Fusahiro Shimojima, a 44-year-old Japanese master, is engaged in an ancient craft: casting a samurai sword. This process has been inherited in Japan for centuries and is now on the decline. But Shimojima still sticks to his workshop and spends a lot of time crafting a samurai sword that may not have a buyer for a long time.

Shimojima has been a master of swordsman for 24 years. He always wears white clothes in the workshops in Saitama. Japanese swordsmiths must wear white as a symbol of purity. In addition, there are special ropes for ceremonies in the workshop to form a circle to protect craftsmen from “evil forces.” Although this seems superstitious, Shimojima believes that these traditions are necessary. He worships his workshop and says that he can only create a real samurai sword. “This is not as simple as a weapon. The samurai sword is An object of spiritual significance.”

The samurai sword has indeed exceeded the meaning of weapons in Japan, and it has a unique position in culture. The Japanese warrior class has long been abolished, and weapons in public have been banned for a long time, but the ancient production techniques of artisans are still inherited. Master Shimojima specializes in the creation of a samurai sword called Mamori Katana, which is believed to protect its owner from disease, natural disasters and man-made disasters. It no longer functions as a weapon, but rather a lucky amulet.

This type of tool has a history of more than a thousand years in Japan, but the manufacturing process and technology have hardly changed. It takes a month for Shimojima to make a knife. If it is complicated to process, it will take more than a year to cast a knife and a knife. This samurai sword uses special steel with varying amounts of carbon. The master of the sword needs to heat, soften, and then fold it multiple times. In this way, the impurities in the steel are removed and the carbon content is balanced. Master Shimojima explained, “One layer becomes two layers, then two layers become four layers, four layers become eight layers, and so on. When folded 15 times, there will be 32,000 layers. But this does not mean layers. The more the number, the better. Of course there are limits. If you exceed the limit, you will lose the strength needed as a sword.”

Folding steel is only the first step. The next step is to cast a curved upward pointing blade. The iconic curve shape of the Katana knife is created by repeated heating and cooling. Shimojima said that the blade needs to be heated to within ten minutes. 800 degrees, then quickly cool in the water. This seems simple, but requires precise judgment, and a mistake can lead to complete failure.

The casting process is so laborious, it can be seen that this craft is quite difficult to learn. Japanese sword masters need to be apprentices for several years to get out of school, and they won’t get paid before. In the late 1980s, the Japanese Society of Swordsmen had 300 members, and in a few years it was reduced by almost half. This is not only because the technology is difficult to learn, but also because the samurai sword is becoming more and more unattended, and the products are often not sold. Today, the trade volume of Japanese samurai swords has steadily declined. In addition to collectors, few people spend a lot of money to buy a useless knife at home. More importantly, modern production technology poses a great threat to the hand-casting sword industry. Manufacturers can produce similar things with low cost and high efficiency. The craftsmanship of the sword-making master is becoming more and more useful. “.

Despite this, Shimojima is still convinced that the Japanese sword will not disappear from the world. “Over the history, this craft has been passed down from generation to generation, never changing its shape, posture, value and meaning… these knives will not rust It shows the quality of the samurai sword. In the past, the high quality Bushido will always exist and be remembered.” Shimojima said that for this belief, the sword-maker must spare no effort, even the small details on the sword can not be slack. He admits that the samurai sword in today’s society has not been used much, but he has become a craftsman from the founding sword, and the function of the samurai sword has changed: “This product supports the psychological and spiritual needs of customers, and can Becoming a family heirloom for hundreds of years… The sword has been an inseparable part of tradition since ancient times. I believe that the samurai sword is an important foundation for Japanese character and behavior today.”