Okuizumo Tatara and Sword Museum

Okuizumo Tatara and Sword Museum, located in Yokota, Okuizumo Town, Nita District, Shimane Prefecture, introduces tatara steelmaking, the traditional ironmaking process that produces tamahagane, the raw material for Japanese swords. Okuizumo is known as the location of the "Nittoho Tatara," the only tatara steelmaking operation continuing in Japan today (operated by the Society for Preservation of Japanese Art Swords, in operation since November 1977), and the museum serves as a guide center conveying its history and technique.

Tatara Steelmaking Exhibits

The museum displays a full-scale cross-section model of a tatara furnace, allowing visitors to visually understand the furnace's internal structure and operation. It also exhibits three types of full-scale replica bellows (fuigo) used in tatara operations, forming a hands-on exhibition that lets visitors engage with ancient ironmaking technique.

Japanese Sword Forging Demonstrations

At the separate sword-forging hall, local swordsmith Kobayashi performs Japanese sword forging demonstrations on the second Sunday and fourth Saturday of each month (10:00 and 13:00 sessions). It offers one of the few opportunities nationwide to observe up close the process of forging a Japanese sword from tamahagane.

Access and Visitor Information

About 5 minutes by car from JR Izumo-Yokota Station, with parking available. Open 9:30-16:30. Closed Tuesdays. Admission: regularly 530 yen for adults and 260 yen for elementary/junior high school students (410 yen and 210 yen respectively for groups); on forging demonstration days, 1,270 yen for adults and 630 yen for elementary/junior high school students.