I own one bought it from him for 85,600$ not lying it’s like a mirror and an ancient artifact in my room you can buy a sword from this maker in yogutu northern japan
My step grandfather brought back an authentic sword. He kept it his whole life. It had the most beautiful purple wrap ,and amazing hamone . When he passed he left it to my step father , who had the handle unwrapped and read .. he then found , and returned it to the surviving family. They were most gracious , and honored to have it returned. They flew him to Japan where he stayed with them for a month. He passed about a year later from cancer.
I love the Japanese culture, it’s simple but still sophisticated when it comes to art and crafts. Something that takes great discipline, practice and feeling of honor.
@@hec4241 it seems artificial, like its mostly about emotion than real thing. Katana cult for example. Sword of honor and great craftsmanship...that was no better than any european sword. If you compare katana to other sword made for cuting of course. Europe just had better technology at the time; thats why europe didnt need to forge using layers, they had better steel so there was no need. Katana is my favourite because of looks, but if i had to choose sword for defence, i'd probably take rapier.
Now I understand how hard Haganezuka (or the blacksmith) was so angry at Tanjiro when he broke the sword to two damn this comment was a year ago and it's still alive lol 2 YEARS???? DAMN Its been 4 years and im still getting notifs??? hi!
@@josedanielhernandezdiaz8707 a period yumi had about a 25 pound draw weight, a European longbow could be upwards a 100 pound draw weight, this comes from a yumi's construction being made from bamboo, and a European bow being made from a tree branch, also English bowmen were threatened during the 100 year war that if any bowman was captured by the French that their pointer and middle finger (the two used to draw the bow) would be cut off, so they responded by showing their two fingers, saying "come and take them"
These men who work day after day on forging masterpieces of history have my greatest and utmost admiration and respect. Their work is beautiful and deadly that should be well revered.
@Jon Dillon Those scientists in those labs wouldn't be existing in this day and age if it weren't those swords. Quit acting like nothing good came out of history and actually read a history book for once.
One of the lines that Tom Cruise has in the last samurai about Japanese culture is the best. "From the moment they wake up, they devote themselves completely to whatever it is they pursue. I have never seen such discipline."
one of the most important factors in that was the society that allowed for it. Modern western society forexample has you focus on beurocracy, work, family, goals and social life. Most ancient societies and even up until the late medieval era you would see MUCH more allowance for such a lifestyle of dedication and devotion. You wanted to be a blacksmith? well you didnt have to do paperwork, you didnt have to go to school for things you would never use, you didnt have to be well dressed, you didnt have to be well read, you didnt have to be funny, you didnt have to be good looking, you didnt have to have a social life. All you had to do was learn and master your craft. Then once you had become a smith you would then get married and split your time between family and your dedicated hobby. No worries about all the crazy paperwork and beurocracy and other fluff we do today. I read the other day that the average person in the western world spends about 1/8th of their personal hours doing paperwork and admin in their own life (not professionally) This includes taxes, contracts, loans, savings, pensions, insurance, licensing, bills, receipts and much much more. They also spend about 1/6th of their private hours being social (note this does not include family or work connections) The interesting part here is that that at least a third of that social time was either forced or not for personal enjoyment and 82% would have avoided that third. We also now live lives of heavy scheduling where everything has to happen instantly or be a problem. This means back in the day where you would have much more agency about when to do things. if you were an hour late that wouldnt not be a big issue especially since people didnt have precision time pieces like clocks. It would be "Show up around noon ish" not "be here at 12.00 or you are fired" We didnt have so many social standards to worry about either. The western world now adays have more social standards and social sensoring than every before. If you do not share everyone elses idea of a social, racial, gender, political (or any of a thousands other topics) then you are at risk of not only people entirely cutting you out of their lives but also losing your career or even be arrested. Back in the day those issues were far less common and people would generally allow for much more widespread opinions. Sure action might have been more strictly regulated than now adays but thoughts, feelings and opinions were not. I would say for myself at least 1 hour each day is spent on hearing about crazy stuff all over the world that i need to worry about. another hour is spent on considdering and navigating those social aspects i spoke about in the last section. And remember that is not counting the time you spend just worrying in general. Until very recently if things didnt happen in your village or town then you didnt really know about it much. This allows people to live MUCH more care free and focus on them selves. It also used to be that pretty much any job was a viable way of supporting yourself. It didnt matter if you were a farmer, a smith or a grocer you were able to support yourself and usually your family decently. Now adays you need 2 adults with full time jobs just to have a home and food. and remember full time jobs now adays generally are much more strictly enforced. Even 100 years ago you lunch break was however long it took to eat and have a chat and relax a bit. did you need to run home to do a random thing? sure just dont be too long. You would also generally have much less structured and less efficient work load. Even my grandfather complains that he cant have a cup of coffee with his customers anymore because every second counts. back in the day you worked slower and with much less demanding efficiency. This allowed for thinking, feeling, socialising and much more during work. you would be less stressed and less tired if you didnt have to push yourself 100% constantly like today. It is no wonder people cant dedicate themselves to anything under modern conditions and with social media and the internet constantly screaming in our faces. A good example is this. My dad never considdered any other job than being a mechanic. at 15 he went and found a master who would teach him and he worked that job until retirement never switching company. He often said he was lucky he only had 3 choices workwise which made it easy to choose what he wanted the most. We have 1000 choices today which means we always are unsure of what we want and we are constantly bombarded with peoples expectations about what we should be chosing. We then need to qualify for said job... that didnt use to be a thing. you just went and learned from a master and eventually when you were good enough bam you were now a master yourself. Now adays you need school, then further education and then training before ever even getting a job. many study for years and years then train in a field for years only to be left with still no job and little chance of getting it. Back in the day you were almost guaranteed that if you didnt fuck up completely then you would get to work for the person who trained you. Sure you might work for room and food and pocket change but you rarely had to worry about losing your job or indeed finding a job.
that's what most people commenting here don't understand ..... its not about the sword its about culture ... ofc its not the best weapon in the world not to mention that u can't outrun napalm or nuclear radiation
Owning a Katana has been my childhood dream, but even as a child I never wanted to just go out there and buy one. I wanted to learn the ways of a Samurai, earn my mark and have my master forge my sword according to who and what I am. They say the sword is an extension of yourself and that a true master knows what his disciple is and designs his sword accordingly. And it is this unique factor that will make the Samurai and his sword as one.
what the fuck are you talking about? if your master is a swordsmith, then you are his apprentice and become a swordsmith, not a samurai. also you're full of crap
MarcoManiac Dude, you just read it half way and let it be the judge of everything. Having my master Forge it for me didn't mean have my sensei have it made himself, which he could too if he wanted. And just because he might know to Forge a blade doesn't mean he is a swordsmith. That's like saying because you know to reply with stupidity makes you a stupid. Which I bet you are not. Hope that clears up the confusion, Cheers!.
I think that's a fair point. More importantly, staying active is important and the high fat/magnesium rich diet of the Japanese. Also, most asian cultures I'm familiar with tend to use a lot more products to take care of their face/skin than we do in the west. Some of it's genetics, but most of it is diet and how we take care of ourselves. Use it or lose it, lol.
@Bat Bat it's called not eating trash, my grandmas sister passed recently at 105, she looked like a 60 year old woman in her 90s, but she was very restricted in what she ate, according to family legend she never drinked a soda or eaten fast food.
It's so incredible the medieval craftsman had such a masterful grasp of all this complex chemistry before chemistry even existed. I get really pissed off when people say dumb shit like "the pyramids were made by aliens". The crafting of a samurai sword to me is one of the best examples of human ingenuity and is proof we never needed alien technology to create great things. Just the will
+leftyfourguns Which of course fails on the point that, the katana is crafted using outdated methods and crap material. This takes nothing away from the blacksmith, it's just the way it is.
+Roberto Jones hmm.. actually I didn't comment with an intent to argue but out of curiosity. I really want to know where he is coming from and why he things that the katana making methods are outdated. All this is very interesting. :)
Shaleen Dalal Well, 1, the method of creating a katana, essentially folding the steel, is, done because your material in creating the blade is notably substandard. It's done to homogenise the blade, spreading out slag and garbage, in order to minimize the chance of the sword failingand is meant to make what is essentially substandard material into something that can at least be used. And, 2, the method of differential hardening had been abandoned for better ones a full millenia before the Japanese bladesmiths started using it, for better ones. Note that this is not something that makes the work of the said bladesmiths any worse, per se. The work they do, and did, is impressive. It just could be a LOT better, if they had access to, or choose to use, better material and methods. But, due to tradition being so strong, and, lets face it, no-one needs a sword for defense-purposes, they don't.
