![]() It is said that as a smith she was recognized as having equal or better skills than her male counterparts. There are no tachi swords (long swords) among Gen Otsuki's works, but she produced many "tanto" (short swords). She was called " Onna Kunishige" (女国重) because she was descended from the Ebara Kunishige school, a group of blacksmiths from Bitchu. This woman, who was active in Bicchu (the present western prefecture of Okayama) during the Edo period, decided to make swords to keep her school alive after her husband, who was ill, was no longer able to make Japanese swords. In fact, there is only one: Otsuki Gen, known as the only female sword smith in history. Therefore, the difficulty for a woman to become a sword smith is not small.Įven today, when women are entering various fields, it is said that there are very few women sword smiths. However, sword forging is physically demanding work that involves heating the steel ' tamahagane' and shaping it with a mallet, forging the iron in a hot workshop. It is no wonder that there are sword girls who not only want to admire Japanese swords, but also try their hand at making their own sword. In recent years, Japanese swords have become increasingly popular with women, as evidenced by the widespread use of the term " sword girl". The details will be explained later, but today's blacksmiths have passed an examination and are authorized by the government to make Japanese swords, and hold a "national license" to do so. Japanese sword culture was on the verge of extinction during the Meiji period (1868-1912) and the Showa period (1926-1989), but it was revived in 1958 with the promulgation of the "Regulations for the Approval of the Production of Art Swords," which legally recognized the profession of sword smithing and made it possible to make new Japanese swords. In other words, the blacksmiths who created the Japanese swords representative of Japan were not only artists of their time, but also representatives of Japan. ![]() The works produced by master smiths such as Masamune, Yoshimitsu Awataguchi and Yoshihiro Gono, known as "Tenga Sansaku", have been handed down through the ages. Sword smiths are the proud bearers of Japan's art and craft production. Japanese sword making is a traditional craft unique to Japan that is believed to have begun in the Heian period (794-1192). But what about this status? As of 2017, the number of sword smiths was 188. When asked who makes Japanese swords, most people say a blacksmith. Nevertheless, it can give you a general overview of the steps to follow. Note: this article presents the steps to become a blacksmith in Japan, which are probably different in US. Here we will focus on the profession of sword smith and present the path to it. It is a profound and special existence that should be called "Japanese culture professional" in the modern era. The blacksmith who has been authorized to make Japanese swords, which is one of the main arts and crafts of Japan, has not only the technology and scientific knowledge to forge tamahagane iron, but also a knowledge of the history and culture. In order to do so, it is necessary to become a disciple of an experienced blacksmith and learn in depth the history and culture of Japan as well as the technique of making Japanese swords. At present, in order to make a Japanese sword, it is necessary to register with the " Prefectural Public Safety Commission" and obtain a license.
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