Here is a document film, we Emperor Gotoba Executive Committee has justreleased about the fine art of Japanese Sword.

https://youtu.be/QD658JZBQR0【English texts】by Paul Martin, Founder Shin-Goban Kaji ProjectJapanese swords are one of the Japanese arts that are recognized all aroundthe world.
The spiritual roots of Japanese swords date back to mythical origins of Japan.
Even today, they continue to captivate people with their beauty, and havebecome accepted internationally as fine art.
The culture surrounding Japanese swords has been passed down continuously
from its mythic origins to modern times.
Why has the technology for these archaic weapons that have no use in modern
warfare continued uninterrupted for generations?
It begs the question, is this Japanese traditional art sustainable in the modernworld?
Today, we are facing a new challenge in Japan

Chapter1
Introduction to Japanese swords
The Wonderful World of Japanese Art Swords
Paul Martin (Great Britain)
Japanese sword researcher“ Every country or culture’s swordsmiths have had the same objective; to makeswords that do not bend or break and cut well. However, Japanese swords areslightly different in that they are also recognized for the beauty of the steel ofthe itself, and the belief that the swords are imbued with the spirit of thepeople of Japan. ”
Japanese swords were originally created as weapons, but they also have arobust history of being regarded as fine art. It is often asked, from when, andby whom was the artistic value of Japanese swords recognized? The answer
always naturally ends up at the same person: Gotoba the 82nd Emperor ofJapan.
In Japanese history, the cloistered Emperor Gotoba is well-known for hisparticipation in the Jokyu Disturbance and the compilation of the famous
collection poetry, the Shinkokin-Wakashu.
However, he also excelled in martial arts and Japanese poetry. Nowadays, it issaid that his existence was like that of an artist. The catalyst for his deep
interest in swords is said to be when the Heike family were defeated at theBattle of Dannoura. The 81st emperor along with the sacred imperial treasuresword (Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi) sank into the sea and were never seen again.
Swords said to have been made by Emperor Gotoba are called, Kiku-go-saku(by Imperial manufacture). Some of those swords have also been designated asImportant Cultural Properties.
You may be surprised to know that the chrysanthemum crest currently used by
the imperial family can be traced back 800 years to when the cloistered
Emperor Gotoba engraved chrysanthemum into the tang of his Kiku-go-saku
bladesChapter2
The Current Crisis Facing Japanese Sword Arts.
When Emperor Gotoba first started making swords, he selected the best
swordsmiths from all over the country to make Japanese swords with him.
Those smiths became collectively known as the Goban-Kaji (Swordmiths inmonthly attendance of the Emperor). It is recorded Emperor Gotoba gave theswords that he made to his favorite officials and generals.
Combining an ancient spirit with new sensibilities, Emperor Gotoba pursued abeauty that transcends time. This pursuit of beauty also spread to sword
culture. Without the legend of the Emperor Gotoba and his treasured swords,Japanese swords may not have become the famously mysterious and artistic
objects that they are known as today.
However, in the modern age the traditional Japanese sword culture is facing a
critical situation. According to records from the All Japan Swordsmiths
Association, swordsmiths and the other various specialist craftsmen required
to complete each process needed to produce a single Japanese sword are indecline. If just one of those technologies are lost, it effects the craft as a wholeand is extremely difficult to replace the intangible skills.
It is if there is an assault on traditional Japanese sword making. It can be said
that it is becoming increasingly economically challenging to the traditional
sword world because of the many foreign-made cheap copies of traditional
swords. These cheap non-Japanese copies are being sold to the unsuspecting
public as "Japanese swords"
Now suddenly in the modern era, the survival of traditional Japanese sword
culture is at stake.

