culture

images: alamy; ben weller; sanjo kaji

SAKAI CITY, OSAKA

This port city has been known for its hand-forged knives since the 16th century. Today, it’ s said that 90 % of professional chefs in Japan use single-edge, Sakai-made knives. The city’ s Sakai-ku Ward is home to knife studios and wholesalers, some of which have retail stores and offer tours and knifemaking and sharpening experiences. Visit the Sakai Traditional Crafts Museum for exhibits on knifemaking history or take a walking tour of knife factories.

TAKEFU

KNIFE

VILLAGE, ECHIZEN According to local lore, Echizen’ s forging tradition dates back to the 14th century, when a master swordsmith settled in the area and began forging farm tools. After the Second World War, the city became known for knife production. At Takefu Knife Village, visitors can watch knifemaking from an observation platform overlooking the main workshop. A guided factory tour and a knifemaking experience are also available.

SANJO

CITY, NIIGATA

The cutlery used at the annual Nobel Banquet is produced in the Tsubame-Sanjo area in north-central Japan. Visit Sanjo-based Tadafusa, which has been hand-forging knives since 1948 and has a factory store and tours. At the Sanjo Blacksmith Dojo, visitors can work with a blacksmith to make their own knife. During the Tsubame Sanjo Factory Festival in October, over 100 of the region’ s factories open their doors to the public.

Historical Japanese swordsmiths

Sengo Muramasa This 16th-century swordsmith is known for crafting blades with beautiful wave patterns along the edges. Not only are they aesthetically pleasing, they also indicate the hardness in the steel.

Goro Nyudo Masamune Considered Japan’ s greatest swordsmith, Masamune crafted high-quality swords in the late 13th and early 14th centuries. The Japanese government has designated nine swords attributed to Masamune as National Treasures, including the Kanze Masamune, which is in the Tokyo National Museum.

Amakuni Yasutsuna According to legend, this eighth-century swordsmith was employed by the Emperor of Japan. After seeing warriors return from battle with broken swords, Amakuni was inspired to innovate. He and his son Amakura spent 31 days forging the first single-edge curved longsword, which was more durable than previous styles.

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