Shimpei Kawachi: Reviving Ancient Japanese Sword-Making Artistry
In the world of traditional Japanese sword-making, dedication and mastery are paramount. Shimpei Kawachi, a 16th-generation sword artisan, knows this all too well. His father spent four decades perfecting the “utsuri” technique, a method that creates a unique shadow or reflection pattern on the blade. This intricate process, once thought lost after 1600, has been