All About Samurai Swords

If there is one thing Japan is known for where I come from, apart from sushi, it is the swords. 

Beautiful and deadly masterpieces, the samurai swords are real treasures. In Tokyo, there is this small museum dedicated to them. On the first floor you get a display showing the sword making process complete with raw materials. The second floor, which you can access for a small fee, contains many swords on display with indications as to when and where they originated. The displays also point out the different signatures and the period each style is linked too.

The collection was extensive with many swords of different lengths and use as well as hand guards. We left the museum with a leaflet explaining the sword terminology as well as instructions on how to properly care for them, if we ever found ourselves with such treasures in our hands.  Which, let's be honest, is very unlikely.

I know a few friends back home who would have loved this visit!

The Sword Museum of Tokyo is located at Japan, 〒151-0053 Tokyo, Shibuya, Yoyogi, 4−25−10. Be warned, it is not easy to find and you might very well be thankful to have Google Map turned on while you are looking for it. This is the only place I probably wouldn't have been able to find without the help of Google...