I have one original sword in my collection, and it is an absolutely humbling experience every time i hold it. It was a ww2 prize, i even found the original owners, and was in contact with them for ahwile. They said their father gave it to my great grandfather by his own will when he surrendered. They told me to keep it, that it was an honor given to him because he treated the captive japanese soldiers with the utmost respect. I am honored to have it passed down to join my collection
@@Cody2nd bc cops might think you are trying to do some crimes with that kind of weapon, Example: trying to rob a store, a bank, trying to commit murder.
In Victoria b.c downtown it's still on the books if you are escorting a lady in a bonnit you are allowed to carry a sword after 10pm...it took alot to convince my ex to where one but it was worth it lol
I don't really give a damn about which sword is better or worse. What I appreciate here is the extremely high level of craftmanship and spirituality put into making this. How there are people who will dedicate their lives to this, it makes the product a true piece of art. It's sad how modern society has completely abandoned pursuits such as these. Now all we want is robots and machines to make everything quickly, accurately, and cheaply. We've forgone our own ingenuity in creating art for the sake of ease and efficiency...
asdfjk asdfg we have lost our bonds to spiritual things and nature. We, humans, are abusing our environtment and our globe with massproduction of trash.
@@lucasb9693 I'll admit that I've never actually built a robot from scratch however I do understand a lot of the process. The difference is actually how we build either one. The dedication towards a robot, depending on it's utility caliber and how large it is, it would require more people to work on. However, robots are known for their individual and unique use for each machine that is built. A katana on the other hand, has one main use which allows for it to inherit an identity, or otherwise known as a soul, by the blacksmiths that contributed to create the sword. I'd say BUFF AF made the mistake of comparing robots to the katana.
You know, I've only just realized that the man who translates for the tatara master is Togo Igawa, who voiced the narrator in Shogun Total War 1 and 2, was in the Last Samurai, Johnny English, Archer, The Crown and a whole bunch of other stuff. Gotta love the guy, his voice is kickass.
vanhende and Musashi-sama often carried a bokken,, and maimed abd killed many with “just” that. IMAGINE, the devastation, with a Katana. The Euro sword gang,,, look, I’m a Über Celt with Welsh Irish AND daffy ass Scott.. we LOVE A RUCK and some sword battles yo. NOTHING, ever, in the history of swords, compares to the history of the Katana and it’s ilk. Nothing. Period. It’s a BOATRACE. It’s STILL- the best steel. Imagine at the beginning of the Edo period,, your hulking along with your long sword 🗡- which for what it’s designed for is beautiful and I get it. They’d last - not at all against Samurai or those Rōnin / Daisuke - a former Samurai- aka Ronin which normally meant you committed seppuku... or lived as a disgraced hermit monk., he instead wandered the mountains and met a cat named Doshi, a Chinese warrior-monk. Daisuke renounced his bushido code, went rouge.. which ya gotta remember- this was 1500’s ish JAPAN,, Samurai, could kill if you didn’t please them in any way - so these basically alienated warriors from two continents developed a new theory of guerrilla warfare called ninjutsu. Daisuke's descendants created the first ninja ryu, or school, the Togakureryu. Stop... with the silly Lancelot could have.. he could have DIED. This culture was E X T R E M E. And the swords are in a class above all others.
@@DevInvest ok I agree the history is amazing but the quality of the steel is actually fairly poor for the time compared to other steel. It was good for the starting material but it was not even close to the best ancient steel. That place is held by Arabian crucible steel like the Uthbert swords were forged out of. Also, Katanas were designed for fighting against samurai and samurai armor, not the armor European knights would have worn. A traditional cruciform European sword would snap a katana in half because of the massive weight and strength difference. The reason katana fighting has to be so precise is that if they wailed on each other the way you can with a European sword the katana would have broken in only a few fights. However, I don't know how a samurai vs a knight would go as the difference in armor and skill is interesting but not entirely quantifiable. Realistically the biggest problem for the knight would be the fighting style and discipline of the samurai/ninja if you'd like to make that argument. The biggest issue for the samurai/ninja is that their equipment (the katana/wakazashi/ninshu) is not designed to fight a weapon like an arming sword or a bastard sword.
That martial art master was applying the techniques that the great Musashi Miyamoto used in his life and that he mirrowed on his book of five rings. That man was an actuall legend.
In the hands of a samurai, Katanas are the ultimate swords. In the hands of an egyptian marauder, Khopeshes are the ultimate swords. In the hands of a templar knight, Broadswords are the ultimate swords. If you train long enough with a specific weapon, the combination of the warrior and sword make the perfect weapon. With a cheap sword, even a master would be at a disadvantage. Wielded by an apprentice, even the best sword would seem inferior.
ivanlagrossemoule I wish more people would correct people as you did, respectfully a lot of the people I see correcting others are usually calling them names.
Bomani Chisulo Insults is good for one's own ego, but if you want to help someone learn you don't insult them. Otherweise they'll just get offended and won't learn much.
I agree. It's all in the user and the opponent, you fight a guy with a dagger using a longsword you'll probably win, you've got an extra four foot or so of reach. And any sword is usually beaten by any gun, they're both still weapons. It just depends who you are and who you're fighting.
The narration make it seems that this is something unique to Japan. European swords had the same tech and even evolved it in 14th and 15th centuries far beyond these manufacturing techniques. Talking about two types of steel - sure, a must have for each sword, no novelty. A good comparison would be if they talked about Toyota like it was a wonder of the world and no other car manufacturers existed, the rest of the world still using cartwheels.
I find this process fascinating, especially due to the fact that, during the time these techniques were developed, these sword/ steelsmiths were using techniques of which they knew nothing of why they worked, only that they worked. The amount of trial and error must be astonishing.
He must eat a lot of eel, there's been centuries Beyond centuries a folklore that if women eat a lot of eel they will age gracefully. Now science is actually proving got to be true. Hopefully it's only mildly or eventually there won't be an eel left on Earth.
+Devent Lorenzius So did everyone else............. The Samurai and the Katana weren't unique. Knights didn't just run around and bash at each other without any skill or thought. Swordsmanship in itself is an art form. That goes for any sword. The myth building around the Samurai and the Katana is just unreal, it's so obnoxious and makes it hard to appreciate because people overhype the hell out of them. They weren't '' better trained '' than normal knights, and the Katana isn't '' better '' than a longsword.
Evie Addy I have no idea where you have gotten these ideas from, but you seem pretty conviced of your choise so im not even going to argue. Maybe one day you'll actually bother to compare things critically and realise that not everything is black and white.
Nioh and Sekiro brought me here. Huge appreciation for this tradition! I even bought a Rea Katana. Wish I had enough for a real Tamahagane sword. We are talking up to $3000 USD because they are handmade like this. Amazing stuff.
Japanese sword maker is so impressive, katana is the best sword, espirit of the samurai and his code are truly admirable. Thenks to japan for sharing their tradition 💜
そのちょうどいたずら仲間を冷やします The point I was getting at was that all these guys doing samurai and ninja stuff are Europeans, usually of Brittish decent. I would love to see a Europhile of Japanese decent. I want to see "Hide Yakamura" hammering away at a forge to create a broadsword or speak of the way the Romans, French Knights, and other Western Armies fought, while dressed in full battle kit, with a deep deep Japanese accent doing the demonstrations
I’ve had bought a $4,000 katana and has never failed me after having it for 20 years. I bought it when I was 12 and loved it. And then when I was 24 someone had broken into my house and I pulled out my katana and he ran as fast as he could. Then when I saw that my katana scared him so much I realized that my katana meant a sign of strength, power, and respect and I will keep my katana by my side all the time.
And to think that the most famous sword, the Hanjo Masamune is somewhere in America amongst someones collection. Or somewhere in a barn, some old grandfathers house. Worth millions. Such amazing art.
A beautiful creation,made to the highest of standards, keeping it out of the wrong hands is the big problem,good to see this tradition is being kept alive.
While stationed in japan i spent almost a year trying to find a swordsmith that would allow me to watch him produce one of these weapons. I took all my leave at the end of the fiscal year. The swordmaster required me to participate just like any helper. To say i was nervous would be to vastly understate things. I spent my 28 days of leave not sleeping much and sweating in ways i hadnt thought possible even after having been to the sandbox. I was low man and given the kind of treatment anyone else of my station would receive, and id give anything to do it again. Those men were dedicated to thier craft in a way few outside of Japan can understand, their wortk ethic and requiring of absolute perfection answered a question id had since learning of ww2 and it was only a lack of raw materials and population that kept them from steamrolling everyone.
