Ryu-un Kurosawa

What I believe in is the Shingon sect of Buddhism. The reason I believe in Shingon is when I started sword making, I knew of the saying ‘ken and zen are one.’ Not only sword, but also zen. I wanted to explore the idea. I was linked by fate and happened to know this temple.

I have been practicing kendo since I was young. I studied theatre, I was in a rock band. I literally came across kendo and the sword, by fate. The art of sword making is both functional and not functional. The gracefulness of art fits me very well. I have decided this is it for me. The words katana [a Japanese sword] and bushido [the Japanese Samurai way of the warrior] are used in international languages in our time. The meanings are probably not only the function of the weapon. Other weapons do not deserve such popular language. The Japanese sword has spiritual and psychological characteristics.

The best way I can relate to and feel the spiritual characteristic is how I hold and actually use the sword as a tool, to cut into something. It is so from the old-time. But it’s not only the function of swords as  weapons. When you hear, ‘to cut,’ you automatically picture hurting someone. But beyond the ability to hurt someone, look at something beyond. So, if you have some object to cut into, to be able to cut or not cut is lower consciousness. I see the higher conscious level of sword art. In history, I believe the people who did this art felt the same way. That is where I see the true art of sword making. 

What is the spiritual meaning of swords? What shall I say? It has been almost 1,000 years since we invented katana. There is something very core in katana, of Japanese spiritual mentality. We must pass on in the art of sword making. When I practice it, I feel connected to  history. At the same time, I can train myself to reach a higher spiritual level.