Visit the Swordsmith Workshop Studio｜Once in a Lifetime Experience

Since the ancient times, the Japanese sword is not limited only as a weapon, but also as a symbol of authority and faith. Its no-nonsense functional beauty never cease to amaze numerous historians for centuries. The blacksmithing artistry, which has been passed down from generation to generation, maintains the perfect combination of "unbreakable", "unbendable", and "the ability to cut well". In this exclusive tour, we will bring you to the soulful blacksmith workshop studio where the Japanese swords are being made using traditional Japanese techniques.

Exclusive Experience

Once in a Lifetime Experience

Japanese sword's importance

Japanese sword is a cultural property that has been carefully preserved as a national treasure for over a thousand years. The warp on its blade continues to change every now and then depending on the necessity and tradition in each era, so it reflects the transition of Japanese history--meaning that it may trace to the roots of the Japanese mind. It is a masterpiece which can convey the classic Japan to the present time like no other in this world.

About its particular beauty

Notably known as the soul of a samurai, while it is useful as a survival tool in any battle, its sharp blade and fine curve also offers an undescribeable beauty. It is no wonder that Japanese sword is said to be the culmination of Japanese art. Even some believe that the Gods dwell inside this sword due to its elegance and the ultimate functionality; this leads to the idea that the sword symbolizes the deep spirituality of Japanese people. Lastly, Japanese sword may last for a thousand years without rusting, so imagine the many different anecdotes enclosed in just one sword.

The making process

"Unbreakable", "unbendable", and "cuts well". Those are the three main keywords to describe Japanese sword's specialty. It takes a demanding journey of the cratfmanship in order to achieve those characteristics, involving long training period for the mastery. Its main material, a hot Tamahagane (a kind of Japanese steel) is smashed for tens of thousands of times, then after that it needs to be polished over and over again. Since the process of its making requires a lot of time and a daunting effort, it is said that the soul of a swordsmith exists in the blade.

Process of a class

日本刀の作り方

Heating and dividing the materials

First, the raw Tamahagane which can produce the sword's sharpness is heated at a low temperature in a furnace, then divided into small pieces to make the selecting (of the high-quality steel) process easier. Those selected small materials enables to evenly transfer the heat until its core.
Forging process

The actions in which the fully boiled steel is flattened, bent, and pressed together is called the forging process. By doing this, the impurities are removed, and repeating this procedure will merge many different layers of steel. This is the apparent secret recipe of the Japanese sword's strength and toughness.
Making the core

The steel needs to have high durability and sharpness in order to be able to cut well and prevent them from bending, so on the contrary it has to be made with a slight bend (which results flexibility) in order not to break. This contradiction is executed by a manufacturing method where the soft core iron is wrapped in hard iron. The true value of Japanese swords lies in the process of making this core iron.
Starting the fire

In this step, the base iron is being heated and flattened. Stretched it with a gavel, adjust the shape, then finally polish with a fire. This is an important process that produces the unique curve of Japanese swords.
Quenching stage

The finish line of the splendid Japanese sword is determined in this process. It is where the iron is repeatedly being heated at the furnace in 800 degress Celcius and quenched in the cold water. This is known as when the swordsmith infuse their seriously trained self into the Japanese sword.
Polishing

The honing process is roughly divided into two main parts: the shape creation part, and the finishing part where it sharpens the sword. As a result, the sword draws an elegant curvaceous beauty.
Engraving the sword

After honing the sword, the whole procedure is considered to be done. In the finished product, the swordsmiths normally engrave their names on it, and it is the born of a perfectly crafted Japanese sword.