Katana is the most beautiful and the most famous sword in the world. I wonder what was the person thinking when it was forged for the first time. I still remember playing samurai as a kid XD
43:23 My Great Grandpa was buried with one of those "National treasures". It had been appraised and looked at by several people. I do not recall the name of the maker or the year it was made, but I do recall it being old and my grandfather feeling great regret for taking it. He asked me when I was young to seek out the owners of the sword and return it to them if I ever could. However this transaction of words was never written in the will. He was buried with that sword as my grandmother knew it held a deep meaning to him. I wish I could have told her that it would have meant even more to him for me to have returned it to its rightful home before the deed was done. ...That sword was truly a work of art, never in my life have I seen a blade as fine as it was. I just wish I could remember the name he told me. Wont know that bit of info until the next time I go to the old homestead and rummage through his stuff, but I can find it :) EDIT: I meant to go on to say this; The sword inspired my Grandpa at a young age when he returned home to pick up smithing. Before he passed on he was quite an accomplished maker of all things. I have a few of his swords on the wall. Granted they aren't as fine as the sword mentioned above, but they mean the world to me. I'm not sure why I'm even going into to all of this, so I will digress. Good day to anyone that got this far.
Reminds me of a story of some distant relatives. Basically they had a katana from the second World War, from a killed japanese officer or something (I do not know the details). Anyway, the japanese family found them years later, asking if they had the blade. The assholes didn't give it to them but sold it instead.
Seppuku was usually preformed with the tanto, not the wakizashi. And katanas were most definitely stabbing weapons too. The chisel tip lends itself very well to that function. If someone is wearing armor, stabbing at specific weak points is the only way to get through. If the katana was just slicing through armor, there would be no reason to wear it. Then they would just develop better armor. Also bows and naginatas dominated the battlefields. Katanas were dueling weapons and were a last resort on a battlefield.
To be honest, this feels like someone from 2100, for example, watching a documentary about how the pistol, and not the rifle, was the standard issue weapon of soldiers from the 18th to the 21st century.
@@RohannvanRensburg Thank you, this guy gets it. The katana isn't effective against dome or wedge riveted European chain mail. Asia used butted maille, which is inferior to European maille. And European sword however would destroy Asian butted maille.
@@120masterpiece Precisely. Europe, with its history of trading, also produced better quality steel at comparable times. I think Japan had a leg up in earlier days, but Europe had great steel in the later middle ages.
@@ButterfaceGMusicSlump You can make something entertaining and historically accurate at the same time. It's not a matter about entertainment at all. It's about money and stroking one's own false sense of history and ego.
You European Sword fanatics need to just find a documentary about the long sword so you can pay homage to it instead of coming to watch a katana documentary just to talk trash about it. No praise at all for the skill and craftsmanship witnessed in this video, that sword he made was a beauty and none of you are talking about it.
When the 'documentary' is so full of nonsense as this, and is so utterly skewed towards having the katana look like it was made out of air, glowed in the presence of orchs, could kill a roundeye at a hundred paces, flew to the moon every night, and made its owner breakfast in the mornings...it's not surprising that people react. That said, the skill of the craftsmen in it is notable, and very impressive, even more so when you consider that they're really working with less than quality material. So, much props to them, indeed.
John Nicodemus "Clearly, you are too modern to appreciate the making of one of these swords" And...what is that meant to mean? "The blade of the Katana is still the standard by which all edged weapons are judged." Nonsense. " Superior in sharpness and strength to all others." Crap. " Even the best western steel lack many of the qualities of this blend. " Bullshit. "Even modern metallurgists find it very difficult to duplicate. " Meadow muffins. "Few of the European swords survive to this day. Most were lost and rusted away in a field somewhere. " So much hot air. "Katanas on the other hand, were rarely seen outside japan before WWII." And no wonder! "The ones I own are from 400 to 800 years old and are as sharp as any razor to this day. " Likely the same as above. So, from this, we can conclude that, at the BEST, you have absolutely no idea of what the hell you're talking about, and can best be described as a clue-less wonder, and at WORST, you're lying through your teeth, spouting shit because it sounds cool and you think it'll make you seem like a tough little keyboard warrior. Take about a year or so and study up on the material, and then come back and try again.
John Nicodemus And, your success in life and financial success is nice for you. I whacked my left pinky-toe into the coffee table this morning, and bruised it. I don't see how either of those things are in any way relevant to the subject at hand? Nor your little delusion about "doing what you want when you want." But I'm sure it sounded good. Now. The katana has NEVER been any standard. Why would it be? It was the weapon of choice of one of the most limited, in both geography and innovation, nations on the planet. It didn't spread outside Japan, and it didn't influence anything outside Japan, particularly considering the western world had about 150 years of contact, before Sakoku. "Superior in strength and sharpness"...lord. The katana isn't any sharper than any other sword, and notable LESS "strong" than most others, at least when comparing steel blades. " Even the best western steel lack many of the qualities of this blend. " Actually, I'll have to give you this one, on second thought. Of course, I suspect you didn't MEAN in the way it IS...see, Japanese sword-steel was, and to day IS, utter SHIT. Traditionally made katanas still to this day is utter CRAP, materials-wise. So, thankfully, western steel lack many of the "qualities", indeed...it was actually quality, usable steel. "Few of the swords survive"...like the thousands and thousands of swords found in museums, collections, armories and so on, all over the world? Those few swords? "Katanas on the other hand, were rarely seen outside japan before WWII" Considering the fact that Sakoku meant that any Japanese leaving the country, and any foreigner ENTERING the country, except under the most regimented and controlled circumstances, was punishable by DEATH, and that this lasted up to about 1853...that would sort of be self-evident, wouldn't it? "Even modern metallurgists find it very difficult to duplicate." Not "very difficult". Very UNDESIRABLE...as noted, the Japanese steel, as made back in the day, was SHIT. Why would they want to make something that is, basically, garbage, when they could make something GOOD? "The ones I own are from 400 to 800 years old and are as sharp as any razor to this day" The katana came into being about 600 years ago. So, if you have katanas that are 800 years old, and thus, historically speaking, made TWO HUNDRED YEARS before any katana SHOULD exist, you're owning something that would be on the level of a Japanese national treasure, nearly the same as the Imperial Regalia. What do YOU think the chances of that happening is? Absofuckinglutely NONE? Very good, you got that right. Basically, we can tell that you're trying to look cool while spewing a HORSELOAD of utter nonsense. I'd say that 'keyboard warrior' is about right.
John Nicodemus And yet, despite me "saying so little", you don't actually have an ANSWER to the questions asked of you. Right? Because of the two things you actually managed to comment on, one isn't RELEVANT since it refers to WW2 and thus, has no bearing on the katana what-so-ever, and the other is just plain factually WRONG. The katana is, give or take a decade or two, 600 years old, at the MOST. Now, may I suggest that the NEXT time you try and bullshit someone, you make at least a token effort of studying the subject a bit? That way, you won't make a laughing stock out of yourself, when you make utterly ludicrous statements such as you have here.
John Nicodemus So...where, exactly, did I "assure everyone that I know everything"? Where did I show that "my opinion is the only one that matters"? Where did I "distort anything"? You made a number of incorrect statements praising the katana to the skies as a magical sword that could fly and fired laserbeams and rainbows. I asked you a series of questions, and called your statements into question. I would THINK that would invite you to ANSWER that? But, the only answer you could muster is factually incorrect, the katana is demonstrably no older than 600 years old, at the most. This is a historical FACT. Beyond this, you made a new statement relating to the second world war, something which is entirely irrelevant, as the swords of that particular era have exceedingly little to do with the katana, being more or less stamped out en masse in factories, and certainly did not affect the swords OR metallurgy of any other country in the world. Beyond this, you've chosen to NOT answer me, suggesting VERY strongly that you don't, in fact, have an answer. You've instead tried to rely on calling me "a legend in my own mind", a troll, and several other things that, again, aren't actually relevant. This would, rather thoroughly, suggest that you don't actually know anything about the subject, and instead were trying to show off about your incredible coolness, much in the same way as a small child does in the school yard. "MY daddy is a PLEASEMAN!" And when you got CALLED on this, you became extremely defensive, and instead of responding in a manner relevant to the subject, tried to divert attention by claiming that I am a troll.
Why'd you need years? The making of a katana is a fairly well-known process, much like any other sword. Getting to be a master bladesmith...might take a while. But just learning the methods to the point that you can make something useful, at least, wouldn't take that long.
MoonEyes2k you have no fucking idea have you even forged a knife of your own? To become proficient and perfect the art of a katana requires your whole life of dedication and training. This isn't something you just pick up.
I may just be a young German brat, but I'm into the samurai way of life a lot and even more fascinated by their blades. Beautiful, razor-sharp and hard. I hope these traditions will live on forever
This is hands down the best video I’ve ever watched in my entire life. So much effort, dedication, craftsmanship, attention to detail, respect, and following tradition with materials and original methods. 10/10 video and process from start to finish. It was a true treasure still seeing how this is still being carried on and to learn their history and culture, much love and respect. One day I’ll make the journey to japan and have one made 🇺🇸🇯🇵❤️
I myself own 2 katanas and 1 wakazashi, all 3 are clay tempered. I will always (apart from my 14 inch Japanese 1991 Godzilla figure) consider them my most prized possessions.
