Seki – The Land of the Katana

The beautiful yet deadly katana are Japan’s most famous ancient weapons. For centuries it has amazed locals and strangers with its elegance and historical wealth. Katanas are often closely linked with Japanese warriors of yesteryear, samurai, ninja (shinobi), onna-bugeisha, and kunoichi.

There is much information about how they are made with extraordinary care and technique, but little is known about the craftsmen behind them. Where do they come from? Why are they so popular? What is the katana industry doing today?

Over the past 800 years and counting, almost 90% of Japanese katanas were made in the city of Seki. It all started during the Kamakura period (1184 – 1333), although it wasn’t until the Muromachi period (1338-1573) that the blacksmithing technique behind the swords in Seki really took off, with over 300 specialized katana smiths residing in the town. city. Oda Nobunaga, Japan’s most legendary daimyo who was also a native of present-day Gifu Prefecture, was very fond of Seki-made swords, so his popularity grew even more!

Currently there are still families that continue with the traditional art of making katana. Gassan Sadatoshi is one of these great artisans from one of these families, his works commanding prices as high as $45,000 per piece. Although the price is high, there is no doubt about the extraordinary quality and work behind the creation of these swords.

To make a katana everything starts with tamahagane steel, powdered steel with particular characteristics; Tamahagane is placed in a special kiln called a tatara to dry, then heated to 1,000°C before being mixed with charcoal. This material is not only used in the manufacture of katana, but also in scissors, knives and other tools (usually with an edge).

The city of Seki, even to this day is very renowned for its katana culture. You will always be able to find visitors admiring the public demonstrations of the smithy during festivals, as well as visiting the shops to find products of the highest quality!

Once a year, on January 2, the Uchizome-shiki ceremony is held, which begins the forging of the first katana of the year. Not only is it a very important moment for the blacksmith artisans, it also creates a traditional and united atmosphere in the community, where participants dress in the old fashion while admiring the work of the artisans.

If you are unable to visit Seki during Uchizome-shiki, it is also possible to discover many wonderful things about the katana tradition at the Seki Traditional Sword Museum, 関鍛冶伝承館 (Seki Kaji Denshokan) throughout the year. There is also the Seki Cutlery Festival (関市刃物まつり（Seki-shi Hamono Matsuri), which includes many very interesting events, guests, and sales of many well-known brands.

Did you already know about Seki’s katana and cutlery? One more place to discover in Japan!

Gifu is very easy to get to by train , including the super- fast Shinkansen or bullet train , making it a comfortable ride from Tokyo. And although it is possible to travel by plane, bus or boat, the train offers the best prices and convenience of all . To have an even better price, we recommend traveling with the Japan Railways universal pass called JR PASS , which can be purchased on their website. This pass is purchased before traveling to Japan , arriving at the airport or at any train station , you can pick up your pass with proof of purchase .