The Japanese sword is a myth still very much alive.
Iaido and Kenjutsu practitioners, modern Samurais, still use the Katana in their training,
but lack of production has made the Katana a very rare and expensive item.
In the wake of World War Two the manufacturing and possession of edged weapons were forbidden.
Amidst this prohibition, the Iaito, a blunted version of the Katana, was born.
Iaito manufacturing, a modern craft founded on the millennial tradition of Japanese sword making,
has led a revival of the sword industry over the past 50 years,
and is to this day used by tens of thousands of martial artists throughout the world.
In Gifu prefecture, the cradle of Japanese swordmaking, a small number of workshops preserve this tradition.
Follow Mr. Wakihara, the leader of the Minosaka Workshop,
as he shares his experience and knowledge with us
and accompanies us into the vanishing art of Japanese sword making.
What do the Iaito and Katana have in common, what differentiates them?
Who are the people behind these swords?
Let's begin our journey into Minosaka's world.
We've asked Mr. Wakihara to explain how production is organized,
and what are the differences between Iaito and Shinken [real sword].
We'll give you some references and guidance during the interview,
but we've chosen to let Mr. Wakihara take the lead and present his work freely.
What we prepare in the workshop before we receive the order are
the raw blades,
after that, the polishing
and plating of the blades.
The parts up to that point are stocked in the workshop.
Of course, because the Hamon [blade pattern] and the blade length for example differ by the customer,
we craft the Habaki [blade collar] and Hamon according to the customer's order
at our workshop in the back, upon receiving the order.
The assembling is done in the workshop at the front.
After the blade is completed,
it is mounted with the Saya [sheath] and Tsuka [handle].
As for the Saya, there are various colors available, such as glossy black, Ishime [grainy] black, brown, red etc.
So we have a certain stock available,
for various coatings and blade lengths that are the most common.
As for the handles, there are many different colors of Tsuka-Ito [cord/wrap of the handle] black, brown, purple, olive brown, white and so on.
The Tsuka-Ito is braided by the craftsman after receiving the order. We assemble the pieces and ship them.
The entire manufacturing is handmade.
There's no part that can be mass produced.
If at one step, the work of a craftsman is stopped,
the sword cannot be made anymore,
and this makes it quite difficult to keep the balance.
Even if we were totally entrusted with the length and Kanagu [parts] options, it would take us at least 3 to 4 days to prepare an Iaito.
In general, it takes us about 3 weeks to prepare a sword, from receiving the order to shipping.
The fabrication of the Iaito and its numerous pieces,
reflects the philosophy of the ancient Japanese craftsmanship that is still alive today.
Although standardized and simplified, the fabrication process of every piece needs expertize.
However, the manufacture of the real swords, the so called Shinken, is of course, even more complex.
We've asked Mr. Wakihara to explain the main differences.
In the case of a Shinken, the sword's length is always different
because it's forged by a swordsmith.
Further, the sword's width at the base and the tip of the blade are always different.
To make a Koshirae [mounting] for such a Shinken,
the Saya must be made to the precise measurements of that blade,
carved and matched, one by one.
For the Iaito
we have a blade that sets the standard at the workshop.
Based on that, it is possible to prepare and setup the required tools,
and because all blades are identical to that sample blade,
we can carve the inside of the Saya with machines in larger quantities. That's the difference between a Shinken and Iaito Saya.
If we compare the costs of an Iaito Saya with a Shinken Saya,
the Shinken Saya is close to 10 times more expensive.
Producing a Shinken-like Saya for an Iaito would cost
200.000 to 300.000 Yen. (2.000-3.000 USD)
Making items that fit only one sword,
or make standardized handles and Saya that fit a standardized blade,
is totally different.
In either case though, Shinken or Iaito,
the material of the Saya is Honoki (magnolia wood).
For the Shinken, the best parts are selected.
For the Iaito, of course, excerpted parts are used as well, but they're of inferior quality, compared to the magnolia wood used for Shinken.
The same logic applies to all parts.
Those for Katana are completely made to measure and therefore unique,
whereas those of the Iaito are standardized.
The manufacturing techniques are somehow similar for most pieces, but simplified.
The standardization greatly reduces the time and cost of manufacture
and thus, renders this instrument available to most practitioners.
Obviously, the biggest difference between a Shinken and an Iaito is the blade,
the material it is made of, an aluminium based alloy, and with it the fact that it doesn't cut.
We've asked Mr. Wakihara why that is and what it was developed for in the first place.
For those who've just started Iaido practice and because they haven't learned the basic skills yet, using a Shinken would be dangerous.
I think that considering such safety issues was what started the usage of the Iaito.