33:15 "In Japan, guns fired by non-elite soldiers forced the samurai off the battle field." Uhh...No! Samurai used guns too. They used guns, called tanegashima, as well as bows and spears, more often than swords even! I swear, this idea that the samurai only used the katana is ridiculous because if that were true, they would have been horrendously underwhelming. Samurai, like any good soldier or warrior, used whatever weapon was most efficient for the given situation. I really enjoyed learning a bit about the forging process, but like many documentaries, it over romanticizes the subject matter. For example, where it mentions western swords never caught on in Japan, well it wasn't a quality issue. It was because when Japan began to interact with the west, swords had more or less gone the way of the dodo for Europeans. That's why Japan had guns! Besides, beyond the 20th century, I don't recall Japanese swords catching on in the west either. So what was the point of they were trying to make?
let me just add, tamahagane isent even a very good type of steel for swords, there are way better steels, also there are also better swords than the katana (makes me wanna scream they keep calling the katana a samurai sword)
It's not the sword that's beautiful, it's the process of making it that is Ancient Japanese Art, everything they do, the way it's forged, the way they polish it, the ideology behind the reasons for everything they do.
A small, but vital correction. One did not have to be an aristocrat to be a Samurai, an ordinary peasant could rise through the ranks and become Samurai(by approval of a high ranking steward or feudal lord of course). That of course stopped after Toyotomi Hideyoshi(who himself was a peasant who rose through the ranks) united Japan, if one was born into one class, he was that class for life.
I'm pretty sure Tokugawa Ieyasu is the one who did that, precisely to _avoid_ the rise in social class that allowed Toyotomi to become a samurai and then shogun.
It’s true that a commoner could become a samurai but that would be exceptionally difficult and did not happen often at all. Most peasants were farmers and after the war they’d have responsibilities to tend in the fields.
Imagine owning a sword made by this master.... I would sit and stare at it every day
All day everyday :p
Every seonds
Nice to see how many people still appreciate these things as I do.
Are you kidding? I would learn how to use it! Imagine the bragging rights and the respect of being a master.
I own one bought it from him for 85,600$ not lying it’s like a mirror and an ancient artifact in my room you can buy a sword from this maker in yogutu northern japan
My step grandfather brought back an authentic sword. He kept it his whole life. It had the most beautiful purple wrap ,and amazing hamone . When he passed he left it to my step father , who had the handle unwrapped and read .. he then found , and returned it to the surviving family. They were most gracious , and honored to have it returned. They flew him to Japan where he stayed with them for a month. He passed about a year later from cancer.
REST IN PEACE ....
Brought back from Japan? Did your grandfather buy it or how did he obtain it?
@@greenhat7618 from Iwo Jima, war booty.
That is top-tier good juju right there.
He returning it was a nice thing to read, these swords hold tremendous value for families.
Some of these people’s family rituals are older than America 😂
4 times older
Which doesn't really say much since that's half of Europe. If not more.
There are restaurants/drug stores in China that are twice as old as America.
I'd say most rituals, if not all.
But yeah, we could say the same bout any country. USA is super young historically speaking.
Civilization
I hope the art is kept alive. It being hand made has a certain charm.
The amount of effort involved. The way its made.. a thing of beauty
i personally hope it expands in all of Japan
Ye i hope it to just as it was back in the days imagine when you own a sword that people spend so much time and perfectionism on
@@fotppd1475 weebs will help in that
I want to learn tamahagane steel.. it s very versatil for create knifes for making tasty food
The samurai sword was cutting edge technology back then.
I hate you
HappyandAtheist ikr
@@lycanthropickle haha < 3
Jahid Samed y u racist?
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
"For over a thousand years, one weapon has dominated the battlefields of Japan."
The spear?
John Smith or bow
@@idberfzif1206 John Wick
Axe
Jahid Samed the katana were more of a sidearm and not the main weapon.
The yari
I love the Japanese culture, it’s simple but still sophisticated when it comes to art and crafts. Something that takes great discipline, practice and feeling of honor.
its minimalistic, thats not the same as " simple".
The biggest facade is Japanese culture
@@hec4241 how so?
@@hec4241 it seems artificial, like its mostly about emotion than real thing. Katana cult for example. Sword of honor and great craftsmanship...that was no better than any european sword. If you compare katana to other sword made for cuting of course. Europe just had better technology at the time; thats why europe didnt need to forge using layers, they had better steel so there was no need. Katana is my favourite because of looks, but if i had to choose sword for defence, i'd probably take rapier.
The ways of bushido still lives on it takes one to learn the virtue of patience in order to achieve no mind.
Now I understand how hard Haganezuka (or the blacksmith) was so angry at Tanjiro when he broke the sword to two
damn this comment was a year ago and it's still alive lol
2 YEARS???? DAMN
Its been 4 years and im still getting notifs??? hi!
same
I’m dead
Lmao
Me too tho xD
And the sword that Inosuke demonitised🤣
For a thousand years this weapon dominated the battlefield in japan. A bow...
Ya this documentary is full of truth stretching statements or misconceptions.
They also have the Yumi •~• far better than the British long bow
@@josedanielhernandezdiaz8707 a period yumi had about a 25 pound draw weight, a European longbow could be upwards a 100 pound draw weight, this comes from a yumi's construction being made from bamboo, and a European bow being made from a tree branch, also English bowmen were threatened during the 100 year war that if any bowman was captured by the French that their pointer and middle finger (the two used to draw the bow) would be cut off, so they responded by showing their two fingers, saying "come and take them"
@@musicandalltheprettybits2670 and it's an insult to this day to make that symbol
@@mathiso01 it's still a thing in that area? i wouldn't know as i don't live there
These men who work day after day on forging masterpieces of history have my greatest and utmost admiration and respect. Their work is beautiful and deadly that should be well revered.
@Jon Dillon Um....swords and other bladed weapons GAVE mankind some of the greatest empires.
@Jon Dillon Those scientists in those labs wouldn't be existing in this day and age if it weren't those swords. Quit acting like nothing good came out of history and actually read a history book for once.
@J D jackass
Hey, I am stoned, what u guys up to
New swords are not "masterpieces of history", genius.
One of the lines that Tom Cruise has in the last samurai about Japanese culture is the best. "From the moment they wake up, they devote themselves completely to whatever it is they pursue. I have never seen such discipline."
And that wasn't just a line in a script for him, he honestly felt it as well.
one of the most important factors in that was the society that allowed for it. Modern western society forexample has you focus on beurocracy, work, family, goals and social life.
Most ancient societies and even up until the late medieval era you would see MUCH more allowance for such a lifestyle of dedication and devotion. You wanted to be a blacksmith? well you didnt have to do paperwork, you didnt have to go to school for things you would never use, you didnt have to be well dressed, you didnt have to be well read, you didnt have to be funny, you didnt have to be good looking, you didnt have to have a social life. All you had to do was learn and master your craft. Then once you had become a smith you would then get married and split your time between family and your dedicated hobby. No worries about all the crazy paperwork and beurocracy and other fluff we do today.
I read the other day that the average person in the western world spends about 1/8th of their personal hours doing paperwork and admin in their own life (not professionally) This includes taxes, contracts, loans, savings, pensions, insurance, licensing, bills, receipts and much much more.
They also spend about 1/6th of their private hours being social (note this does not include family or work connections) The interesting part here is that that at least a third of that social time was either forced or not for personal enjoyment and 82% would have avoided that third.
We also now live lives of heavy scheduling where everything has to happen instantly or be a problem. This means back in the day where you would have much more agency about when to do things. if you were an hour late that wouldnt not be a big issue especially since people didnt have precision time pieces like clocks. It would be "Show up around noon ish" not "be here at 12.00 or you are fired"
We didnt have so many social standards to worry about either. The western world now adays have more social standards and social sensoring than every before. If you do not share everyone elses idea of a social, racial, gender, political (or any of a thousands other topics) then you are at risk of not only people entirely cutting you out of their lives but also losing your career or even be arrested.
Back in the day those issues were far less common and people would generally allow for much more widespread opinions. Sure action might have been more strictly regulated than now adays but thoughts, feelings and opinions were not.
I would say for myself at least 1 hour each day is spent on hearing about crazy stuff all over the world that i need to worry about. another hour is spent on considdering and navigating those social aspects i spoke about in the last section. And remember that is not counting the time you spend just worrying in general.
