Japanese Town Preserves Centuries-Old Swordmaking Tradition

In the mountain town of Yoshida in Unnan, Shimane Prefecture, artisans continue to preserve Japan's centuries-old tatara iron-smelting tradition used to produce steel for katana swords, The Japan Times reported.

Artisans in Shimane Prefecture have continued the ancient tatara process used to create traditional Japanese sword steel. [Photo: Andrew G. Contreras, AGC Photography]

Inside a traditional clay furnace, workers spend 24 continuous hours adding iron sand and charcoal while carefully controlling airflow.

When the furnace is dismantled, it reveals a glowing kera—a large bloom of crude iron weighing approximately 120 kilograms and measuring about one meter in length.

Hidden within the kera is tamahagane, the high-quality steel prized by Japanese swordsmiths for centuries.

The tatara process relies heavily on experience and craftsmanship, with operators judging furnace conditions by observing the color of the flames and listening to the sound of air flowing through the furnace.

After cooling naturally, the kera is broken apart and sorted into different grades of steel.

The demonstration is organized by Tanabe Tataranosato, a cultural preservation project led by the Tanabe family, whose history in ironmaking spans more than 500 years.

Although the family ceased commercial iron production about a century ago because imported steel and modern blast furnaces proved more economical, it continues preserving the tatara tradition as an important part of Japan's cultural heritage.