【Episode 5】What is TAMA-HAGANE?
Japanese blacksmithing has over a millennium of history. It dates back to the 1st century A.D. when ancient blacksmiths studied template method from the continent. Copper pottery and rice farming techniques were also introduced to Japan at the same time.
Since then, Japanese blacksmiths had spent centuries to invent the traditional metal forging technique called TATARA(鑪). TATARA is a clay melting pot where you put iron sand and charcoal together to bond these chemicals with intensive heat.
By using this technique, they started to make Japanese swords out of Tatara carbon-steel.
This type of carbon-steel was later called TAMA-HAGANE (玉鋼; Ball-Steel). However, Tama-Hagane, in the early days, still had room for improvement. The schools of Katana (Japanese swords) continued carrying out various ways to make the best steel.
In the Edo period (1603-1868 A.D.), they finally achieved the most steady mass-producing supply of Tama-Hagane. As transport links in the Edo period were far more advanced than those of any previous eras, Tama-Hagane has rapidly spread throughout the country. It was widely used for Shin-TO Japanese swords, since it was deemed the purest form of carbon-steel with the most stable chemical bond. It was also a defining moment in Japanese history when most swordsmiths in Japan used virtually the same ingredient in their blacksmithing.

After the decline of the Samurai regime in the Meiji era (1868-1912 A.D.), Tatara and Tama-Hagane also vanished from Japan. Although it had once restored its use in the World War period, there was eventually no operating Tatara factory in Japan.
The Tatara method had been extinct until the 1970s. However, there was still no better metal material than Tama-Hagane in terms of its pureness and strength. Even the finest of modern technology could not create the alternative to Tama-Hagane.
In the year 1972, following all the struggles by the government and metal industry to bring Tatara back to life, it was NBTHK that presented themselves in charge.
They finally restored the traditional Tatara factory in the year 1977. Also, Tatara was selected as one of the traditional Japanese techniques that are legally worth preserving by the Agency for Cultural Affairs in Japan.
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That is the history of TAMA-HAGANE. Did you enjoy this article? It seems to us that it is such an honor to have the kind of steel which has a deep-rooted history behind it in our culture. It would also be an honor if this article helped you understand Katana’s true art and history.
And if you don’t own a Japanese sword yet, we are happy to serve you at our online shop. You are welcome to ask us anything! We will see you in the next episode.
Samurai Museum
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Authentic Japanese Sword
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$5,760.84

DELIVERY TIME: Approx. 1-1.5 months
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SHIPPING TO:
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INCLUDED: NBTHK Hozon Certificate, Koshirae Case (Decorative Sword Mounting), Shirasaya Case (Plain Wooden Case), Traditional Sword Carrying Bag, Sword Maintenance Kit, Full Exportation Support
Category |
Katana (KOTO:古刀)
|
Age |
Late Muromachi Period |
Swordsmith |
Attributed to Taira Takada (平高田: Unsigned) |
Certificate |
NBTHK Hozon Certificate |
Location |
Bungo province (Today’s Oita prefecture) |
Blade Size |
Cutting Edge Length: 62.8 cm (24.4 inches)
Curvature: 1.4 cm (0.55 inches)
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$13,554.91

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INCLUDED : NBTHK Hozon Certificate , Koshirae Case, Shirasaya Case, Traditional Sword Carrying Case, Sword Maintenance Kit, Full Exportation Support
Category |
Katana (KOTO) |
Age |
Early Muromachi period (1394-1428) |
Swordsmith |
Attributed to Asago Taima
(浅古当麻: Signature Not readable) |
Certificate |
NBTHK Hozon Certificate |
Location |
Yamato province (today’s Nara prefecture) |
Blade Size |
Cutting Edge Length: 68.4 cm ( 26.9 inches)
Curvature: 2.8 cm (1.10 inches)
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$14,910.40

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INCLUDED : NTHK Kanteisho Certificate for the blade, NBTHK Hozon Certificate for Koshirae, Koshirae Mounting, Shirasaya Case, Traditional Sword Carrying Case, Sword Maintenance Kit, Full Exportation Support
Category |
Katana (KOTO) |
Age |
Gen-O era (1319-1321: Late Kamakura period) |
Swordsmith |
attributed to Yamato Hosho Sadayoshi
(大和保昌貞吉: Unsigned) |
Certificate |
NTHK Kanteisho Certificate for the blade
NBTHK Hozon Certificate for Koshirae |
Location |
Yamato Province (Today’s Nara prefecture) |
Blade Size |
Cutting Edge Length: 68.6 cm (27.0 inches)
Curvature: 2.12 cm ( 0.83 inches) |
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$14,910.40

