Tamahagane: Miracle Steel of Japanese Swords

*N/A

Status

Released

Production

NHK WORLD-JAPAN

Aired

2022-10-29

Tamahagane: Miracle Steel of Japanese Swords

Japanese swords fascinate collectors around the world. A special kind of steel called tamahagane is required to make them. This miraculous material is strong, flexible, rust-resistant, and produced through the ancient process of "tatara" ironmaking which takes place over three days and nights. Due to the COVID pandemic, there was only one production run in 2022, which was hit by a series of problems. Did the team meet the challenge? This documentary captures the essence of Japanese craftsmanship.