One of the standout exhibits is an “odachi” long sword forged by Bishu Osafune Tomomitsu, a master swordsmith of the Bizen Osafune school in Bizen province (present-day Okayama Prefecture).

The work began last November at the Bizen Osafune Sword Museum in Setouchi. The initial stage of “foundation polishing” was undertaken by Tomonobu Yokoyama, a 49-year-old sword polisher who ...