To make a Japanese sword, or nihonto, one must have been apprenticed to a master swordsmith for at least five years, passed a government training program and be officially registered with the local government. Only such qualified artisans are able to legitimately craft these beautiful objects today. Through this experience you’ll meet a master Japanese swordsmith who has won several awards for his work. Watch as he uses a traditional clay furnace to hand-forge the steel, repeatedly hammering and folding to strengthen the steel and create its finely curved shape before tempering in water. Not only highly advanced technical specialists, these craftsmen hold deep knowledge of the cultural symbolism and evolution of the nihonto over its 1,000 years of history.