Chapter 3
A Sacred Sword Site on a Remote Island.
◯Ama Town, May 2023
On a remote island in the Sea of Japan, a Japanese sword is dedicated to ashrine in a solemn ceremony.
Ama Town Oki Shrine
Ama town is on a remote island floating in the Sea of Japan with a populationof only 2,300 people.
Following his defeat in the Jokyu Disturbance, Emperor Gotoba was exiled
from the capital of Kyoto to the Oki islands, and spent the rest of his life there.
After Emperor Gotoba left the center stage of Japanese political history hespent his time here in Ama town, where he continued to demonstrate hisartistic talent for the remaining 19 years of his life.
We in Ama Town feel deeply connected to Emperor Gotoba, and will try tofollow in his footsteps of discovering Japanese swords as art. We have begun anew project that aims to revitalize Japanese sword culture.
◯ About Votive Swords
The swordsmith responsible for the first votive sword of the New Goban-Kaji,is one of Japan’s finest swordsmiths, Master Gassan Sadatoshi.
Gassan swordsmiths have been active in Japan since the 11th Century.
Sadatoshi is the current head of the Gassan family. He is a master of his craft
following in the footsteps of his
predecessor Gassan Sadaichi, who was designated a Living National Treasureswordsmith.
As the current representative of his family tradition, Sadatoshi has been
designated as a modern-day member of the Goban-Kaji, creating a sword thatis suitable as an offering to Oki Shrine.
“ The sound of a hammer,
the light of the flamesI want them to reach
The spirit of Emperor Gotoba”
After a year and a half of devoted effort, the first sword was finally dedicatedto the spirit of Emperor Gotoba at Oki Shrine.
Gassan Sadanobu
Executive Director, All Japan Swordsmiths Association“ This is a tachi (long sword) made by my father (and mentor) Gassan
Sadatoshi. When you look at the hada (grain pattern) and jigane (surface steeland its condition) which is a result of the forging process, the characteristics ofthe blade can easily be seen. From the base of the blade to the very tip, thegrain pattern undulates. When you see these attributes, without even looking
at the inscription on the tang, it is easily apparent that this was made by
Gassan Sadatoshi, who was a member of the Heisei Goban-Kaji. ”
A project was started that followed the example of Emperor Gotoba by
assembling a group of master swordsmiths. It was named the, Shin (New)
Goban Kaji Project. Starting with the work of Gassan Sadatoshi, we are aiming
to dedicate 12 Japanese swords made by Master Swordsmiths to the residing
deity of Oki Shrine, Emperor Gotoba.

Chapter4
Breathing New Life into an Old Tradition
Shigeki Murao
Oki Shrine in Ama-town◯ Ending
The Japanese sword is a distillation of traditional Japanese arts and crafts.
Furthermore, it is possible to say that the Japanese sword is the foundation ofJapanese culture. When talking about the history of Japanese swords, one
cannot fail to mention Emperor Gotoba’s role as the earliest person who gave
prominence to the artistry. For over 800 years, the memory of his spirit has
been passed down from generation to generation. Once again, here in the land
where Emperor Gotoba spent his final years, a movement rises to revitalize
Japanese sword arts.
◯ The Amanuma spear
The two founding gods, Izanagi and Izanami, used a heavenly spear when theystirred the Sea of Japan. From the tip of the spear dropped some sedimentthat formed the islands of Japan.
There are currently over 14,000 islands in Japan. According to the Record ofAncient Matters (Kojiki), Oki Island was the third to be created. Therefore, wecannot help, but feel the depth of the connection between Japanese swords
and the Oki Islands.

]

End credits Appearances
Sadatoshi Gassan
Sadanobu Gassan
Paul Martin
Shigeki Murao
Interview cooperation
Gassan Japanese Sword Forging Studio
Oki Shrine
The Emperor Gotoba Museum
Producer
Minami DesignProduction TeamNakamura GroupSupervision
Paul Martin, Founder Shin-Goban Kaji Project
Service Association of Oki Jinja(Shrine)
Commitioned by
The Executive Committee for the Legacy of Emperor Gotoba for Future
Generations