Until very recently if things didnt happen in your village or town then you didnt really know about it much. This allows people to live MUCH more care free and focus on them selves. It also used to be that pretty much any job was a viable way of supporting yourself. It didnt matter if you were a farmer, a smith or a grocer you were able to support yourself and usually your family decently. Now adays you need 2 adults with full time jobs just to have a home and food.
and remember full time jobs now adays generally are much more strictly enforced. Even 100 years ago you lunch break was however long it took to eat and have a chat and relax a bit. did you need to run home to do a random thing? sure just dont be too long. You would also generally have much less structured and less efficient work load. Even my grandfather complains that he cant have a cup of coffee with his customers anymore because every second counts. back in the day you worked slower and with much less demanding efficiency. This allowed for thinking, feeling, socialising and much more during work. you would be less stressed and less tired if you didnt have to push yourself 100% constantly like today.
It is no wonder people cant dedicate themselves to anything under modern conditions and with social media and the internet constantly screaming in our faces.
A good example is this. My dad never considdered any other job than being a mechanic. at 15 he went and found a master who would teach him and he worked that job until retirement never switching company. He often said he was lucky he only had 3 choices workwise which made it easy to choose what he wanted the most. We have 1000 choices today which means we always are unsure of what we want and we are constantly bombarded with peoples expectations about what we should be chosing. We then need to qualify for said job... that didnt use to be a thing. you just went and learned from a master and eventually when you were good enough bam you were now a master yourself. Now adays you need school, then further education and then training before ever even getting a job. many study for years and years then train in a field for years only to be left with still no job and little chance of getting it. Back in the day you were almost guaranteed that if you didnt fuck up completely then you would get to work for the person who trained you. Sure you might work for room and food and pocket change but you rarely had to worry about losing your job or indeed finding a job.
This is my favorite documentary on youtube.
The time and dedication used to make that beautiful sword is astounding. I respect those who continue a old tradition they did very well.
that's what most people commenting here don't understand ..... its not about the sword its about culture ... ofc its not the best weapon in the world not to mention that u can't outrun napalm or nuclear radiation
Owning a Katana has been my childhood dream, but even as a child I never wanted to just go out there and buy one. I wanted to learn the ways of a Samurai, earn my mark and have my master forge my sword according to who and what I am. They say the sword is an extension of yourself and that a true master knows what his disciple is and designs his sword accordingly. And it is this unique factor that will make the Samurai and his sword as one.
what the fuck are you talking about? if your master is a swordsmith, then you are his apprentice and become a swordsmith, not a samurai. also you're full of crap
+MarcoManiac I honestly think modern day weponry ruined how life could have been
MarcoManiac Dude, you just read it half way and let it be the judge of everything. Having my master Forge it for me didn't mean have my sensei have it made himself, which he could too if he wanted. And just because he might know to Forge a blade doesn't mean he is a swordsmith. That's like saying because you know to reply with stupidity makes you a stupid. Which I bet you are not. Hope that clears up the confusion, Cheers!.
The man's sweat was STEAMING!!!
Its "Hamon"
@@JAndre-gb3dm OVADRIIIIVAAAAHH!!!!
That's one thing I can say about the Japanese, thier dedication to craftsmanship is amazing.
Right!
It’s like Amish furniture, but less deadly.
@@jeremystewert4303 lol
I’ve watched this multiple times over the years. Such a great video.
same
Here I am watching it again
His skin is really good for a 70 year old. I wonder if it's from being in a sauna all of his life
he's actually 37
Lol
Yeep well, this comment didn’t go to plan.
I think that's a fair point. More importantly, staying active is important and the high fat/magnesium rich diet of the Japanese. Also, most asian cultures I'm familiar with tend to use a lot more products to take care of their face/skin than we do in the west. Some of it's genetics, but most of it is diet and how we take care of ourselves. Use it or lose it, lol.
@Bat Bat it's called not eating trash, my grandmas sister passed recently at 105, she looked like a 60 year old woman in her 90s, but she was very restricted in what she ate, according to family legend she never drinked a soda or eaten fast food.
It's so incredible the medieval craftsman had such a masterful grasp of all this complex chemistry before chemistry even existed. I get really pissed off when people say dumb shit like "the pyramids were made by aliens". The crafting of a samurai sword to me is one of the best examples of human ingenuity and is proof we never needed alien technology to create great things. Just the will
+leftyfourguns Which of course fails on the point that, the katana is crafted using outdated methods and crap material. This takes nothing away from the blacksmith, it's just the way it is.
Roberto Jones Used one what? Sword in general? Katana? Forge? What? Do try to be a bit more specific, there.
+MoonEyes2k Katana is made using outdated methods n crap material? could u please elaborate?
+Roberto Jones hmm.. actually I didn't comment with an intent to argue but out of curiosity. I really want to know where he is coming from and why he things that the katana making methods are outdated. All this is very interesting. :)
Shaleen Dalal Well, 1, the method of creating a katana, essentially folding the steel, is, done because your material in creating the blade is notably substandard.
It's done to homogenise the blade, spreading out slag and garbage, in order to minimize the chance of the sword failingand is meant to make what is essentially substandard material into something that can at least be used.
And, 2, the method of differential hardening had been abandoned for better ones a full millenia before the Japanese bladesmiths started using it, for better ones.
Note that this is not something that makes the work of the said bladesmiths any worse, per se.
The work they do, and did, is impressive. It just could be a LOT better, if they had access to, or choose to use, better material and methods.
But, due to tradition being so strong, and, lets face it, no-one needs a sword for defense-purposes, they don't.
I have one original sword in my collection, and it is an absolutely humbling experience every time i hold it. It was a ww2 prize, i even found the original owners, and was in contact with them for ahwile. They said their father gave it to my great grandfather by his own will when he surrendered. They told me to keep it, that it was an honor given to him because he treated the captive japanese soldiers with the utmost respect. I am honored to have it passed down to join my collection
第二次世界大戦時に日本軍が携帯していたものは厳密に言うと日本刀ではなく軍刀と呼ばれています軍刀は作成工程が異なります
the old world was so cool like you get to walk around with a sword on you anywhere without getting arrested
Not if you are a commoner or peasant
@@Cody2nd bc cops might think you are trying to do some crimes with that kind of weapon, Example: trying to rob a store, a bank, trying to commit murder.
In Victoria b.c downtown it's still on the books if you are escorting a lady in a bonnit you are allowed to carry a sword after 10pm...it took alot to convince my ex to where one but it was worth it lol
@@mikejohnson1450 lol
@@PARTAIK but how did the martial artist's daughter ride the train while carrying her sword
I don't really give a damn about which sword is better or worse. What I appreciate here is the extremely high level of craftmanship and spirituality put into making this. How there are people who will dedicate their lives to this, it makes the product a true piece of art. It's sad how modern society has completely abandoned pursuits such as these. Now all we want is robots and machines to make everything quickly, accurately, and cheaply. We've forgone our own ingenuity in creating art for the sake of ease and efficiency...
Agreed
asdfjk asdfg robots are also manmade the problem is that most people are abusing of their usage in modern life
asdfjk asdfg we have lost our bonds to spiritual things and nature. We, humans, are abusing our environtment and our globe with massproduction of trash.
@@lucasb9693 I'll admit that I've never actually built a robot from scratch however I do understand a lot of the process. The difference is actually how we build either one. The dedication towards a robot, depending on it's utility caliber and how large it is, it would require more people to work on. However, robots are known for their individual and unique use for each machine that is built. A katana on the other hand, has one main use which allows for it to inherit an identity, or otherwise known as a soul, by the blacksmiths that contributed to create the sword. I'd say BUFF AF made the mistake of comparing robots to the katana.
you’re buff af bro
I'm a blacksmith so I found this as if it was porn...
Same dude same
Is it true katanas are actually quite brittle?
I got here from, forged in fire lol. I wanna start smithing it seems really interesting.
You're a blacksmith, u ain't a Japanese sword smith so shut the fuck up
@@assasinunknown1758
Whoa, I met a lot of pricks before, but you, sir, are a goddamn cactus.
The amount of patience, persistence, and perfectionism the Japanese have is extremely impressive.
You know, I've only just realized that the man who translates for the tatara master is Togo Igawa, who voiced the narrator in Shogun Total War 1 and 2, was in the Last Samurai, Johnny English, Archer, The Crown and a whole bunch of other stuff. Gotta love the guy, his voice is kickass.
the final product was AMAZING only Japanese craftsmanship could produce something that beautiful. Nice doco
"the way of the warrior is resolute acceptance of death." Miyamoto Musashi.
vanhende and Musashi-sama often carried a bokken,, and maimed abd killed many with “just” that.
IMAGINE, the devastation, with a Katana.
The Euro sword gang,,, look, I’m a Über Celt with Welsh Irish AND daffy ass Scott.. we LOVE A RUCK and some sword battles yo.
