In the history of Japanese swords, the five major sword-smithing regions are called Gokaden, each of which has developed in its own unique way. Although at first glance, Japanese swords appear to be made in the same way, in fact,...

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Why focus on Mei? Many Japanese swords have inscriptions on the tang. It is recorded that in the Nara period (710-794), a swordsmith’s name was required by law to be inscribed on the tang. However, it is said that the...

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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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When looking after your sword, the main objective is to prevent the blade from oxidizing and rusting. Therefore, it is necessary to thoroughly remove any stale oil from the blade and replace it entirely with new oil, making sure that...

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