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INCLUDED : NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate for the blade and Koshirae , Koshirae Case (Decorative Sword Mounting), Shirasaya Case, Traditional Sword Carrying Case, Sword Maintenance Kit, Full Exportation Support
Category |
Tanto (KOTO)
|
Age |
Mid Nanbokucho period (The first year of the O-An era:1368) |
Swordsmith |
Bishu Osafune Moromitsu (備州長船師光) |
Certificate |
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate |
Location |
Bizen province (Today’s Okayama prefecture) |
Blade Size |
Cutting Edge Length: 27.5 cm ( 10.8 inches)
Curvature: 0.1 cm (0.04 inches)
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$9,488.44

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Category |
Katana (KOTO) |
Age |
Late Muromachi period |
Swordsmith |
Kashu Norimitsu (加州則光) |
Certificate |
NBTHK Hozon Certificate |
Location |
Kashu province (today’s Ishikawa prefecture) |
Blade Size |
Cutting Edge Length: 68.5 cm ( 26.9 inches)
Curvature: 2.4 cm (0.94 inches)
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More photos& videos available on request. Please feel free to contact us.
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$4,269.80

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INCLUDED : NBTHK Kicho Certificate, Koshirae Case, Traditional Sword Carrying Case, Sword Maintenance Kit, Full Exportation Support
Category |
Wakizashi ( SHINTO) |
Age |
Early Edo Period |
Swordsmith |
Noushu Jyu Kanemoto (濃州住兼元) |
Certificate |
NBTHK Kicho Certificate |
Location |
Mino province(today’s Gifu prefecture) |
Blade Size |
Cutting Edge Length : 43.3 cm (17.0 inches)
Curvature : 1.3 cm (0.51 inches)
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$21,010.11

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INCLUDED : NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate, Koshirae Mounting, Shirasaya Case, Traditional Sword Carrying Case, Sword Maintenance Kit, Full Exportation Support
Category |
Katana ( SHIN SHIN TO) |
Age |
The second year of the Ka-Ei era (1849) |
Swordsmith |
Bizen no Suke Fujiwara Munetsugu (備前助藤原宗次) |
Certificate |
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate |
Location |
Edo province (Today’s Tokyo prefecture) |
Blade Size |
Cutting Edge Length: 71.2 cm (28.0 inches)
Curvature: 1.66 cm (0.65 inches) |
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$5,421.96

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INCLUDED : NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate , Koshirae Case, Traditional Sword Carrying Case, Sword Maintenance Kit, Full Exportation Support
Category |
Wakizashi (SHINTO)
|
Age |
Early Edo Period |
Swordsmith |
Yamashiro Jyu Minamoto Rai Kunimitsu (山城住源来国光) |
Certificate |
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate |
Location |
Yamashiro province (Today’s Kyoto prefecture) |
Blade Size |
Cutting Edge Length: 50.1 cm (19.7 inches)
Curvature: 0.9 cm (0.35 inches)
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$6,777.46

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INCLUDED : NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate , Shirasaya Case, Koshirae Case, Traditional Sword Carrying Case, Sword Maintenance Kit, Full Exportation Support
Category |
Wakizashi (SHINTO)
|
Age |
Early Edo Period (1641-1688) |
Swordsmith |
Hizen Koku Jyu Omi no Daijyo Fujiwara Tadahiro
(肥前国住近江大掾藤原忠広) |
Certificate |
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate |
Location |
Hizen province (Today’s Saga prefecture) |
Blade Size |
Cutting Edge Length: 49.9 cm (19.6 inches)
Curvature: 0.8 cm (0.31 inches)
|
More photos& videos available on request. Please feel free to contact us.
-
$6,777.46

DELIVERY TIME: Approx. 1-1.5 months
*We ship from Tokyo, Japan. There might be delay in shipment depending on countries.
SHIPPING TO:
USA, UK, Canada, Mexico, Germany, Hong Kong, France, Australia
*Please contact us prior to purchase if your country isn’t listed.
INCLUDED: NBTHK Hozon Certificate, Koshirae Case (Decorative Sword Mounting), Shirasaya Case, Traditional Sword Carrying Bag, Sword Maintenance Kit, Full Exportation Support
Category |
Katana (KOTO: 古刀)
|
Age |
Late Muromachi period |
Swordsmith |
Kanemoto (兼元) |
Certificate |
NBTHK Hozon Certificate |
Location |
Mino province (Today’s Mino prefecture) |
Blade Size |
Cutting Edge Length: 70.0 cm ( 27.5 inches)
Curvature: 1.2 cm (0.47 inches)
|
More photos& videos available on request. Please feel free to contact us.