What is Yasurime? Yasurime is a rasp applied to the hiraji and shinogiji of a sword's tang to prevent it from slipping off the tsuka handle. Ancient swords had marks that looked as if they had been simply hammered out,...

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What is Hamon? Even those seeing a Japanese sword for the first time are captivated by the vividness of the hamon (blade pattern). The hamon refers to the part that is tempered with extra heat, so it is actual proof...

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How to draw and sheath your Japanese sword It goes without saying, that Japanese swords are precious cultural treasures, but if it is handled roughly it might be damaged or might cause injury to yourself or someone else. If that...

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How does buying a genuine sword from Japan work? Japanese swords are, as is true with any piece of historical art, a wonderful investment for interacting directly with a unique and cherished blade that has truly come to represent the...

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