Creating Swords where the Spirit Resides

An interview with Masahiro, the Swordsmith

The beauty and mysterious shine of Japanese swords attract a number of collectors from all over the world. Over a long period of Japanese history, swords were always common and symbolic items in the society, however, their importance became even greater from the time when the samurai class governed the country.

Naturally, swordsmiths, who were authorized to make and take care of Japanese swords, were also a necessary role in those times. Japanese swords used to be made with the best of cutting-edge technology and art, but as time changed from the Edo period to the Meiji period (1868-1912), people were officially forbidden to wear or even possess swords.

Literally, swords disappeared from the society, which in turn led to the disappearance of swordsmiths and their skills. Swordsmiths were forced to change careers and many of them switched to manufacturing cooking knives or daily cutting tools. Today, there are fewer than 300 swordsmiths in Japan, and it is said that even fewer swordsmiths are actually making swords.

On the outskirts of Kameoka, north of Kyoto City, lies a swordsmith’s studio, Masahiro Japanese Sword Studio. This is where one of the few swordsmiths in Japan, Yuya Nakanishi, a.k.a. Masahiro, the Swordsmith, devotes himself to producing swords.

When he was in elementary school, Nakanishi saw real Japanese swords at the Kyoto National Museum. It was on this day his heart was grabbed by this superb and spiritual object of Japan and from then on the boy was destined to become a swordsmith. Although he never lost his aspiration to become a swordsmith, he had no clue how to start on his path. After graduating from high school, he started to work for a company, but his desire to become a swordsmith never ceased. He finally found a swordsmith in Fukushima, and wrote a letter with all his heart, expressing his feelings in a traditional way with ink and brush. Finally, at the age of 20, he was allowed to become an apprentice to a master.

After seven years of learning the art of swordsmithing from scratch under his master, Nakanishi opened his own swordsmith studio in his hometown of Kyoto in 2014. Concerned that the Japanese sword is becoming something “forgotten” by many Japanese people, Nakanishi offers visitors the opportunity to experience the art of sword making in addition to his daily swordsmithing work with a wish that he wants to pass on the skills that he inherited from the predecessors to future generations.

Before entering the workshop, Nakanishi gives a lecture on the history of Japanese swords and tips on how to appreciate them. When looking at a sword, there are three things to look for: the shape of the sword, the base metal, and the pattern on the blade, known as “hamon,” a pattern that emerges on the blade during the manufacturing process.

One can know the period and style in which the sword was made from the pattern. The beauty of the hamon (blade pattern) is of particular importance. “The Japanese sword has three quintessential qualities: its ‘Usage’ as a weapon, its ‘Beauty’ as the embodiment of aesthetics, and its ‘Spiritual role’ as a talisman,” Nakanishi states. “Since ancient times, Japanese people have believed that a spirit resides in the sword. In the process of making a sword, the existence of a divine spirit is felt in the process of making fire, using wind, touching water, and from other natural forces.

The Japanese sword is the result of the fusion of these spiritual forces with human technology. Perhaps ancient people sought beauty in the sword as a weapon because they felt that more beautiful things are more vital.” continues Nakanishi. “Usage,” “Beauty,” and “Spiritual role.” All three elements of the Japanese sword are expressed in the hamon (blade pattern). The harder the blade is, the more powerful the sword becomes as a weapon with a sharp cutting edge, but if it is too hard, the risk of breakage increases. To prevent breakage, the blade is quenched so that only the actual blade part for cutting becomes hard. The pattern created during the quenching process is called hamon. *Quenching is the process of forging iron by heating it to a high temperature and then cooling it rapidly by placing it in water.

Upon stepping into his workshop, Nakanishi becomes a part of nature and concentrates on his unending quest of creating strong and beautiful swords. The swords created by this master swordsmith, whose mind and spirit comprehend both hardness and softness, or persistence and flexibility, are imbued with beauty and vitality nurtured by nature and human life.