He continued to collect Japanese swords on the sidelines of his practice as a physician. Twenty-two of the 31 blades are categorized as “koto” (old swords), which date to around the 16th ...

Japanese swords have always been more than just weapons, they were artworks, status symbols, and throughout history had a huge spiritual importance. Each sword is a unique artwork, and one that is ...

NARA--Some of the finest swords of Japan’s feudal age are now ... dedicated to shrine deities by warriors and aristocrats of old. This means some were never used in fights or battle and are ...

The term "samurai" comes from the Japanese word saburau, meaning "to serve," and was first used in A.D. 702 to describe mid-to-low-ranking court administrators and, later, armed imperial guards.

Japanese swords have always been more than just weapons, they were artworks, status symbols, and throughout history had a huge spiritual importance. Each sword is a unique artwork, and one that is ...