An elegant style, favored by aristocrats, leading shrines, and temples In 794, the capital was transferred from Yamato in Nara to Yamashiro, or present-day Kyoto. Kyoto then played a central role in politics and culture for more than 1,000 years...

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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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What is Tsukuri-komi? Japanese has a word “tsukuri-komi” which refers to the structure and style of the sword blade. In a previous article about the sword’s appearance, I mentioned that the tachi had a strong back-bend whereas the uchigatana had...

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