【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.
—————————————————————————————–
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
Email: order@samuraimuseum.jp
TEL:+81 3 6457 6411
Authentic Japanese Sword
-
$9,719.94
DELIVERY TIME : Approx. 1-1.5 months
*There might be delay in shipment depending on countries
SHIPPING TO : USA, UK, Canada, Mexico, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Finland, Australia
*Please contact us prior to purchase if your country isn’t listed.
INCLUDED : NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate, Shirasaya Case, Traditional Sword Carrying Case, Sword Maintenance Kit, Full Exportation Support
Category |
Katana( SHINTO) |
Age |
Early Edo period(1645-1648) |
Swordsmith |
Yamashiro Daijyo Minamoto Kunishige(山城大掾源国重) |
Certificate |
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate |
Location |
Bitchu province (Today’s Okayama prefecture) |
Blade Size |
Cutting Edge Length: 71.5 cm(28.1 inches)
Curvature: 1.8 cm(0.70 inches) |
More photos& videos available on request. Please feel free to contact us.
-
$8,423.94
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, Finland, Australia
*Please contact us prior to purchase if your country isn’t listed.
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 (SHINTO :新刀)
|
Age |
Early Edo Period |
Swordsmith |
Attributed to Hizen the first-gen Tadayoshi
(肥前初代忠吉: Unsigned) |
Certificate |
NBTHK Hozon Certificate |
Location |
Hizen province (Today’s Saga prefecture) |
Blade Size |
Cutting Edge Length: 66.1 cm ( 26.0 inches)
Curvature: 1.3 cm (0.51 inches)
|
More photos& videos available on request. Please feel free to contact us.
-
$12,311.92
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, Finland, 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 (SHIN SHIN TO :新々刀)
|
Age |
4th year of the Bunkyu era (1864) |
Swordsmith |
Bizen no Suke Fujiwara Munetsugu (備前介藤原宗次) |
Certificate |
NBTHK Hozon Certificate |
Location |
Musashi province (Tokyo prefecture) |
Blade Size |
Cutting Edge Length: 69.0 cm (27.1 inches)
Curvature: 1.21 cm (0.47 inches)
|
More photos& videos available on request. Please feel free to contact us.
-
$5,831.96
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, Finland, 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 (SHINTO :新刀)
|
Age |
Early Edo period |
Swordsmith |
attributed to Izumi no Kami Kaneshige (和泉守兼重: Unsigned) |
Certificate |
NBTHK Hozon Certificate |
Location |
Musashi province (Tokyo prefecture) |
Blade Size |
Cutting Edge Length: 68.5 cm ( 26.9 inches)
Curvature: 1.51 cm (0.59 inches)
|
More photos& videos available on request. Please feel free to contact us.
-
$7,127.95
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, Finland, 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 (SHIN SHIN TO :新々刀)
|
Age |
The second year of the Tenpo era (1831) |
Swordsmith |
Inhanshi Uemura Motokazu (因藩士植村元一) |
Certificate |
NBTHK Hozon Certificate |
Location |
Inaba province (Tottori prefecture) |
Blade Size |
Cutting Edge Length: 69.2 cm ( 27.2 inches)
Curvature: 1.4 cm (0.55 inches)
|
More photos& videos available on request. Please feel free to contact us.
-
$16,199.89
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 : NTHK Kanteisho Certificate×2 , Shirasaya Case×2 , Koshirae Mounting×2, Traditional Sword Carrying Case×2 (both for Shirasaya &Koshirae), Sword Maintenance Kit, Full Exportation Support
Category |
Katana& Wakizashi ( Shinto) |
Age |
Tesho era (1573-1592)& Tenpo era (1831-1845) |
Swordsmith |
Attributed to Dotanuki Masakuni (同田貫正国) & Aizu Kanesada (会津兼定) |
Certificate |
NTHK Kanteisho Certificate×2 ( Katana, Wakizashi) |
Location |
Higo province (Kumamoto prefecture)/ Aizu province (Fukushima prefecture) |
Blade Size |
Cutting Length: 60.5 cm (23.8 inches)
Curvature: 0.8 cm (0.31 inches)
Cutting Length: 35.5 cm (13.9 inches)
Curvature: 0 cm (0 inches) |
More photos& videos available on request. Please feel free to contact us.
-
$10,367.93
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 Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate, Shirasaya Case, Koshirae Mounting, Traditional Sword Carrying Case, Sword Maintenance Kit, Full Exportation Support
Category |
Katana (SHINT SHIN TO) |
Age |
The 12th year of the Tenpo era (1841) |
Swordsmith |
Fujiwara Hisayuki (藤原久幸) |
Certificate |
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate |
Location |
Edo (Today’s Tokyo prefecture) |
Blade Size |
Cutting Edge Length: 76.0 cm (29.9 inches)
Curvature: 2.8 cm (1.10 inches) |
More photos& videos available on request. Please feel free to contact us.
-
$5,183.97
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, Finland, Australia
*Please contact us prior to purchase if your country isn’t listed.
INCLUDED : Shirasaya Case (Plain Wooden Case), Koshirae (Decorative Sword Mounting), Traditional Sword Carrying Case, Sword Maintenance Kit, Full Exportation Support
Category |
Katana (Gendaito)
|
Age |
the 1st year of the Heisei era (1989) |
Swordsmith |
Koshi no Kuni Matsukura Ju Yasumitsu (越国松倉住康光) |
Certificate |
– |
Location |
Matsukura (Today’s Toyama prefecture) |
Blade Size |
Cutting Edge Length: 74.1 cm (29.2 inches)
Curvature: 2.3 cm (0.91 inches)
|
More photos& videos available on request. Please feel free to contact us.
-
$7,775.95
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, Switzerland, Germany , Hong Kong, France, Finland, Australia
*Please contact us prior to purchase if your country isn’t listed.
INCLUDED : NBTHK Tokubetsu Kicho Certificate , Koshirae Case (Decorative Sword Mountings), Shirasaya Case, Traditional Sword Carrying Bags, Sword Maintenance Kit, Full Exportation Support
Category |
Katana (SHINTO) |
Age |
Early Edo period |
Swordsmith |
Nanki Shigekuni (南紀重国) |
Certificate |
NBTHK Tokubetsu Kicho Certificate |
Location |
Kishu province (Today’s Wakayama prefecture) |
Blade Size |
Cutting Edge Length: 66.6 cm ( 26.2 inches)
Curvature: 1.3 cm (0.51 inches)
|
More photos& videos available on request. Please feel free to contact us.
-
$8,099.95
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, Finland, Australia
*Please contact us prior to purchase if your country isn’t listed.
INCLUDED : NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate, Shirasaya Case, Koshirae Mounting, Traditional Sword Carrying Case, Sword Maintenance Kit, Full Exportation Support
Category |
Katana ( KOTO) |
Age |
Late Muromachi period |
Swordsmith |
Kongo Hyoei (金剛兵衛: Unsigned) |
Certificate |
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Certificate |
Location |
Chikuzen province (Today’s Fukuoka prefecture) |
Blade Size |
Cutting Edge Length: 66.0 cm (26.0 inches)
Curvature: 1.5 cm (0.59 inches) |
More photos& videos available on request. Please feel free to contact us.