The Kimura family have been making swords for ten generations. Prior to the Meiji Restoration they were the swordsmiths for the Sagara Han of Hitoyoshi and thus have a long connection with the Taisha-ryu – an association that continues to this day with Yamamoto-sensei and other members using shinken made by the Kimura family. Yamamoto-sensei took me to meet them at their workshop in the far south of Yatsushiro Prefecture.
Click on photos to enlarge
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- The raw material – the iron
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- How the iron will be folded
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- Taking shape
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- The polishing room
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- Almost finished.
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- An award winning piece.
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- Tanto
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- Katana
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- And finally….
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- An Odachi
Posted by David -36号
Taisha-ryu Kenjutsu study group Australia 