NOTHING, ever, in the history of swords, compares to the history of the Katana and it’s ilk.
Nothing.
Period.
It’s a BOATRACE.
It’s STILL- the best steel.
Imagine at the beginning of the Edo period,, your hulking along with your long sword 🗡- which for what it’s designed for is beautiful and I get it.
They’d last - not at all against Samurai or those Rōnin /
Daisuke - a former Samurai- aka Ronin which normally meant you committed seppuku... or lived as a disgraced hermit monk., he instead wandered the mountains and met a cat named Doshi, a Chinese warrior-monk. Daisuke renounced his bushido code, went rouge.. which ya gotta remember- this was 1500’s ish JAPAN,, Samurai, could kill if you didn’t please them in any way - so these basically alienated warriors from two continents developed a new theory of guerrilla warfare called ninjutsu. Daisuke's descendants created the first ninja ryu, or school, the Togakureryu.
Stop... with the silly Lancelot could have..
he could have DIED.
This culture was E X T R E M E.
And the swords are in a class above all others.
Which is ironic because Musashi died peacefully as a retired artist and philosopher
Only when we except death we can truly live..book of 5 rings
@@DevInvest ok I agree the history is amazing but the quality of the steel is actually fairly poor for the time compared to other steel. It was good for the starting material but it was not even close to the best ancient steel. That place is held by Arabian crucible steel like the Uthbert swords were forged out of. Also, Katanas were designed for fighting against samurai and samurai armor, not the armor European knights would have worn. A traditional cruciform European sword would snap a katana in half because of the massive weight and strength difference. The reason katana fighting has to be so precise is that if they wailed on each other the way you can with a European sword the katana would have broken in only a few fights. However, I don't know how a samurai vs a knight would go as the difference in armor and skill is interesting but not entirely quantifiable. Realistically the biggest problem for the knight would be the fighting style and discipline of the samurai/ninja if you'd like to make that argument. The biggest issue for the samurai/ninja is that their equipment (the katana/wakazashi/ninshu) is not designed to fight a weapon like an arming sword or a bastard sword.
I wish some master swordsmith would make me the Enma...i would cherish it for every milliseconds of my life.
That martial art master was applying the techniques that the great Musashi Miyamoto used in his life and that he mirrowed on his book of five rings. That man was an actuall legend.
In the hands of a samurai, Katanas are the ultimate swords.
In the hands of an egyptian marauder, Khopeshes are the ultimate swords.
In the hands of a templar knight, Broadswords are the ultimate swords.
If you train long enough with a specific weapon, the combination of the warrior and sword make the perfect weapon. With a cheap sword, even a master would be at a disadvantage. Wielded by an apprentice, even the best sword would seem inferior.
Knights never used broadswords though. Arming swords is the term you're looking for, broadswords being post-medieval one handed scottish sabers.
ivanlagrossemoule I wish more people would correct people as you did, respectfully a lot of the people I see correcting others are usually calling them names.
Bomani Chisulo Insults is good for one's own ego, but if you want to help someone learn you don't insult them. Otherweise they'll just get offended and won't learn much.
Broadsword is the incorrect term but I see your point
I agree. It's all in the user and the opponent, you fight a guy with a dagger using a longsword you'll probably win, you've got an extra four foot or so of reach. And any sword is usually beaten by any gun, they're both still weapons. It just depends who you are and who you're fighting.
Is humbling to watch a beautiful piece of art born in such humble place like that clay oven. Remarkable craftsmanship.
Imagine how he's child feels being compared to newly made steel, or in contrast, how dedicated he is to his craft to even compare it to having a child
He just meant that’s it’s worth being patient for.
The narration make it seems that this is something unique to Japan. European swords had the same tech and even evolved it in 14th and 15th centuries far beyond these manufacturing techniques. Talking about two types of steel - sure, a must have for each sword, no novelty. A good comparison would be if they talked about Toyota like it was a wonder of the world and no other car manufacturers existed, the rest of the world still using cartwheels.
I find this process fascinating, especially due to the fact that, during the time these techniques were developed, these sword/ steelsmiths were using techniques of which they knew nothing of why they worked, only that they worked. The amount of trial and error must be astonishing.
Now i can play sekiro
lechuga pro no noob I still can’t play I’m garbage at navigation and stealth
He must eat a lot of eel, there's been centuries Beyond centuries a folklore that if women eat a lot of eel they will age gracefully. Now science is actually proving got to be true. Hopefully it's only mildly or eventually there won't be an eel left on Earth.
5
hahahahahahaha tru
I must of watched this process a hundred times and still doesn't get old. It's so fascinating to watch.
must have*
must OF comes from an incorrect interpretation of the conjunction "must've", which is short for must have, not must of
The Japanese Samurai history, sword forging, mysterious art feels like a dream!
The only thing they don't tell you is that most "famous swords" are not allowed to be taken out of Japan since they are considered National Treasures.
The Tenka-Goken? Besides those and a few others you can purchase and take out of Japan many Authentic Swords
Loved it just wish it showed the making of the handle and the rest of the blade
word
Why tf is this interesting as hell at 1 am
I love this. I think katana swords are beautiful and I think it's so cool that they decided to work on this in that way.
I am descendant of those bamboos and I don’t appreciate all this violence against my people
Your people are a scourge on the land and you will be brought to heel.
@@cremdilly7176 OY VEY
Max opppp
The straw clan and bamboo people shall rise against our sword oppressors!
Lol
i could watch them forge, hammer and polish those swords all day....very cool stuff
Right there with ya! Excellent video
I kind of want to go to Japan and learn the art
I love that they included the smelting of the ore at the foundry part to the entire story of forging a katana.
The closets we’ll get to dragon fire.
This is the perfect go-to-bed video - just play it and leave it by my pillow. Love it
💯💯
What I appreciate most about katanas is the fact that the people wielding them have many techniques and practices the art.
+Devent Lorenzius as if that was not the case with pretty much any bladed weapons ever
+Devent Lorenzius Much like HEMA?
+Devent Lorenzius So did everyone else.............
The Samurai and the Katana weren't unique. Knights didn't just run around and bash at each other without any skill or thought. Swordsmanship in itself is an art form. That goes for any sword.
The myth building around the Samurai and the Katana is just unreal, it's so obnoxious and makes it hard to appreciate because people overhype the hell out of them.
They weren't '' better trained '' than normal knights, and the Katana isn't '' better '' than a longsword.
+nikofinman you forget the level of discipline it takes to wield a katana and yes it was better it was lighter and and sharper.
Evie Addy
I have no idea where you have gotten these ideas from, but you seem pretty conviced of your choise so im not even going to argue. Maybe one day you'll actually bother to compare things critically and realise that not everything is black and white.
I will never get tired of seeing masters from jewl steel to the most sharp blade in history
Ok now i know why tanjiros swordsmith got so mad when tanjiro broke the blade
I TOUGHT EXACTLY THE SAME LOOOOOOOL
And Zoro being able to weild 3 swords...
amazing✨
Beauty in metal! It's not just a weapon. It's art at its highest level.
A fine weapon with an incredibly high level of craft behind it...but so many people confuse "coolest" with "best".
Nioh and Sekiro brought me here. Huge appreciation for this tradition! I even bought a Rea Katana.
Wish I had enough for a real Tamahagane sword. We are talking up to $3000 USD because they are handmade like this. Amazing stuff.
Its awesome how it's not just one person doing everything there is a master for every step... that blade is legendary
Katana is very remarkable weapon in Japan and I really amaze on how do they make it!
It's funny how they voiced over the guy working at the furnace with an accent
its the shogun2 narrator LOL
The guy who did the voice over probably has an accent ya numb nuts
The clunky awkwardness from the knight at 31:13 was hilarious.
Japanese sword maker is so impressive, katana is the best sword, espirit of the samurai and his code are truly admirable.
Thenks to japan for sharing their tradition 💜
holy shit that lady at the end sheathed her sword like a BOSS
was I the only one that, when I saw the samurai with blue eyes, was hoping to see a Japanese guy in the Knights armor?
Samurai,knight,Viking,modern sword users in the military,ancient sword users,troop,etc
I don't know anymore types of users of the sword/sword like
そのちょうどいたずら仲間を冷やします The point I was getting at was that all these guys doing samurai and ninja stuff are Europeans, usually of Brittish decent.
I would love to see a Europhile of Japanese decent. I want to see "Hide Yakamura" hammering away at a forge to create a broadsword or speak of the way the Romans, French Knights, and other Western Armies fought, while dressed in full battle kit, with a deep deep Japanese accent doing the demonstrations
I’ve had bought a $4,000 katana and has never failed me after having it for 20 years. I bought it when I was 12 and loved it. And then when I was 24 someone had broken into my house and I pulled out my katana and he ran as fast as he could. Then when I saw that my katana scared him so much I realized that my katana meant a sign of strength, power, and respect and I will keep my katana by my side all the time.
is this a copypasta?
