Wife of a swordsmith descendant!

Today is Japanese sword day. My husband's ancestors were sword makers; swordsmiths. Which with the Haitōrei Edict (Sword Abolishment Edict) in 1876 became forbidden. Interestingly, to this day my husband and his father still work with steel, just in a very different way. I am not prepared to share my husband's surname, he is a very private individual, but in certain circles, his surname is synonymous with swords. His family's swords can be seen in a selection of museums around Japan. We don't have any ourselves. None of my husband's descendants were "chonan", 'eldest son', so the few swords that escaped the Haitōrei Edict either ended up in a museum or with descendants of 'chonan' (eldest sons).

My husband's family history is fascinating and his surname is the coolest there is, because rather than being named after an occupation, his name comes from a belief. I really wish I could share more, but I have to respect his privacy. There are not as many of his family's swords available as other swordsmiths, so in the past my husband researched where they are so we can bring the children to see them. There are none locally unfortunately. But there is a sword museum in Kawagoe, pictured, but unfortunately it has been closed since the pandemic. It showcased the swords of ninja and samurai who served at Kawagoe Castle. Hopefully, it will open again. It is conveniently located opposite the main entrance to Naritasan on the approach to Kitain, two very famous temples in Kawagoe.

October 4th is Japanese Sword Day because the date reads "Tou (10 for October) Shi (4 for the 4th) Yo" (swordsmith). The purpose of the day is to spread accurate information about Japanese swords, the cultural value and the importance of the swordsmith techniques, as well as to convey the beauty as a work of art.