The History of Yasukuni Swords — Establishment, Operation, Closure, and Postwar Legacy of the Yasukuni Kaiko Society Forging Workshop

Yasukuni swords (yasukuni-to) refer to Japanese swords forged at a forging workshop established within the grounds of Yasukuni Shrine from the early Showa period through the end of World War II—initially named the "Nihon Katana Tanren Kai" (Japanese Sword Forging Society), with Army Minister Araki Sadao serving as advisor, and later renamed the "Army-Commissioned Sword Forging Workshop." Among modern Japanese sword collectors, there is often discussion of "how to distinguish yasukuni swords" and "yasukuni sword smiths," but the "institutional history" of the forging workshop itself—why it was established, how it was operated, and what became of it at war's end—remains surprisingly little known. This article traces the history of the Yasukuni forging workshop from its establishment to its closure.

Background to the Establishment—The Military's Shift Away from Japanese Swords and the Crisis of Traditionalists

After the Meiji Restoration, the Sword Abolition Edict (1876) caused Japanese swords to lose their status as practical tools of the samurai. However, the Meiji Army established an official military sword standard, and officers were required to carry swords. However, the problem that emerged was "the quality of military swords."

Military swords of the Meiji and Taisho periods were predominantly of the "Western saber type," with Japanese sword blades housed in Western-style fittings (saber-style fittings). Machine-produced blades—mass-produced through so-called "military sword smithing"—became widespread, and traditional hand-forged swords using tamahagane were becoming a minority even within the military.

Concerned by this situation, certain Army officers, sword enthusiasts, and sword smiths launched a movement with the view that "the techniques of traditional Japanese swords should be preserved and revived within the military." As a result, in 1933 (Showa 8), the "Nihon Katana Tanren Kai (with a forging workshop established within Yasukuni Shrine grounds)" was founded with the cooperation of Yasukuni Shrine.

The principal figures in its establishment were certain officers of the Army Ministry, and with the cooperation of Yasukuni Shrine, the forging workshop was placed in the symbolic location of the shrine grounds. This was positioned not merely as a "military supply factory" but as a facility imbued with cultural and spiritual significance—the "revival of the spirit and techniques of Japanese swords."

Organization of the Forging Workshop and Selection of Sword Smiths

Skilled sword smiths were gathered at the Yasukuni forging workshop from throughout the country. The selection criterion was technical skill, and master craftsmen from various regions were invited. Notable participating sword smiths, who adopted the character yasu (靖) in their seal signatures, were the following smiths:

• Miyaguchi Yasuhiro
• Kajiyama Yasunori
• Ikeda Yasumitsu

The operational structure of the forging workshop changed in stages.

• Initial period: Management by the Nihon Katana Tanren Kai
• Following the outbreak and escalation of the Sino-Japanese War in 1937 (Showa 12): Reorganized as the "Army-Commissioned Sword Forging Workshop" and placed under Army jurisdiction

Here an important change occurred. Once under Army control, the focus of the forging workshop shifted from "preservation and revival of traditional techniques" to "production of military swords as military supplies." Sword smiths were required to meet monthly production quotas, and each smith was assigned a production pace of dozens of swords per year.

This was a far cry from the pace of traditional Japanese sword making—where skilled smiths spend weeks to months on each blade. As a result, the swords produced at the Yasukuni forging workshop showed quality differences between "mass-production period works" and "works into which full technical skill was poured."

Characteristics of Yasukuni Sword Blades—Between Technical Excellence and Mass Production

Swords made at the Yasukuni forging workshop were distinguished from ordinary military swords (machine-produced) in terms of materials and process. As a rule, they were made using tamahagane (or high-purity steel) and traditional methods involving hand forging and clay-fired hardening. As a result, compared to ordinary industrial swords called "Showa swords," they possessed vastly superior jihada quality and hamon richness.

However, due to mass production pressures, when comparing works by the same smith before and after their time at the forging workshop, there are cases where the latter period shows more careful finishing. Research comparing works by individual smiths from their Yasukuni period with their independent period has led some experts to point out "traces of hasty finishing" in the Yasukuni-period works.

Swords forged at the workshop often have "Yasukuni Forging Workshop" (or equivalent markings and signatures) engraved on the nakago, which serves as an identifying marker in modern authentication. However, the presence and style of markings vary according to period and the responsible smith, so it is dangerous to make definitive judgments based on appearance alone.

War's End, Confiscation, and Dispersal—The Forging Workshop's Final Chapter

With the end of the war in August 1945 (Showa 20), activities at the Yasukuni forging workshop ceased. Under disarmament orders from the GHQ (Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers), military swords became subject to confiscation and destruction.

Of the swords made at the forging workshop, those already delivered to the military were subject to confiscation, but those that remained in the smiths' hands, those sold to civilians, and incomplete works were dispersed in various ways. While some were destroyed, many were secretly preserved by sword enthusiasts, researchers, and former military personnel, and were re-evaluated as "yasukuni swords" during the postwar revival of Japanese swordcraft.

Following the revision of the Cultural Properties Protection Law in 1951 (Showa 26), traditional Japanese sword making was once again permitted as "fine art and craft," and most of the smiths from the Yasukuni forging workshop resumed their sword-making activities. Some continued their work long into the postwar period and were recognized as "Important Intangible Cultural Property Holders" (Living National Treasures).

Modern Evaluation of Yasukuni Swords

The positioning of yasukuni swords in the collector market is complex. Because they fall into the "military sword" category, they find it difficult to receive recognition as pure "fine art swords," yet there remains a strong voice evaluating them as "high-quality swords made through hand forging with tamahagane." In examinations by the Japanese Art Sword Preservation Society (NBTHK), yasukuni swords are sometimes assessed separately from ordinary Showa-period military swords.

In particular, some yasukuni works by renowned smiths have received certification as "especially preserved swords" or "preserved swords." From an international perspective, there are voices expressing a cautious stance toward the collection and study of yasukuni swords due to the historical and political background of the Yasukuni forging workshop (its relationship with Yasukuni Shrine and the military). On the other hand, a growing number of researchers conduct purely technical-historical and craft-historical evaluations of the workshop as a "repository for the preservation of Japanese sword techniques in the early Showa period."

Conclusion—What the Forging Workshop's Brief History Reveals

The Yasukuni forging workshop lasted only twelve years, from its establishment in 1933 to the end of the war in 1945. Yet in this brief period, it occupies an important position in sword history as the sole modern institution to attempt "systematic preservation" of traditional Japanese sword-making techniques.

At the same time, it embodied the problem of "the contradiction between military supply and tradition"—the collision between pure technical ideals and mass production demands. This contradiction offers insights for contemporary sword culture. It teaches the lesson that the "institutionalization and organization" of traditional techniques does not necessarily lead to technical improvement.

In appreciating yasukuni swords, one can gain deeper understanding by keeping in mind this complex historical background along with the beauty of the swords themselves.