About
Hello.
My name is Michael and for the last 15 years I have been a student of the classical martial arts of Japan, currently living and working in Tokyo. Due to my interest in old manuscripts, I started to more actively collect and study those related to the schools I´m following and those of other schools that sparked my interest due to their content, the way they were made or how they were preserved.
The written transmission of content in regard to the martial arts can be referred to as densho 伝書, written transmission or according to jisho.org “book or scroll that has been handed down through generations; book of secrets”.
Densho come in a variety of designs, most common are the scroll type (makimono) or book type, but also orihon (booklets) were not uncommon. The content varied from school to school, from simple lists of techniques, elaborate explanations, simple or sophisticated drawings. They described the history or philosophy of the school, were used as student registration documents or would explain how to deal with exponents of other schools in terms of conflict management. Works on battlefield strategy, first aid or religious practices were not uncommon either. The level of sophistication depended on the social position of the issuer or receiver. A scroll dedicated and awarded to a Daimyo was of much more artistic value then let´s say a common bushi. In some cases, the person issuing the document would commission a professional artist and order very sophisticated drawings of high artistic value, in full color and rich in detail.
One of the big challenges is the correct preservation and handling of those centuries’ old documents. Inevitably, this can cause some headaches, in particular if the documents one previously purchased are not in good condition. Over the years I have seen documents suffering from bug holes, water damages and even burn damages. Seeing those items, I feel reluctant to actually engage in handling them, for fear of further damage. I thought it would be nice to show them around, share them with like minded students, but how, if not for exposing them to potential danger by mishandling or other external influences? Of course, have them as JPGs on an iPad is convenient, but it is just not the same as with actually handling a scroll.
Thanks to several people in Europe who gave me the inspiration, I decided to try to preserve them from a less traditional, more modern point of view, where content matters more than the original mounting. I fabricated high-resolution photographs of each document (all of the makimono type) and digitally cleaned them on my local PC, relying on the vast amount of functionality included in software such as GIMP. I looked into traditional ways of mounting makimono, got in touch with sellers specialized in the production of Japanese paper (washi) or the manufacturing of the typical end caps (called jikusaki) each makimono is equipped with. I tried (and still am) to make my own covers but am currently also using covers made by a shop in Kyoto. After preparing the digital basis for the replica, I print them on strong, 90cm long washi, prepare the cover as well as the jiku and mount everything together. The result of those hours in the workshop I would like to present on this page. Some I only did for myself, some for friends, others I will offer for sale. They are all somehow related to the classical martial arts and samurai culture and I hope that even without owning the original, the replica can provide a small glimpse into a form of traditional Japanese culture which has been and still is an integral part of the transmission of classical martial arts.