Bizen Osafune Sword Museum

The Bizen Osafune Sword Museum stands as one of Japan's rare specialized facilities dedicated exclusively to Japanese swords, located in Osafune, Setouchi City, within Okayama Prefecture. This region flourished as a major sword production center from the Kamakura period (1185–1333) through the 16th century, establishing itself as the heartland of Japanese sword craftsmanship. Okayama Prefecture is now recognized as the birthplace of nearly half of all swords designated as National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties in Japan.

The museum, established in 1983, showcases approximately 40 swords on permanent display across two floors, with a primary focus on Bizen-style blades. Many pieces in the collection date back over 1,000 years, featuring the distinctive katana design attributed to Osafune craftsmen—a single-edged blade with a subtle curve toward the tip that replaced earlier double-edged designs. The museum holds five to six special exhibitions annually and features a digital information corner with touch-panel viewers for detailed examination of treasures, including the national treasure Tachi Sword (Sanchomo, unsigned, Ichimonji).

What distinguishes this museum is its functioning workshop complex, organized in the style of a village. Visitors can observe master craftsmen actively practicing their trades across eight sword smithing stations, each representing a different stage of production—blade forging, sword fitting, engraving, polishing, and scabbard making. Once per month, the museum hosts a demonstration of "ancient forging" (koshiki tanren), where craftsmen hammer tamahagane steel heated to 1,200 degrees Celsius, an event that attracts Japanese sword enthusiasts from around the world.

The museum is accessible via the JR Ako Line from Okayama Station to either Osafune Station (approximately 28 minutes) or Kagato Station. From Osafune Station, the museum is a 10-minute taxi ride (approximately ¥1,000), while Kagato Station requires a 20-minute walk. By car, the museum is 20 minutes from Bizen Interchange or 30 minutes from Sanyo Interchange on the Sanyo Expressway. Admission is ¥500 for adults and ¥300 for high school and university students, with free entry for junior high school students and younger.