When it comes to Japan,
Iaito made of ferrous alloy [iron or steel]
that could be hardened and sharpened by oneself would violate the Swords and Firearms Possession Control Law.
Further, even if the blade wasn't made of iron,
but could be hardened and sharpened,
obviously becoming a cutting item, it would also breach the Swords and Firearms Possession Control Law.
It's the same, even if you make a sword of stainless steel, close to iron.
If it gets sharp enough to cut when it's edged, even if it's not made of iron, the problem is the same.
The swordsmiths have a special status and the weapons they make are considered 'works of art',
and as such, the Shinken are not placed in the legal category of weapons but in that of art.
However, each sword must be registered at a police station
and receive a registration certificate that must never leave the sword.
The limitations around the manufacture of a Shinken and the low production
involve very high costs that can reach several million Yens.
About the weight, it can be said that the Iaito is lighter than the Shinken.
Because the weight of the iron used for Shinken compared to the aluminium-alloy used for Iaito is different,
resulting in the weight difference.
Because of the weight difference, some customers wish for a Iaito blade without groove to bring the weight closer to that of a Shinken.
In such a case, we ask the foundry craftsmen for a custom blade.
Indeed, you get more weight, but without groove, there's no Otonari [cutting sound] when cutting.
Currently, through retailers, in addition to Japan, we also ship to the US, Europe, and other overseas countries.
Usually, the standard length of a Tsuka is 8.5 Sun [26 cm],
but foreigners are taller than the Japanese and have bigger hands.
So orders for longer Tsuka, 9 or 9.5 Sun [27～29 cm] have increased
and we also receive more orders for Tsuka thicker than what is usually done in Japan for Iaito or Shinken.
If you want to make the Iaito we manufacture heavier,
we can for example use a heavy Tsuba [guard] and adjust it like that.
We also offer a Shinken mount service using a Shirasaya blade [blade from a swordsmith or ancient blade featuring a basic wooden mount for storage]
If you already have the Kanagu [Tsuba, Menuki, Fuchi and Kashira],
the pricing is about 8-90.000 Yen [800 to 900 US dollars]
Further, if we were entrusted with creating the Kanagu for a sword
that would also be added to the price.
However, in that case, the Kanagu would be modern pieces, the same as used for our Iaito.
For custom-made Kanagu, tailored to a Katana, we'd have them made by specialized craftsmen.
I think the most difficult part about making an Iaito, is to polish the blade.
That's a task for which very special skills are needed.
In addition, there's the craftsmen who make the raw blade,
the craftsmen who polish the blade,
the craftsmen who carve the Saya, and the craftsmen who do the lacquer,
those for the Kanagu,
and those who wrap the Tsuka,
the craftsmen who make the Hamon, and those who make the Habaki.
Then those who do the mounting, and those who make the Sageo,
A perfect equilibrium between all craftsmen is required to obtain the final piece.
When the mounting is over and the piece is finished, I often think "it's amazing how many hands are involved in the manufacturing process".
Gathering the work of so many craftsmen to assemble a perfectly balanced piece
reflects Minosaka's philosophy of working in harmony with other artisans.
This raises the question:
What historical relation exists between the Iaito Koshirae, the mount, and the ancient Katana?
Among our products are Higo Koshirae, Jidai Koshirae, Tensho Koshirae, Kanesada Shinto Higo Koshirae,
Edo Koshirae, Toppei Koshirae etc. and they are replicas of the most representative ones of a specific style [often related to a Samurai clan, a historical period or a specific swordsmith].
It can be assumed though, that different types of the same "Toppei Koshirae" for example, existed in the olden days.
About the Higo Koshirae to only mention one, the representative form features a rounded Kashira [Tsuka butt cap] and Saya tip.
When it comes to the Higo Koshirae, there's the orthodox form of the standard Higo Koshirae, featuring a rounded Kashira because all Higo style Koshirae have a rounded Kashira.
"Dotanuki" is the name of a swordsmith who used to perform his art in Kyushu.
The swords made by this swordsmith are typically larger and thicker.
Manufactured based on the replica of the sword of that swordsmith, are our Dotanuki Iaito.
Using those Shinken as a sample, great historical knowledge is preserved and incorporated into those Iaito.
Paired with the artisan's expertize the most aesthetic models are created.
The concept of beauty in Japanese traditional design is different from the one in the West.
Signs of imperfections and signs of age are prised.
They inspire us to contemplate the passing of time and the imperfect nature of life.
A beautiful object should inspire a feeling of loneliness and quiet self reflexion.
The Iaito is primarily a practical tool for practitioners of Iai and Kenjutsu.
But it's not a mere reproduction,
it's a continuation of the culture of the Katana representing Japan, its tradition and modernity.
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