A pair of 13th-century Samurai swords by master maker Bizen Nagamitsu (or, “Nagamitsu from Bizen province,” active 1264-1287) is estimated to sell for between $150,000 and $200,000 at Bonhams October ...

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 ...

The traditional katana sword is fashioned only from the purest steel, which the Japanese call tamahagane ("jewel steel"). Over three days and three nights, smelters using ancient techniques shovel ...

Japanese swords focus on powerful cutting with a curved blade, while Chinese swords emphasize balance and movement with straight or curved designs. Japanese sword combat is direct and precise, whereas ...