Katana-kaji – Master Japanese Swordsmiths

Katana-kaji , the master craftsman who makes the wonderful Japanese katana or tohken swords. It is possible to trace the origin of tohken to the Kojiki (Archives of the Ancient Masters) and Nihonshoki (The oldest chronicles of Japan) texts. These were considered sacred treasures rather than a weapon, offered to deities at shrines, and placed in the tombs of royals.

The Japanese katana evolved into its current form during the second half of the Heian period (11th century) with the growth of the warrior or samurai class. Even then, the naga-yari (Japanese spear) and yumi-ya (bow and arrows) were the most common weapons on the battlefield, while swords were considered more of a protective amulet, an omamori .
Today, katanas still have a similar use, ceremonial gifts at temples and shrines, and collectible treasures for fans of Japanese luxury crafts. A Katana-kaji must train for years to receive a certificate from the Japan Agency for Cultural Affairs. There are only about 300 katana-kaji masters in all of Japan.

A Katana-kaji begins the process of making a katana by creating the metal for the blade, or Jigane . Steel pieces called tama-hagane are made from powdered iron. These break into smaller pieces to be heated and form a larger piece. Continuously and repeatedly heated and struck, stretched and bent, as the steel begins to take the shape of the sword. This 900-year-old technique, called tanren , continues virtually unchanged, creating jiigane of great strength and extraordinary texture.
Normally, steel is made by liquefying iron at high heat, but nihon-toh , or sword forging in Japan, is done differently. Tama-hagane pieces never fully liquefy at high temperature, they are worked into a much more solid state. This creates incomparable quality.

The nihon-toh takes its unique appearance from the patterns on the blade called hamon , which look like waves. During the hardening process ( yaki-ire ), the hot body of the sword is immersed in cold water, causing rapid cooling that alters the composition of the steel that creates these unique patterns, which the smith controls by coating parts of the sword with clay. . Ornaments with scenes of nature or complete towns are a sign of the great capacity of the katana-kaji .