Jarman International submitted to the Times Gallery a photo of sword expert Paul Martin being presented the Order of the Scottish Samurai’s (OSS) Ambassador Award by Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado, which was subsequently published in the gallery’s July 2026 edition.
An expert on Japanese swords, Paul received his OSS award in recognition of his contributions to Japanese sword culture and UK-Japan relations. Originally from England, Paul formerly worked as a curator at the British Museum. He has appeared in various documentaries related to Japanese swords, translated several major sword books and exhibition catalogs, and is a columnist with Sankei Shinbun’s JAPAN-Forward and martial arts magazine Hiden, among other activities.
The Times Gallery is a photo feature published by The Japan Times that covers mainly diplomatic and cultural exchange events.
JI is proud to call Paul a member of our Core 50 consultants. He wrote in his Core 50 profile that “I get to do what I love as my career, while being totally immersed in the culture and feeling very close to its history.” He is also a writer for Jarman-owned media Deep Japan, to which he contributed an article titled “The appeal of Japanese swords might not be what you think.”
Once again, congratulations to Paul on his achievement!