Traditional Japanese swords are made from a material called tamahagane. The process of producing tamahagane is over a thousand years old. The technology of tamahagane production came to Japan via Korea and China. Since the earliest times, Oku-izumo in the San’in region has been the center of tamahagane manufacture in Japan. Before the 8th century, the archaic provinces, Bizen, Bingo, Bitchu and Mimasaka were collectively known as Kibi. Kibi lay upon one of the important trade routes that stretched across Japan and had always been a great production area of iron ore. In this ancient period the Kibi were a powerful people who had a strong economy based on rice culture, and were equal in power to the Yamato people who later united Japan and began the imperial line. It has been speculated that the legendary eight headed eight tailed dragon called Yamata no Orochi, in whoms tail was found the imperial regalia sword –Ama no Murakumo no Tsurugi (Kusanagi no Tsurugi) when he was slain by the storm god Susano-O in the Oku-izumo region, could be a metaphore for the tatara. Fiery red eyes and breathing fire, from which swords are born.
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