Bizen Osafune Japanese Sword Museum

Called Bizen Province in the olden days, Okayama Prefecture has long been known for its high-quality sword making. Okayama craftsmen made almost half of the swords recognized as National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties. The Bizen Osafune Japanese Sword Museum is home to one of the finest collections of samurai swords in the country.

Observe the development of the craft through objects that exemplify each step of the process’s evolution. The museum features several special exhibitions throughout the year that draw on everything from history and religion to animations and video games. You can tour the workshops where artisans show off their Japanese sword-making skills, including the process where tamahagane, steel made from iron sand, is heated to 1,300 degrees Celsius and then repeatedly forge-folded to make a billet. This refined steel is further forged and shaped to produce a blade of remarkable strength. You can even order a custom-made sword, forged exclusively for you.