Hi there,
I hope you're doing well.
I've just published a new interview I've been genuinely excited to share with you — I sat down with a master swordsmith, and the conversation took a few turns I didn't expect.
He mentioned, almost in passing, that it takes 100 to 120 kilograms of charcoal to forge a single sword. That stopped me in my tracks. We went on to talk about his favorite National Treasure, Sanchōmō (山鳥毛) — an unsigned Ichimonji blade from the Kamakura period that Setouchi City acquired for ¥500 million — and what it truly means for a sword to have "personality": a character so distinct you could pick the smith's hand out of a hundred blades.
But what stayed with me most was the quieter story underneath it all. The Japanese red pine these smiths rely on for charcoal is dying off across western Japan — and with it, a piece of how these swords have always been made.
▶️ Watch the full interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVZ8aGV9I7E&list=PLOHgag_kQhdMAnDRIVUVW19aunqRoe1Gy&index=22
I'd love to hear what you think once you've watched — just hit reply.
Warmly,
Kei
historyofkatana.com
Kind Regards,
Kei, Matt & Team from the History of Katana
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