The art of blacksmithing and steel processing didn't reach Japan until more than 1,000 years after it was developed in the Western world. It is therefore all the more astonishing to see the high culture of forging that developed in the Land of the Rising Sun within a short period of time.

This comprehensive reference book explains the traditional methods used by Japanese tool-, knife-, and swordsmiths and gives the reader a rare and unique look inside their workshops.

In these pages, readers will find

• forging methods and techniques for 10 special products—hammer, chisel, axe, hatchet, gardener's machete, sickle, fish knife, folding knife, straight razor, and Japanese sword;
• more than 150 color photographs that illustrate and explain the techniques used to create classic Japanese forged pieces;
• chapters on Japan's oldest coppersmithing facility and traditional tatara steel smelting; and
• helpful tables that detail the materials, chemistry, elements, and temperatures needed to harden, form, and manipulate the metal being forged.

This is a must-have book, not only for amateur and professional smiths, but also for all admirers of Japanese craft culture.