While a legitimate free PDF does not exist, the effort to locate a physical copy through a library or a reputable bookseller is a worthwhile investment in your trading education. Understanding the methods of Seiki Shimizu—from the "divine power" of the number three to the use of charts as a trader's "whiskers"—provides a powerful, timeless edge in any market.

Since its publication, the Japanese Chart of Charts has been cited in at least spanning fields such as information design , Japanese studies , and urban planning . Notable works include:

Limitations and Critiques No taxonomy is neutral. Any chart-of-charts will reflect choices about which chart types are canonical and which are marginalized. Some expressive or experimental visualizations may be omitted as “edge cases.” Cultural biases and disciplinary traditions influence which encodings are emphasized; for example, network graphs and geospatial visualizations can require different design considerations that may not fit neatly into a compact grid. Additionally, a static chart-of-charts can’t demonstrate interactivity—an increasingly important dimension of modern visualization where tooltips, filtering, and animation add meaning.

Sites like AbeBooks or Alibris often have the English translation (published by Tokyo Futures Trading Publishing Co.).

Shimizu’s approach is distinct from modern, algorithmic trading. It is humanistic.

During the 1960s–1980s, the coincided with advances in printing technology (phototypesetting, offset printing) and the rise of professional graphic design schools (e.g., Tokyo Zōkei Gakkō). Designers like Yasuyuki Matsumura and Kiyoshi Kurosawa pushed the boundaries of how data could be turned into visual narratives.

If you cannot find a legitimate free PDF, or if you wish to support the preservation of financial history, consider these alternatives:

If you have ever looked at a candlestick chart, you owe a debt to the techniques detailed in Seiki Shimizu’s seminal work, The Japanese Chart of Charts . Originally published in Japanese and later translated into English, this book served as one of the first bridges between Eastern technical analysis and Western traders.

If you struggle with overtrading due to market noise, change your chart type from standard candlesticks to Heikin-Ashi. Look for consecutive candles without wicks on the trailing side to identify strong, stable trends. Step 2: Focus on Multi-Candle Window Formations

Moreover, at agencies such as Dentsu and Hakuhodo occasionally reference the book to teach junior designers about cultural specificity in chart design—emphasizing that a chart’s effectiveness depends not only on data accuracy but also on its alignment with local visual expectations.

: Published by the Tokyo Futures Trading Publishing Co., the book was the primary resource for early Western adopters like Steve Nison, who used it to build his own investigative framework.

While modern platforms like TradingView make these charts accessible with a single click, Shimizu’s book explores the behind the patterns, offering a depth that automated indicators often miss. Why This Book is a Must-Read for Traders

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Shimizu emphasized "windows" (known as gaps in Western trading). A window that remains unfilled over several sessions confirms the strength of the prevailing trend, acting as a major support or resistance zone. Step 3: Combine Japanese Price Action with Western Momentum

The book is uniquely valuable because it goes beyond simple single-candle patterns (like dojis or hammers) and introduces complex, multi-candle configurations that indicate macroeconomic shifts in trend momentum. Core Technical Concepts in the Book

The book emphasizes that time is as important as price. Shimizu teaches traders how to identify the natural cycles and rhythms of a market, which can often predict when a trend is likely to reverse, not just where it might stop. 3. Psychology-Driven Technicals