We may earn a commission from links on this page. One of the newest Japanese buzz words is “katana joshi” (カタナ女子) or “katana woman.” You know, for ladies who are really into Japanese swords. [Photo: ...

Japanese sword making is a tradition that goes back centuries, and one that's carried on to this day. Each sword take dedication, skill and can take over 18 months to create. The resulting blades can ...

There are several unique aspects of Japanese swordsmithing, and that goes right down to the material used. Katana are traditionally forged with what’s called tamahagane, which literally means “ball ...