How do you buy a $4000 sword at the age of 12?
Miguel Carrasco, Jr well my dad was a hard working person so when I turned 12 I helped him on working for 5 months and eventually I got it but yeah
@@PumaM90 In the wishful dreams of a fanboy.
It was an honor to meet him today. He was so nice and humble.
There's smoke coming off this dudes head, new definition of hard work lol...
I've seen it happen after a long day of marching band practice in the end of September
I’ve watched this thing 5 times
Don Kun me same
Only 5 times?
make it now
And to think that the most famous sword, the Hanjo Masamune is somewhere in America amongst someones collection. Or somewhere in a barn, some old grandfathers house. Worth millions. Such amazing art.
I would help keep the art alive.
Anyone else?
I always enjoy seeing the Hamon.
This sword must be the work of an enemy stand.
Next you'll say, 'How can he possibly be alive with that hole in his head?' Am I right?
look at the clock above you
I wonder do all English people know how to use that breathing technique
#HamonFap
A beautiful creation,made to the highest of standards, keeping it out of the wrong hands is the big problem,good to see this tradition is being kept alive.
That sword at the end is a thing of beauty . It should be in a museum
The sword made in this documentary can be seen in New York museum. since it was gifted by Japan to the city of New York.
New York doesn't deserve this embodiment of self devotion and over a thousand years of artistry
If Japan has taught me three things, it's that giant monsters are cool, animes are awesome and samurai are badasses
tentacles are badasses too
@@IsaacChoo88 No arguments
Asian nazi’s ?
@@IsaacChoo88 please...
Loli's : Are You Sure About it??
That forging process is amazing.
While stationed in japan i spent almost a year trying to find a swordsmith that would allow me to watch him produce one of these weapons. I took all my leave at the end of the fiscal year. The swordmaster required me to participate just like any helper. To say i was nervous would be to vastly understate things. I spent my 28 days of leave not sleeping much and sweating in ways i hadnt thought possible even after having been to the sandbox. I was low man and given the kind of treatment anyone else of my station would receive, and id give anything to do it again. Those men were dedicated to thier craft in a way few outside of Japan can understand, their wortk ethic and requiring of absolute perfection answered a question id had since learning of ww2 and it was only a lack of raw materials and population that kept them from steamrolling everyone.
Katana is the most beautiful and the most famous sword in the world. I wonder what was the person thinking when it was forged for the first time. I still remember playing samurai as a kid XD
43:23 My Great Grandpa was buried with one of those "National treasures". It had been appraised and looked at by several people. I do not recall the name of the maker or the year it was made, but I do recall it being old and my grandfather feeling great regret for taking it. He asked me when I was young to seek out the owners of the sword and return it to them if I ever could. However this transaction of words was never written in the will. He was buried with that sword as my grandmother knew it held a deep meaning to him. I wish I could have told her that it would have meant even more to him for me to have returned it to its rightful home before the deed was done.
...That sword was truly a work of art, never in my life have I seen a blade as fine as it was. I just wish I could remember the name he told me. Wont know that bit of info until the next time I go to the old homestead and rummage through his stuff, but I can find it :)
EDIT: I meant to go on to say this; The sword inspired my Grandpa at a young age when he returned home to pick up smithing. Before he passed on he was quite an accomplished maker of all things. I have a few of his swords on the wall. Granted they aren't as fine as the sword mentioned above, but they mean the world to me. I'm not sure why I'm even going into to all of this, so I will digress. Good day to anyone that got this far.
Reminds me of a story of some distant relatives. Basically they had a katana from the second World War, from a killed japanese officer or something (I do not know the details). Anyway, the japanese family found them years later, asking if they had the blade. The assholes didn't give it to them but sold it instead.
ivanlagrossemoule ...Wow
ivanlagrossemoule no one knew the importance of the blade to the family probably was a family heirloom, but your friends family a war trophy
owned141117
They did know what it was worth to the japanese family, they simply were selfish bastards.
ivanlagrossemoule know one feels regret till after
Seppuku was usually preformed with the tanto, not the wakizashi. And katanas were most definitely stabbing weapons too. The chisel tip lends itself very well to that function. If someone is wearing armor, stabbing at specific weak points is the only way to get through. If the katana was just slicing through armor, there would be no reason to wear it. Then they would just develop better armor. Also bows and naginatas dominated the battlefields. Katanas were dueling weapons and were a last resort on a battlefield.
You're not an expert. Stop acting like an expert.
Douche
@@oscaravalos9098 but he's right, Seppukus are performed with Tantos.
@@oscaravalos9098 he is right, the video have mistakes but not all are wrong
It a cutting weapon, not stabbing weapon.
@@ragnard0967 that doesn't mean it can't stab.
To be honest, this feels like someone from 2100, for example, watching a documentary about how the pistol, and not the rifle, was the standard issue weapon of soldiers from the 18th to the 21st century.
This is amazing. Crazy amounts of effort. This metal should be very expensive.
"The broad sword relies on brute strength." Clearly these people have not done their history research.
Yea I thought the "comparisons" to other medieval weapons was totally bs and biased and not based on fact. Still a very interesting video
It's had to find good info on this kind of thing. The katana was great for what it was made for, but wouldn't have been very effective in Europe.
thomas murphy each to his own
@@RohannvanRensburg Thank you, this guy gets it. The katana isn't effective against dome or wedge riveted European chain mail. Asia used butted maille, which is inferior to European maille. And European sword however would destroy Asian butted maille.
@@120masterpiece Precisely. Europe, with its history of trading, also produced better quality steel at comparable times. I think Japan had a leg up in earlier days, but Europe had great steel in the later middle ages.
Why can't we get documentaries with accurate information? Lol
Yeah I know the they said it was invented in the 16th century when it was invented hundreds of years earlier
Maybe you people should make the documentary, since you're well educated.
because it doesn't sell. It's not about information, it's about entertainment and money.
@@ButterfaceGMusicSlump You can make something entertaining and historically accurate at the same time. It's not a matter about entertainment at all. It's about money and stroking one's own false sense of history and ego.
The history channel: where the truth is history
That is the coolest shit ever, a thousand year old tradition that is peerless in every possible way. A true art.
Pov: you watch anime and you want to look cool with your katana.
What did I do to be called out like this 😪
Alt Pov: Blade Enthusiast wanting to learn
@@chrisc.2626 just want a sword to be my friend
You European Sword fanatics need to just find a documentary about the long sword so you can pay homage to it instead of coming to watch a katana documentary just to talk trash about it. No praise at all for the skill and craftsmanship witnessed in this video, that sword he made was a beauty and none of you are talking about it.
When the 'documentary' is so full of nonsense as this, and is so utterly skewed towards having the katana look like it was made out of air, glowed in the presence of orchs, could kill a roundeye at a hundred paces, flew to the moon every night, and made its owner breakfast in the mornings...it's not surprising that people react.
That said, the skill of the craftsmen in it is notable, and very impressive, even more so when you consider that they're really working with less than quality material. So, much props to them, indeed.
John Nicodemus "Clearly, you are too modern to appreciate the making of one of these swords"
And...what is that meant to mean?
"The blade of the Katana is still the standard by which all edged weapons are judged."
Nonsense.
" Superior in sharpness and strength to all others."
Crap.
" Even the best western steel lack many of the qualities of this blend. "
Bullshit.
"Even modern metallurgists find it very difficult to duplicate. "
Meadow muffins.
"Few of the European swords survive to this day. Most were lost and rusted away in a field somewhere. "
So much hot air.
"Katanas on the other hand, were rarely seen outside japan before WWII."
And no wonder!
"The ones I own are from 400 to 800 years old and are as sharp as any razor to this day. "
Likely the same as above.
So, from this, we can conclude that, at the BEST, you have absolutely no idea of what the hell you're talking about, and can best be described as a clue-less wonder, and at WORST, you're lying through your teeth, spouting shit because it sounds cool and you think it'll make you seem like a tough little keyboard warrior.
Take about a year or so and study up on the material, and then come back and try again.
John Nicodemus And, your success in life and financial success is nice for you. I whacked my left pinky-toe into the coffee table this morning, and bruised it. I don't see how either of those things are in any way relevant to the subject at hand? Nor your little delusion about "doing what you want when you want." But I'm sure it sounded good.
Now.
The katana has NEVER been any standard. Why would it be? It was the weapon of choice of one of the most limited, in both geography and innovation, nations on the planet. It didn't spread outside Japan, and it didn't influence anything outside Japan, particularly considering the western world had about 150 years of contact, before Sakoku.
