For this entry, I would like to continue to introduce Japanese idioms related to the Japanese sword. “Dotanba” (A podium made of sand)During the Edo period, the execution place for criminals had a podium made by a piling up sand. These grounds were also used to test out swords by Read More
The Japanese Sword – it has unbelievable cutting power, but does not break or bend. It is called the soul of the samurai and it treated not only as a weapon but carries a spiritual, religious aura. It appears in the mythologies of Kojiki and Nihonshoki (two of Japan’s oldest Read More
Many roads passed through the ancient capital of Kyoto, for example the Tokaido, Sanyodo and Hokurikudo roads. The most important 7 main roads on which you could enter and leave Kyoto, in other words check points, were called Kyo no Nanakuchi(the seven entrances of Kyoto). Even to this day there Read More
Nihontō (日本刀; Japanese sword) refers to the traditional swords that are made in Japan, perhaps more commonly known as the Katana, or Samurai sword. On the finished blade, which is painstakingly made by infusing the spirit of the swordsmith into a piece of steel and then carefully polished to perfection, Read More
The most important aspects of preserving Japanese swords are to protect them from developing rust and scratches. Here are three simple precautions that you can take to make sure that long term storage does not damage your treasured shinken. Please note that these guidelines are for ferrous swords, not for Read More
How often your perform maintenance depends on what sort of blade you have and what you use it for. If you have an iaito from Japan that is made from Zinc/Alluminium you do not need to use uchiko powder because it will not rust. If you use it for iaido then you should oil it as and when is needed. However if it is for decoration only then once every two months should be fine.
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 happens, the value of such a precious treasure might be lost and we don’t want to embarass our Read More
From shinken to iaito and decorative wall-hangers, there are numerous types of Japanese swords available for purchase today, however today we will have a look at the only part that you touch on a katana: the tsuka. We will also go over some simple ways to distinguish a good tsuka Read More
In this article we are going to take a look at how to go about choosing the right iaito for you. Beyond the aesthetics and theme of the koshirae, there are many factors like blade type and tsuka length to consider. We go through each step of the process recommending Read More
