Japanese Swords and Artisans Representing the Heisei Period.
At the opening of the exhibition, we would like to take this opportunity to honor swordsmiths and craftsmen who produced excellent works in the Heisei period and made major contributions to the Japanese sword world.
After World War II, Japanese sword making lost its way due to the change of the times and environment. However, people found new possibilities in the Japanese sword, not as a weapon but as an art object. The technique of Japanese sword making has a history of one thousand years and occupies a significant position in Japanese craft history.
Today, the mission of Japanese swordsmiths is to inherit the tradition. Nevertheless, they cannot complete their work just by imitating and following conventional methods. It is also their responsibility to create the Japanese sword image of the new age on the basis of tradition and refinement.
We hope this exhibition will widely solicit people’s views and opinions, and consequently contribute to the tenacious development of the Japanese sword and craftsmanship.
The book includes: 85 pages, 15 tables; 32 craftsmen; 41 swords.
(report by ©Tom KISHIDA – Tokyo)
