Full-fledged Katana Experience in Tokyo: Tour the Japanese Sword Museum and Experience Katana Polishing with a Master of the Craft

A Devoted Following for Nagaoka’s Katana Polishing Mastery

Japan permits the buying and selling of traditional katana as works of art, so while they are not uncommon in home displays, maintaining them is another question entirely. That’s where Nagaoka Nihonto Kenmajo comes in. Run by Yasumasa Nagaoka, this workshop in Tokyo’s old town neighborhood of Asakusabashi has garnered a following of loyal katana enthusiasts who place their trust in Nagaoka’s katana maintenance skills. The workshop itself is worth a visit for its striking atmosphere, lined with katana, whetstones, and associated tomes.

Kamakura period katana are also on display in Nagaoka Nihonto Kenmajo

For Nagaoka, the allure of katana began with watching samurai shows as a child, and the influence of his father and grandfather, who loved katana as works of art. Although he began his career in a completely different field, he was eventually drawn back to this early fascination, and found himself first training to become a katana polisher and then becoming an instructor in the art himself. Since opening his polishing works, he restores and maintains katana to order, and holds classes to pass his expertise on to the next generation of polishers. Upon request, he also acts as a guide at katana museums.

As a polisher with over 20 years in the business, Nagaoka’s relaxed and accessible explanations are a hit with visitors

A History Spanning Centuries on Display at the Japanese Sword Museum

The experience begins with a visit to the Japanese Sword Museum, built by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai (“Society for Preservation of Japanese Art Swords”), or NBTHK, a public interest foundation which works to promote the culture of katana. The museum features katana from a variety of historical eras, in particular the Heian (794-1180), Kamakura (1180-1336), and Nanbokucho (1368-1392) periods – with some of its exhibit specimens even listed as national treasures. With the support of a guide interpreter, you can immerse yourself in its wonders.

Blade lengths and thicknesses vary, and finding your favorite is great fun

After exploring the museum exhibit, move by taxi to Nagaoka Nihonto Kenmajo. There, Yasumasa Nagaoka himself greets you and offers an informative talk on katana. Though typically envisioned as weapons, today it is truer to say that these blades are a type of traditional antique. The katana of modern fame is said to have been invented during the Heian period (794-1180), and in the centuries since it has captured the imagination of countless enthusiasts the world over. The workshop offers its own display of beautiful katana from periods spanning 1180-1573 for up-close viewing. 

Katana polishing is an 8 to 10 step process using a variety of different whetstones

The fact that ancient katana survive to the present day is a testament to how infrequently they were actually polished sharpened and used in battles. “Polishing a katana gradually thins down the blade, so it was traditionally done only once a century,” says Nagaoka. “Katana were precious and symbolic family heirlooms, valued so highly that feuds would break out over ownership of a particular katana.”

Get up close to take in the intricate and complex craft styling on each katana

Nagaoka the finer points for appreciating katana: shape, hamon (the pattern at the edge of the blade ranging from jagged peaks and valleys to soft waves to a straight line), and jigane (the residual pattern in the steel itself from forging). The blade’s width, thickness, and degree of curvature vary with the era and smithing style.
Katana are created by folding and layering iron. This creates the pale ripples of the jigane pattern, which shift from luminous white to dark black as they catch the light. Developing a discerning eye for katana appreciation is a highlight of the tour.

A Master Polishing Demonstration

After basic instruction about katana, enjoy a chance to observe Nagaoka’s polishing skills firsthand. Sitting at his workbench handling the blade and whetstones, he is the picture of a traditional craftsman. One katana takes approximately a week to 10 days to completely polish sharpen, though the whetstone, exact process, and time required all vary depending on the condition of the katana – such as whether its blade is slightly cloudy or rusted red. 

Nagaoka’s meticulous craftwork

The process begins with coarser-grained whetstones, moving gradually to finer grains before finally rubbing a small cut whetstone against the blade edge with the fingers. A trick here is to keep the whetstone wet while working. The basins, too, crack when dried out, so they are kept filled with water year round. This is also a rare opportunity to get up-close experience and instruction about the polisher’s workbench and its tools.

Polishing on a homemade whetstone

Handle Katana in Your Own Hands to Experience Katana Polishing

Finally comes your chance to get hands-on with the polishing process. As samurai often carried two katana at their waist, no single katana is excessively heavy – generally in the range of around one kilogram. Under Nagaoka’s instruction, you can take your place at the workbench to sharpen and polish a red-rusted blade against a whetstone. Take a moment to find the most comfortable position before you get started.

Grip the flat of the blade in two hands, taking care not to touch the point or cutting edge

This experience offers full practice in the basics of sharpening and polishing. Watch the rust fall away as you work the blade against the whetstone in the first step. Force is necessary for effective technique here, so it’s important not to be shy or hesitant in your movements. A scraping sound and the feeling of resistance in the arms are signs of effective work. When you’re finished, take a commemorative photo at the workbench to look back on the memory.

Red rust residue on the whetstone is sign of an effective round of polishing

The “three sacred treasures” of the Japanese imperial regalia passed down since ancient times are the mirror, the curved jewel, and the katana – demonstrating the ancient and powerful symbolic and ornamental role of the katana in Japanese culture that goes beyond its use as just a weapon by samurai.

Ornamental katana accessories, such as the wrist guard and eyelets, made from precious metals of the period like brass, iron, and gold

For much of its history, Japan was not a unified nation-state but a collection of roughly 300 independent feudal domains. Travel (and thus the flow of people, goods, and ideas) was far more restricted than today. A wide variety of distinct craft traditions developed as a result, giving rise to highly localized distinct styles of katana. Complex hamon and jigane patterns on the blade were often markers of their places of origin.

“A legendary katana is something that was born from an individual’s sensibilities and imagination,” says Nagaoka

In recent years, the influence of Japanese animation on global pop culture has vastly increased the exposure and popularity of katana around the world. There are many different kinds. In fact, when asked what makes a great katana, Nagaoka replied, “If you asked ten people, you’d get ten answers. Other than its price as an asset commodity, it really all comes down to subjective preference.” Come and see for yourself what makes these katana transcend time, and discover your own favorite.