The Tokyo Sword Museum is located inside a normal office building and is rather small, yet the exhibits are by no means less valuable or carry less importance.
Next to the front door is a huge piece of kera, a large block of iron and steel from which select parts are extracted to be further processed into a Japanese sword. This kera weighs about 10 tons and is itself the result of much hard work and skill. It is produced from the Nittoho forge by the tatara method, the traditional method of producing tamahagane, high quality steel. Nittoho's forge is a heritage itself, in that it was reopened in 1977 when the production of tamahagane had decreased dramatically, a situation which threatened the survival of the Japanese sword culture. Nowadays, the forge is operated only two or three times every year in winter. As a result this kera symbolizes the importance of sword making as a traditional heritage in Japan and tells the story of how people have worked to continue the culture.
Don’t miss the exhibition behind the entrance next to the elevator before going up to the paid area on the second floor. It tells a lot about the history of steel manufacturing in Japan, which is essential background information for Japanese sword making. More informative is the illustrated graphic of the whole sword-making process. Each step is clearly shown with easily understandable descriptions - a piece of tamahagane being crushed into pieces for fine selection; the process of folding and hammering; the shaping of a sword to the formation of the blade. Real iron sand and tamagahane of differing qualities are also displayed. Above it is another graphic explanation of the structure of the Nittoho forge.
The information in the main exhibition hall focuses on the historical development of various sword styles. Important people related to the sword-making field and their breakthroughs or discoveries are also mentioned. It is also interesting to learn how sketches of swords are made in a traditional but effective way with the use of very simple stationary.
Aside from the brochure and information sheets you receive when you pay the entrance fee, there is also English information available about the swords throughout the museum.
The Tokyo Sword Museum is located a 15-mintue walk from Shinjuku Station, or just 10 minutes from Hatsudai Station on the Keio Line.
