Chokin is a technique used to decorate and embellish a metal article by carving and embossing it with a chisel. It is said that chokin originated as far back as the Kofun period, when techniques such as 'kebori' (fine line carving) and 'sukashibori' (carved openwork) were skillfully and elaborately used to create accessories and so on.

After the Muromachi period, as the crafts for sword-related equipment flourished, chokin metalworking techniques and technology also developed.

At the beginning of the Meiji period, the passing of the Haito-rei law (banning swords in public) led the way for the chokin technique to be used to make accessories and so forth instead. This laid the foundation for the chokin technique seen today.

Mitsuo Masuda (born 1909 and still alive today) is a designated holder of an important intangible cultural property (Living National Treasure) of metal carving. After graduating from the chokin section of the Metal Works Department of Tokyo Art University, Masuda became a pupil of Kenkichi Tomimoto and brought many superb creations into the world.

The most notable feature of Masuda's work are the references to nature in his carved patterns, resulting in carvings that are rich in the sense of the season.

It is said that his plated and gilded creations in particular receive high acclaim and praise. Masuda's bold yet eloquent works show an aesthetic sense of beauty that has been refined over 70 years.

Akitsugu Amata was born in 1927 as the son of Amata Sadayoshi, the swordsmith in the village of Honda (present-day Shin-hatta) in Niigata Prefecture.

In 1997, Akitsugu Amata was designated as a Living National Treasure for his work as a master swordmaker. Akitsugu recalls his father as an 'innate master swordmaker'. Sadayoshi passed away when he was only 38. Akitsugu was just 10. Akitsugu wanted to carry on his father's work so, after graduating from primary school, he entered a training school in Tokyo.

Since then, he has committed his whole life to swordmaking. When Akitsugu was 33, he was taken ill and took 8 years to recover. But his spirit for swordmaking helped him.

After all these struggles, at the age of 41, he won the 'Masamune' prize in the 'New Katana Sword Exhibition', a contest which is considered to be a stepping-stone for master swordmakers. It was the first occasion that people recognized his talent and effort.

Today, he is still searching for iron sand around Japan and also pursuing his intense study of katana swords.

The town of Osafune, in Okayama Prefecture, thrived as the land of swordsmiths from the Kamakura period. The Bizen Osafune Touken Village is a unique museum specializing in Japanese swords, a once flourishing craft that continues today.

At Bizen Osafune Touken Village, each process relating to swordmaking can be seen closely. There is a forge, for example, where the 'tamahagane' metal is heated and extended at a temperature of 1,300℃. There is also a sword craft center, where swords are sharpened and sword hilts are made.

The reason why Bizen thrived as an area for sword production was, firstly, because high-quality materials and fuel were easily found here. Secondly, Bizen lay at a key junction for transportation between the Sanin and Sanyo areas. The iron sand found in the Chugoku Mountains was good for swordmaking, while the local sawtooth oak trees provided good fuel for the strong fires needed for the forges. In addition, the Sanyo-do highway running  east-west was a major transportation route at that time. This enabled the easy circulation of materials and fuel for swordmaking.

Kyoto knives and the sophisticated art of making them date back to the Heian period. The entire process is done manually and the blade quality is unparalleled elsewhere.

It is claimed in 'Records of Ancient Matters' and 'The Chronicles of Japan' that knives were first introduced to Japan in the 4th century. However, the implements were more like swords. In the Heian period, proficient sword-smiths, such as Sanjyo Munechika, began to spread knife-making techniques around Japan. As time passed, these knives were treated more as a commodity. As a result, the craftsmen subdivided their work into swords, farming implements and other bladed implements.

As a result, techniques of metalwork and forging became more skilful and there was demand for the manufacture of implements used in fan-making, cuisine and dyeing. Nowadays, items ranging from knives to specialized swords are manufactured and are acknowledged for their quality.