Sword presented after Emperor's birth to be displayed at Kyoto shrine
A short sword linked to the so-called amulet sword, a ceremonial sword that was presented to the Imperial family when Emperor Akihito was born, will be displayed at a shrine in Yawata, Kyoto Prefecture, from Friday. With his abdication approaching on April 30, the Iwashimizu ...
Setouchi sets ¥500 million goal to bring renowned Japanese sword back 'home'
The city of Setouchi in Okayama Prefecture, which once flourished as a major producer of swords, said Tuesday it will use crowdfunding as part of an attempt to raise a total of ¥500 million from in and outside the country to bring back "home" ...
1,400 guns and 1,200 swords from World War II found buried at Tokyo elementary school
About 1,400 firearms and 1,200 swords believed to be from the period of World War II were discovered buried at an elementary school in Tokyo, city officials said Monday. Grenades, bullets and cannonballs were also found one to two meters underneath the grounds of the ...
Swedish-Japanese swordsmith forges his destiny in Yamaguchi after trial by fire
Driving through the valleys outside Hofu in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Yasha Yukawa scours the surrounding rice paddies for the raw material he covets. He is constantly on the lookout for rice straw, but only the farmers that harvest the traditional way preserve it. "The people who ...
The maven of Japanese sword fittings
The special exhibition "Pinnacle of Elegance: Sword Fittings of the Mitsumura Collection" at the Nezu Museum offers a fascinating look at the collection that Toshimo Mitsumura (1877-1955), a wealthy businessman, amassed at the end of the Meiji Era (1868-1912). Mitsumura's passion for swords is ...
Japan's 'way of the sword' baffles foreign observers
All cultures present aspects that cannot but baffle the foreign observer. For example: nothing in the native tradition equips a Japanese to grasp the concept of the blood of the crucified son of the one God washing believers clean of sin. The foreign observer of ...
Gifu cutlery firm's samurai-sword scissors prove popular with tourists
Samurai-sword scissors developed by a manufacturer in Gifu Prefecture are proving to be popular souvenirs for foreign tourists as well as schoolchildren. Shaped like katana, these scissors by Nikken Cutlery Co. in Seki are decorated with details found on traditional swords used by such feudal-era ...
'Moving Zen' and the modern samurai
"Be true to the thought of the moment and avoid distraction. Other than continuing to exert yourself, enter into nothing else, but go to the extent of living single thought by single thought." — Tsunetomo Yamamoto, "Hagakure" (circa 1710) Hyogo resident Isao Machii is an iaido ...
Sharpen your knowledge of Japanese swords
If you've ever wanted to learn about Japanese swords, now's the time, as an unusually large number of top-quality blades are currently on view at two Tokyo museums. Either exhibition is well worth a visit but together they're dynamite. "Perfect Guide to Japanese Sword" at ...
Katana swordplay exercise is a hit with Tokyo women
Samurai may be known as a man's pursuit, but feudal Japan produced a number of legendary female warriors who took to the battlefield with a sword that still holds a high cultural position today. The image of the katana sword continues to draw interest from ...
'The World of Edo Dandyism: From Swords to Inro'
May 30-July 20 During the peaceful latter part of the Edo Period (1603-1868), samurai katana swords evolved from being just weapons into status symbols and luxurious accessories. Rarely used in combat, they were embellished to become symbolic fashion items for samurai dandies. The status of katana ...
Bestowing beauty on a fearful blade
If you were to call 51-year-old Yoshihiko Usuki a makeover maestro, he'd probably just chuckle, go back to his hunched position and continue sliding the sword clasped in his hands over a polishing stone. Yet togishi (sword-polishers) like Usuki are essential players in the process ...
