![]() ![]() Indeed, the few remaining practitioners still needed a sword to practice! The first Iaito was composed of a rather basic but strong alloy blade, that could not be sharpened, and of Kanagu, once intended for Nihonto. At a time when the laws did not facilitate the work of the artisans in this sector, a craftsman of the Fukuoka region still had the idea to design the Iaito. While by the end of the Second World War, western sports became increasingly important, and the stigma of war did not motivate the Japanese to turn to the “art of war”, the practice of the sword. Since the beginning of the Meiji era, the Kenjtsu and the Iai lost popularity and the artisans of the industry suffered as much as the different schools have struggled to survive at that time. Recording example of a Tanto ( Source) The origin of the Iaitoīased on these facts, the Iaido practitioners had to find a solution to continue their training. The transport of the Nihonto is theoretically not allowed, but tolerated to some extent if it is justified, and the registration documents always have to be with the weapon. Note that the possession of a Nihonto is allowed only if it is duly registered at the relevant police station of the place of residence and if the mentioned object meets a set of criteria placing it in the category of “objects of art”. We could even go as far as to think that these laws and the philosophy that accompany them, have also caused profound changes in the practice of modern martial arts – but this is another topic which deserves a thorough article. It remains to this day, that Japan is one of the countries with the lowest crime rate in the world, it is almost impossible to find a gun, extremely difficult to find a weapon more dangerous than a kitchen knife. ![]() This set of laws probably benefited Japan, although until the end of the sixties, the country was not as peaceful as today (I am referring to some of the most violent riots of the 68 Movement). ![]() These new laws are very technical, but concerning the swords the result is simple: The production of unsharpened steel swords is prohibited, for the simple reason that a grinding wheel would be enough to turn it into a cutting weapon. It got also prohibited to make any blade that could be transformed into a sharp weapon. The manufacture of steel swords, machetes, as well as a number of other weapons of this type became totally prohibited outside the framework described above. However, the regulations are strict and only forgers approved by the government are authorized to manufacture them, respecting relatively severe quotas. The Japanese Katana, also known as Nihonto, was put in a special category for the preservation of ancient arts and traditions, and its manufacture did not get prohibited. It became illegal to carry and transport anything that might resemble a weapon, whether a firearm or a simple kitchen knife, and further the manufacture of bladed weapons got heavily regulated and strictly controlled. In 1958, relating to the new pacifist policy of Japan, a series of highly restrictive laws on carrying weapons was passed by the Japanese government. ![]()
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