Bizen Sword

The ancient province of Kibi (of which Bizen was the easternmost region; now Okayama prefecture) possessed excellent ironmaking technology, which helped make Kibi into a powerful state. The region is blessed with all the vital ingredients needed for Japanese sword making: iron sand, water, and charcoal of Japanese red pine, which has excellent thermal efficiency. Osafune district in the city of Setouchi, where the present day sword museum is located, has been renowned across Japan as the production site of quality swords since the Kamakura period (1185–1333).