30 Years After Repatriation: Gifu Akabane Swords— Tracing the Mino Tradition （Gifu Prefectural Museum）

30 Years After Repatriation: Gifu Akabane Swords— Tracing the Mino Tradition

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The special exhibition in Gifu marks nearly 30 years since the return of confiscated Akabane swords after World War II. Seki City, renowned for swordsmithing since medieval times, is home to the Gifu Prefectural Museum, which houses the largest collection of Akabane swords in the country.

The exhibition will display about 70 swords, including refurbished Akabane swords from Seki City and the Gifu Prefectural Museum, swords from various smithies such as Nishigun and Akasaka, tracing the evolution of swordsmithing from the Mino smithy to the peak of the Seki smithy, and even showcasing swords from the late Edo period. Concurrent exhibitions in Seki will feature over 100 Mino-related Akabane swords across three venues, including the Gifu Prefectural Museum.

This event offers a unique chance to see a significant collection of local swords that have survived numerous conflicts from the Muromachi period to modern times.