A Private Tour of Seki’s Katana Culture Led by a Swordsmith, with a Hands-On Experience at a Working Forge

Where Japan’s Blade Heritage Still Lives

Located in Gifu Prefecture, Seki has long been associated with blade production and remains one of Japan’s most important centers for edged tools. The region inherits the traditions of the Mino swordmaking school, whose history stretches back to the Kamakura Period (1185 – 1333). Over the centuries, generations of Seki craftsmen have refined techniques that continue to influence the local culture today.

While Japanese katanas remain an important part of Seki's identity, the city has also evolved into a leading producer of knives, scissors, razors, and other cutting tools. Today, traces of this heritage can be found throughout the city, from museums and workshops to specialist retailers and cultural facilities. This tour offers a comprehensive introduction to Seki's past and present, revealing how traditional swordmaking techniques and knowledge continue to influence local craftsmanship.

Seki Knife Museum: Understanding the Origins of Japan's Renowned Blade City

The tour begins at Hamonoya Sansyu, the Seki Knife Museum, where guests explore how Seki became a major center for sword production and how the Mino forging tradition emerged in these lands. Exhibits introduce the manufacturing process of Japanese katanas, the distinctive hamon wave-like patterns along the edge of a katana, and the specialized division of labor shared between swordsmiths, polishers, and scabbard makers, which has birthed the iconic samurai weapon.

The exhibits trace the development of Seki's blade-making heritage through real materials and detailed displays. Through them, guests gain a clearer understanding of the techniques and craftsmanship behind Japanese katanas and the city's living blade culture.

Feather Museum & Seki Terrace: From Historic Blade Traditions to Contemporary Innovation

Guests may visit the Feather Museum, described as the world's first cutlery museum. Through extensive displays dedicated to cutting technology and blade development, the museum explains how Seki's blade heritage influenced later generations of cutlery-makers. Mr. Miyata says that many modern blade industries in the region ultimately trace their roots to local swordsmithing traditions.

Alternatively, guests may choose Seki Terrace, a gateway to local culture and craftsmanship. The facility gathers products from across the city, including cutlery made by regional manufacturers. According to Mr. Miyata, comparing different blades and tools offers insight into the technical skill and design sensibility that continue to define Seki’s heritage today.

Private Forge Visit: A Personal Encounter with Fire, Steel, and Craft　

The experience culminates with a visit to Mr. Miyata's workshop in Tomika, right next to Seki, where guests observe folding-forging, one of the most visually striking stages of sword production. Mr. Miyata says that this process is rarely accessible to the public, making the visit a valuable opportunity to witness traditional techniques in an active forge environment.

Following the demonstration, participants may try striking heated steel with a large hammer. Enjoying documents and exhibits provides one perspective on the blade-centered culture of Seki, while experiencing the heat, sparks, and smoke of a working forge engages the senses in a way that museum displays cannot fully convey. Together, all the experiences give visitors a fuller picture of Gifu’s city of blades.

A Deeper Understanding of Seki

Rather than focusing solely on finished swords, this experience introduces the people, techniques, and industries that support Seki's reputation as a blade-making powerhouse. Guests move between museums, cultural facilities, shops, and a working forge, and through it gain an understanding of the city’s historical traditions and its contemporary craftsmanship.

Mr. Miyata explains that Seki's identity extends beyond Japanese katanas alone. The city's modern cutlery industries, from knives to household tools, developed from the same foundations that shaped the Mino tradition of swordsmithing. This tour offers an opportunity to experience all that history and heritage through the eyes of a practicing sword-maker.