The Tetsuren Journal

The yoroi was the scaled body armour of the samurai. Find out how it was built, how it protected its wearer and why it gave way to plate armour.

A katana weighs about 1 kg on average. Discover how its era, length and centre of gravity change both its weight and how heavy it feels.

Becoming a Japanese swordsmith takes at least five years of unpaid apprenticeship and formal approval. Here is the path, step by step.

The tachi and the uchigatana look alike at first glance. Here is how to tell them apart, and how their roles changed from the Heian to the Edo period.

Why were katanas shortened at the tang? Reasons, Edo-period length rules, the types of shortened blades and famous examples.

Tamahagane is the legendary steel of the Japanese sword. Discover where its name comes from, how the tatara furnace makes it and why it is so prized.

Forging is only half the story. Discover six little-known facts about the art of polishing a Japanese sword.

Steel contains iron, so even a katana can rust. Here are four simple habits that keep the blade in good condition.

Edge up, tsuka left or right, katanakake stand: how to display your katana the traditional way while protecting the blade.