma Zen paintings

Japanese Woodblock Prints / Ukiyo-e: I have been collecting Ukiyo-e and Ukiyoe since 1972 so have hundreds on offer; Kiyonaga, Koryusai, Utamaro, Hiroshige, Hokusai, Kuniyoshi, Kunisada, shita-e on occasion for these, also shunga, Shin Hanga, Meiji Prints, and more

Japanese Shin Hanga: the rejuvenation of Japanese Ukiyo-e and Western Lithograph styles blended together since 1912 produced powerful and beautiful designs not found elsewhere; I have many examples of Hashiguchi Goyo, Kotondo, Shinsui

Japanese Shunga Erotic Prints, Woodblocks, Hanga: these are the Japanese Folk Art "Marriage Books" of Erotic Art, or erotic books, as well as prints, hand scrolls, and also rare original Edo period drawings used to create the prints

Japanese Scrolls and Japanese Scroll Paintings: Ukiyo-e style and Ukiyo-e painters also make these, in addition to: Utamaro, Bijin, Musha / Samurai, early Suiboku, Meiji, Kano, Monster Paintings, and much much more.

Munakata Shiko Prints, Woodcuts, Lithographs, Original Paintings, Books: Munakata Shiko has been called the Vincent van Gogh of Japan and I know and like and collect his paintings and prints. All price levels are offered.

Nichiren Shoshu Art and Antiques: paintings, shrines, scrolls, dedication prayers, related antiques found no where else; real art and antiques from the Nichiren Buddhists of Japan; shrines, scrolls, prayers

Japanese Early Porcelain: I like the early Kanbun and Genroku pieces, the Ko-Imari and the Ko-Kakiemon

Japanese Tea Ceremony Ceramics: although not a huge expert I still like them and have a site

Japanese Tansu, Funadansu, Baskets, Chairs: these are nice and fun to own and use but not high Japanese art, not made of gold and shakudo, but we have a few in the gallery.

Japanese Ivory, Okimono, Netsuke: I have many large Ivories, and some of the others. While one of my weakest areas is indeed Netsuke I like them and have some from time to time and do not understand how, if small, they are very desirable, but the large Ivories are not so collectable ...

Japanese Screens: related to Japanese Scrolls, I have some and plan to offer more.

Japanese Edo Period Antique Dolls: Samurai Dolls, Hina Dolls, Edo Dolls, ... just for fun.

Japanese Meiji Art, Bronzes, Shibayama, Statues, more: I have a number of pieces on offer at the gallery.

Korean Art, Chinese art and Antiques, Tibetan Art, Khmer Bronzes, Gandharan Schist Statues , Buddhist All Art, and Stone Statues: incredibly Japanese collections from the 1880s to the 1930s contain many very fine pieces from these fields: I have some.

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I also have a second company and gallery called Art Alliance Tokyo Ltd. and after extensive efforts to learn and buying over 100 books and 1000 catalogs and price related CDs from Paris at great expense and much time, I now can say my expertise is in:

Japanese Oil Paintings: 8 years ago I begun to study and buy these; I studied hard; prices are very very affordable compared to Western Oils; I have Japanese Oil Paintings from 1890 to 1965. We also, of course, offer Japanese Scroll Paintings as well as Nihonga and Zen Paintings.

19th Century Western Oil Paintings: I have one hundred, some 18th Century too, and including French, Italian, English, American, German, and Old Masters, and I am always looking for a partner gallery to buy more with, as there are some tremendously good deals available to me here.

Impressionist Oil Paintings, Lithographs, Bronzes, Drawings: Amazing at it may seem there are lot of these in Tokyo Japan, left over from the bubble days of the 1980s ... I have a few now, and have had Rodin, Degas, Renoir, Lautrec ... and more

Japanese Contemporary Art: by popular demand

also visit www.tokyo-samurai.com

#1) Here are 300 good photographs of the best of the best of Japanese Samurai Swords and Daimyo Tachi; many amazing pictures.

