The Japanese sword, often epitomized by the katana, is more than just a weapon. It is a symbol of Japan’s rich cultural history, craftsmanship, and the ideals of the samurai who wielded it. Known for ...

NARA, Japan — They were once weapons of war. The most famous blades from Japan's rich history. Legendary swords that date back a thousand years or more. Travel across the country and you will see them ...

It can take more than a year to make a single razor-sharp katana. In Japan, business is booming for the few remaining smiths who know how to do it. At Nippon Genshosha, a sword workshop on Japan’s ...

At Fusahiro Shimojima’s workshop, in the industrial city of Saitama, fires rage in small pits and an earthen floor absorbs the din of hammering. The Japanese swordsmith pounds the nascent blade of his ...