Swords of Sekigahara
A symbol of samurai pride

The katana holds a prominent spot in Japanese media and culture, appearing in everything from classic movies to anime and even video games. They are said to contain the soul of their samurai owner and remain a potent symbol of pride, courage, and tradition.

Throughout Japan’s Warring States period, one of the main centers of sword making was Mino Province, located in what is today the southern part of Gifu Prefecture.

With flowing rivers, iron-rich mountains, and good sources of clay all close by, Mino was blessed with the perfect conditions for metalworking. At the height of the Warring States period, as many as 300 sword-makers were operating in the city of Seki alone. Their blades were said to never bend, never break, and cut well.

In time, Mino came to rank alongside Yamashiro, Yamato, Bizen, and Soshu, collectively known as the gokaden, or “five great sword making traditions.” Swords from Mino became prized possessions among high-ranking samurai throughout Japan. Many of the area’s most prominent sword-makers found employment with regional lords, further spreading its reputation and influence.

The samurai may have passed into history, but the art of sword making has endured here in Gifu Prefecture thanks to the efforts of licensed sword makers like Asano Taro. A master craftsman with over 25 years’ experience, Asano has given demonstrations in France, Canada, and the US, and now offers a range of learning experiences for visitors from around the world at his workshop in Hashima City.

The sword-making process begins with tamahagane—a high quality steel smelted from iron sand from Shimane Prefecture. The swordsmith plunges this into a charcoal fire before repeatedly hammering and “folding” it to introduce traces of carbon while removing impurities. The blade is formed by combining a high-carbon outer layer with a softer low-carbon core, giving it both a hard cutting edge and slight flexibility. The final step is to heat it once more with a partial coating of clay, adding a distinctive wavy pattern to the cutting edge, called a hamon.

A must-see spot for visitors to Japan interested in the ways of the legendary samurai, the Gifu Sekigahara Battlefield Memorial Museum boasts an impressive collection of swords and daggers by noted swordsmiths of the Warring States period, alongside a host of related tools and artifacts. Over in the Sengoku Experience Corner, visitors are given the chance to handle detailed replicas of weapons from the period—from swords and spears to medieval firearms, known as teppo.