"Superior in strength and sharpness"...lord. The katana isn't any sharper than any other sword, and notable LESS "strong" than most others, at least when comparing steel blades.
" Even the best western steel lack many of the qualities of this blend. " Actually, I'll have to give you this one, on second thought. Of course, I suspect you didn't MEAN in the way it IS...see, Japanese sword-steel was, and to day IS, utter SHIT. Traditionally made katanas still to this day is utter CRAP, materials-wise. So, thankfully, western steel lack many of the "qualities", indeed...it was actually quality, usable steel.
"Few of the swords survive"...like the thousands and thousands of swords found in museums, collections, armories and so on, all over the world? Those few swords?
"Katanas on the other hand, were rarely seen outside japan before WWII" Considering the fact that Sakoku meant that any Japanese leaving the country, and any foreigner ENTERING the country, except under the most regimented and controlled circumstances, was punishable by DEATH, and that this lasted up to about 1853...that would sort of be self-evident, wouldn't it?
"Even modern metallurgists find it very difficult to duplicate." Not "very difficult". Very UNDESIRABLE...as noted, the Japanese steel, as made back in the day, was SHIT. Why would they want to make something that is, basically, garbage, when they could make something GOOD?
"The ones I own are from 400 to 800 years old and are as sharp as any razor to this day"
The katana came into being about 600 years ago. So, if you have katanas that are 800 years old, and thus, historically speaking, made TWO HUNDRED YEARS before any katana SHOULD exist, you're owning something that would be on the level of a Japanese national treasure, nearly the same as the Imperial Regalia. What do YOU think the chances of that happening is? Absofuckinglutely NONE? Very good, you got that right.
Basically, we can tell that you're trying to look cool while spewing a HORSELOAD of utter nonsense. I'd say that 'keyboard warrior' is about right.
John Nicodemus And yet, despite me "saying so little", you don't actually have an ANSWER to the questions asked of you. Right?
Because of the two things you actually managed to comment on, one isn't RELEVANT since it refers to WW2 and thus, has no bearing on the katana what-so-ever, and the other is just plain factually WRONG. The katana is, give or take a decade or two, 600 years old, at the MOST.
Now, may I suggest that the NEXT time you try and bullshit someone, you make at least a token effort of studying the subject a bit? That way, you won't make a laughing stock out of yourself, when you make utterly ludicrous statements such as you have here.
John Nicodemus So...where, exactly, did I "assure everyone that I know everything"? Where did I show that "my opinion is the only one that matters"? Where did I "distort anything"?
You made a number of incorrect statements praising the katana to the skies as a magical sword that could fly and fired laserbeams and rainbows. I asked you a series of questions, and called your statements into question. I would THINK that would invite you to ANSWER that?
But, the only answer you could muster is factually incorrect, the katana is demonstrably no older than 600 years old, at the most. This is a historical FACT. Beyond this, you made a new statement relating to the second world war, something which is entirely irrelevant, as the swords of that particular era have exceedingly little to do with the katana, being more or less stamped out en masse in factories, and certainly did not affect the swords OR metallurgy of any other country in the world.
Beyond this, you've chosen to NOT answer me, suggesting VERY strongly that you don't, in fact, have an answer. You've instead tried to rely on calling me "a legend in my own mind", a troll, and several other things that, again, aren't actually relevant.
This would, rather thoroughly, suggest that you don't actually know anything about the subject, and instead were trying to show off about your incredible coolness, much in the same way as a small child does in the school yard. "MY daddy is a PLEASEMAN!" And when you got CALLED on this, you became extremely defensive, and instead of responding in a manner relevant to the subject, tried to divert attention by claiming that I am a troll.
That was beautiful
Do they sell those katanas and if so how much
+Shiroe I think these katanas are in the range of thousands.
+Chronosyl oh shit
+Shiroe Yeah, but you can get some katanas for a few hundred, they probably just aren't made like these ones.
www.trueswords.com/Swords-Japanese-Katana
The receptionist is actually a samurai, that's best security in disguise
Here watching this on a Sunday because I drank too much last night and it's perfect
I would love to have the chance to craft one of these beautiful pieces of art, then spend years mastering the art of wielding it.
more like 10 years mastering the art of doing a worthy katana and another 10 years mastering the art of weilding it AND sharpening it
davidhg117 At least.
i would jump at the chance to use years of my life to learn these ancient methods.
Why'd you need years? The making of a katana is a fairly well-known process, much like any other sword. Getting to be a master bladesmith...might take a while. But just learning the methods to the point that you can make something useful, at least, wouldn't take that long.
I do it called shim bu Kai
MoonEyes2k you have no fucking idea have you even forged a knife of your own? To become proficient and perfect the art of a katana requires your whole life of dedication and training. This isn't something you just pick up.
SkylordAz Oh, lord.
Yes, yes, it's a magical, unicorn-shooting lightsaber that could fly. Ok? Satisfied?
Meanwhile, in the REAL world...
I hope that maybe one day i'll have a chance to carry a lightsaber too :D
We should all remember that this is a version 0 as always..
I may just be a young German brat, but I'm into the samurai way of life a lot and even more fascinated by their blades. Beautiful, razor-sharp and hard. I hope these traditions will live on forever
This is hands down the best video I’ve ever watched in my entire life. So much effort, dedication, craftsmanship, attention to detail, respect, and following tradition with materials and original methods. 10/10 video and process from start to finish. It was a true treasure still seeing how this is still being carried on and to learn their history and culture, much love and respect. One day I’ll make the journey to japan and have one made 🇺🇸🇯🇵❤️
I myself own 2 katanas and 1 wakazashi, all 3 are clay tempered. I will always (apart from my 14 inch Japanese 1991 Godzilla figure) consider them my most prized possessions.
33:15 "In Japan, guns fired by non-elite soldiers forced the samurai off the battle field."
Uhh...No! Samurai used guns too. They used guns, called tanegashima, as well as bows and spears, more often than swords even! I swear, this idea that the samurai only used the katana is ridiculous because if that were true, they would have been horrendously underwhelming. Samurai, like any good soldier or warrior, used whatever weapon was most efficient for the given situation.
I really enjoyed learning a bit about the forging process, but like many documentaries, it over romanticizes the subject matter. For example, where it mentions western swords never caught on in Japan, well it wasn't a quality issue. It was because when Japan began to interact with the west, swords had more or less gone the way of the dodo for Europeans. That's why Japan had guns! Besides, beyond the 20th century, I don't recall Japanese swords catching on in the west either. So what was the point of they were trying to make?
Yea they had to master the sword as well as bow and other choose other gun as well but people dont know that.
Finally, someone who knows factual history
let me just add, tamahagane isent even a very good type of steel for swords, there are way better steels, also there are also better swords than the katana (makes me wanna scream they keep calling the katana a samurai sword)
Hey. someone knows real history. Good to see the 1% around
When the guy says that the european sword required only brute force...ergh makes me sick
It's not the sword that's beautiful, it's the process of making it that is Ancient Japanese Art, everything they do, the way it's forged, the way they polish it, the ideology behind the reasons for everything they do.
Amazing documentary!
That god damn old man whose making the steel was steaming. Damn.
9:50 Thank you! I was wondering why nobody was talking about that!
Umm same thing happens when you walk out of a sauna, the man's face was wet with sweat from the heat of the tatara
I mean, if you saw outside there was snow, so it was probably pretty cold. That's what happens when moisture is in a temperature differential
You obviously didn't see Snoop Dogg in the dark corner of the room. The old man just finished his smoke break prior to the walkabout.
What's his name? And is that furnace still there now?
A small, but vital correction.
One did not have to be an aristocrat to be a Samurai, an ordinary peasant could rise through the ranks and become Samurai(by approval of a high ranking steward or feudal lord of course).
That of course stopped after Toyotomi Hideyoshi(who himself was a peasant who rose through the ranks) united Japan, if one was born into one class, he was that class for life.
I'm pretty sure Tokugawa Ieyasu is the one who did that, precisely to _avoid_ the rise in social class that allowed Toyotomi to become a samurai and then shogun.
It’s true that a commoner could become a samurai but that would be exceptionally difficult and did not happen often at all. Most peasants were farmers and after the war they’d have responsibilities to tend in the fields.
Hideyoshi pisses me off.
A perfect masterpiece. Both the sword and the video.
Great documentary--the Japanese culture is truly beautiful & has such depth!
I would love to met this people who put all they’re time and life making the most know sword in the world....it’s beautiful
I noticed how the sensei was using Sun Tzu's tactics in the art of war
I really didn't think an oversized knife could be art before this
No matter how many times I watch this documentary I don’t get enough of it, it’s a wonderful one to watch, thank 🙏 you for sharing