Swordsmith Yutaka
Yuko Sword Training School
In Iga Ueno, Mie Prefecture, the home of the ninja, we make charcoal, make tatara iron, and forge pre-Muromachi Japanese swords just like in the old days.
Japanese swords are broadly divided into old swords (before the Edo period), new swords (early to late Edo period), new swords (late Edo period), and modern swords.
The appearance of the Jitetsu and the function of the hamon differ greatly in each era.
Among them, those from the Koto period, especially the Kamakura period, are highly valued, and modern swordsmiths aim to make them.
The materials used to make Japanese swords are tatara iron, but there are no records of the materials or methods of making swords from the Koto period.
With modern materials and sword-making methods, it is still difficult to recreate the old sword period.
Therefore, rather than using modern methods, we will consider theoretically and practice methods that would have been used before the Edo period.
Until the training center is established
I built my own training center in Iga Ueno, Mie Prefecture. This is a 20 m2 two-story forge built by an amateur carpenter using the 2x4 method, which was carved out of a wasteland overgrown with grass. There was no electricity, so everything was done by hand, and it took about a year, but I think it was a fair success.
We will continue to develop this area and make it a comfortable training facility.
Yuko Sword Forge
I don't think there are many opportunities to step into a swordsmith's forge.
What is the area around the site like?
How to make a Japanese sword (old sword)
Before Muromachi, Japanese swords were made from iron sand obtained in each region rather than from the supplied tamahagane, so before Muromachi, the characteristics of the base iron and blade crests differed by region.
I will show you how to make such an old sword.