#2) Next, here are 240 more Daimyo Art and Culture photos that are equally gorgeous ... view these and you will better understand my 36 years of collecting, knowledge, taste, and experience.

#3) Here is a long list of what we sell, over 34 categories of Japanese Art and Antiques and links to sites offering some of each (or many of each)

#4) Here are 100 photos of Japanese Gold and Black Lacquer Inro

#5) Click here to see 100 Japanese Scroll Paintings from the Kamakura Era to the early 20th Century; most are Edo.

#6) And then here are 240 Japanese Buddhist Works of Art, 6th Century to Meiji; Shrines, Statues, Paintings, Zen, Nichiren, More ...

#7) Japanese Samurai Swords have small knives secreted in a scabbard side pocket; click here to see 280 photos of some of these "Kozuka"miniature masterpieces that I have in gold, silver, shakudo, shibuichi, iron.

#8) Some of the most beautiful art that I have are my Fuchi-Kashira which are the metal ends of the Samurai Sword handles - look and see for yourself, they are amazingly beautiful...

#9) Here are 720 pictures of Japanese Sword Guards or "Tsuba"; they come in all materials as well as sizes and shapes with as always much imagination and inventiveness. You can see Goto, Ishiguro, Ko-Kinko, Akasaka Sukashi, and more.

#10) Wrapped under the sword handles are tiny metal Menuki - these make the handle bulge in two different places so it does not slip from the Samurai's grip at a crucial moment; again, tiny little gold masterpieces of incredible beauty.

#11) And all these "fittings" would be nothing without a Samurai Sword Blade to go inside; click here to see over 100 and their full sets of mounts too. Some of these are rare enough that you will not find them yet in any museum.

#12) Japanese Netsuke and Inro go together with purses and pouches, held closed with more beautiful Japanese metalwork called "Sagemono" and "Kanamono"; I have a small collection posted here.

#13) Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist Scrolls and Shrines: 48 photos, nearly all rare Edo pieces

#14) Certainly in the area of Japanese Antique Matchlock Guns I am the #1 dealer in the world; I have rare museum pieces, with gold and silver inlay; I have 3 barreled, 6 barreled, wall cannons called O-Zutsu, and more.

#15) Bijin Scrolls are paintings of beautiful and elegant Japanese ladies in the Utamaro and Hokusai Ukiyo-e style

#16) Only the Daimyo Lords of Japan could carry Tachi (swords that hung down on hangers); they also indulged themselves and each other with such playthings as swords mounted in solid gold (although prohibited by the Shogunate!) See my small collection here.

#17) One need not be a Buddhist to enjoy the serenity and tranquility of a Buddhist Scroll Painting on the wall of your home ...

#18) A few woodblock prints by the famed Taisho and Showa artist Ishikawa Toraji.. Hashiguchi Goyo is next.

#19) Rare Mempo, Somen, Kawari Kabuto - These are not all mine so tell me what you like and I will see what I can locate for you.

#20) Japanese Woodblock Prints are famed throughout the world for their grace, elegance, and beauty. Here are 168 photos from my collection of Shin Hanga (1927 era semi-Westernized prints) by such famed artists as Hashiguchi Goyo, Kotondo, Toraji, Munakata Shiko, Shinsui, Hasui, and more.

#21) I need help selling my collection: job information is here.

#22) Japanese Shunga Erotic Prints are interesting,unique, affordable.See a few of our large selection HERE

#23) Edo Jida iUkiyo-e WoodblockPrints --- we have so many- see a few HERE

#24) And then just woodblock prints in general --- I made a quick catalog of about 100 selected ones HERE

See our site www.buddhist-artofjapan.com
for information on these Khmer 15th century and
Gandhara 3rd Century works

See our site www.buddhist-artofjapan.com
for information on these Khmer 15th century and
Gandhara 3rd Century works