Seki, used to be known as a production center of Japan's best swords, now produces excellent knives, scissors and cutlery.
Japanese swords as a symbol of Samurai
Seki city is famous for making a great number of Japanese swords that are regarded as a symbol of Samurai.It is said that Seki smiths had started sword making during the Kamakura period and since then the tradition of cutlery, which has been handed down for over 700 years, prospered and still lives on.
Blessed with the good soil, charcoal and good water of the Nagara and Tsubo rivers running through the city needed to bake up the sword, this land has ideal geological conditions for sword smiths attracting many of them from around the country.
In the Muromachi period following the Kamakura period, more than 300 sword smiths are said to have produced Seki's swords which received high admiration for cutting well, not breaking and not bending.
Since then the name of Seki started to be known throughout the country. Thereafter, Seki City has prospered as a production center for Japan's best swords and this outstanding traditional skill has been handed down to the modern swordsman and cutlery industry.
Nowadays Seki is known around the world for producing excellent knives, scissors and cutlery.
The cutlery festival is famous as a major autumn event in Seki city. Demonstrations of Japanese sword making, sword polishing and trial cutting with actual swords are shown to the public.
At the main venue of the festival, about 45 cutlery makers and wholesalers gather selling various products with bargain price.
Their booths in tents selling those products line up to 1km along Honcho Dori shopping street.
Seki Traditional Sword Smith Museum is another place to get acquainted with the city's tradition and history.
It conveys Seki smith's skills to the present and exhibits Japanese superior swords and various materials related to manufacturing process and history of the Japanese swords.
Demonstration of sword forging techniques is also performed at the museum.
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