.jpeg?w=200&fm=webp&dpr=2)
From Monthey, Canton of Valais, Switzerland, in the Alpine region.
From a young age, he developed a strong interest in metalworking. At 17, he was deeply captivated by the spirituality and aesthetic beauty of the Japanese sword, which set him on the path to becoming a swordsmith.
After moving to Japan, he began an apprenticeship to learn traditional Japanese sword-forging techniques. Following five years of rigorous training, he mastered the craft and challenged the week-long national examination, becoming the first non-Japanese person to acquire national certification as a swordsmith.
In 2024, he received official permission to produce Japanese swords (sakutō shōnin) from the Agency for Cultural Affairs, making him the first officially recognized non-Japanese swordsmith. By blending the sensibilities shaped by the Alpine environment with a deep respect for traditional Japanese techniques, he is pursuing new possibilities for the Japanese sword in the modern era.
.jpeg?w=430&fm=webp&dpr=2)
The Impact of a Japanese Sword, Seen Through the Eyes of a Craftsman
When I was 17 and traveling in France, I came across a Japanese sword at an exhibition in a department store. While most people viewed it as a work of art, as an apprentice at a metalworking shop at the time, I saw it from a completely different perspective.
— How is this beautiful curve created?
— How can you forge steel like this?
I saw it not as a piece of art, but through the eyes of a craftsman. I still clearly remember a wave of pure curiosity welling up from deep inside me.
After returning home, I began to do a deep dive into researching swords. My days were spent reading articles online, visiting libraries, and devouring related books. The more I learned, the more I was moved by the fact that techniques from nearly 1,000 years ago have been passed down to the present day almost unchanged. Above all, I was amazed to discover that swordsmiths still exist today.
"If there are still swordsmiths, then I have to become one." It was only natural for me to start thinking that way.
RELATED ARTICLES
