VOL.213 MARCH 2026
EXPLORING JAPANESE POTTERY [Introducing Precious Traditional Japanese Culture to the World] Forging Beauty and Soul: A Non-Japanese Swordsmith’s Path of Determination

A Japanese sword blade that Johan worked on; everyone takes weeks or months to craft with great care.
Photo: KUDO Asuka

Johan Leutwiler, the first katana-kaji, or swordsmith from outside Japan. Facing the fire and the sword-making steel day after day, he works to create Japanese swords imbued with beauty and soul, striving each time to create a blade with the power to quietly stir the hearts of those who look upon it. We spoke with Johan about what captivated him about Japanese swords and the passion he pours into his craft.

The first time I saw a Bizen Fukuoka Ichimonji¹ sword, I was so deeply moved that I was left speechless. Its elegant form, the way the hamon² (temper pattern) flowed naturally—every element was in harmony. It was not merely an object of beauty; it was a work that powerfully spoke to my heart. At that moment, a clear inspiration surged within me: “I want to make a sword like this myself.”

Originally created as sacred offerings to deities, over time Japanese katana swords have come to embody the concept of yo no bi³ (“beauty in utility”), a high-level fusion of practicality and aesthetics, even while being used as weapons. I believe that the duty entrusted to modern swordsmiths is always to remember this spiritual concept while forging swords. The sword must never be a mere weapon; it must hold some kind of significance for those who take it in hand or lay eyes on it. I hope Japanese swords can have the power to quietly soothe the hearts and minds of those who see them, precisely because they are primarily appreciated as works of art today.

What captivated me even more than the Japanese swords themselves was the way of life of the katana-kaji artisans. Facing the fire and steel day after day, striving to refine their technique with the constant tension of uncertainty concerning whether they might succeed or fail—I felt deep admiration for their determination and sense of spirituality. I was deeply moved by the crafting work and approach of KAWACHI Kunihira, a tosho⁴ from Nara Prefecture. Encountering his work solidified my resolve to become a swordsmith myself. Even after learning that he had a policy of not taking apprentices, I remained unshaken in my resolve and sought out a place to learn the craft. I then had the opportunity to learn under my current master, KUBO Yoshihiro. Encountering his exceptional technique and philosophy further strengthened my determination to follow the life of the swordsmith myself.

When thinking of Japanese swords, I suppose most might imagine a picture of samurai with them at his waist. The type many contemporary swordsmiths craft, however, is the tachi,⁵ a form that was in use earlier than the era of samurai, dating back to the Heian period (late 8th to late 12th century). I feel the form of the tachi is more gracefully curved and most directly expresses Japan’s unique aesthetic sensibilities. That is precisely why my own representative work takes a form of tachi—the Japanese sword originally made for use on horseback—rather than the katana sword of the samurai.

Even after becoming an independent swordsmith, I still face daily challenges and hurdles. Yet I see this as proof that my training—coming face to face both with myself and with the sword-making steel—remains ongoing still to this day. It is not a matter of competing with others but of confronting oneself and striving to go beyond who one was the day before. It is through this accumulation of daily effort, that Japanese swords, cherished and handed down into future generations, come into being created. 

The immense time and spirit poured into making a single sword is rarely spoken of. Yet it is precisely this long process that gives the swords such beauty and soul, with the power to quietly stir the hearts of those who take them in hand or lay eyes on them. My hope is that the swords I craft might too have such power.

Johan Leutwiler
Born in Switzerland. Seeing Japanese swords at an exhibition at age 17 and being captivated by their beauty inspired his aspiration to become a swordsmith. After coming to Japan in 2017 and training as an apprentice for five years, he became the first foreigner to obtain national certification as a katana-kaji in 2024. After becoming an independent swordsmith, he established a workshop in Hiroshima Prefecture and received the Achievement Award (First Place) and New Face Award in the Sakuto (Blade Forging) division at the 2025 Contemporary Swords and Artworks exhibition. His swordsmith name is Mitsutsuna.
Photo: KUDO Asuka

• 1. A school of swordsmiths from Fukuoka, Bizen Province (present-day Okayama Prefecture) that flourished from the early to mid-Kamakura period (late 12th to mid-13th century). The Ichimonji school’s name is said to derive from their practice of engraving the Japanese kanji character “一” (ichi, meaning “one”) in their signatures, signifying the concept of tenka-ichi, meaning “number one under the heavens”. Their sword blades feature gorgeous hamon blade patterns shaped like rows of cloves.
• 2. A white wave-like pattern added during hardening, one of the processes of making Japanese swords, in which the steel is hardened by cooling it rapidly from a high-temperature state.
• 3. A concept expressing the idea that tools are beautiful when they are used.
• 4. Another word for katana-kaji, or swordsmith.
• 5. A long, large sword hung at the waist with the blade pointing downward, primarily made as a weapon to be used on horseback. In contrast, the katana sword of the samurai featured a somewhat smaller and shorter form than the tachi and was worn at the waist, placed directly into the obi sash with the blade pointing upward.

By Johan Leutwiler
Photo: KUDO Asuka