BLESSING THE SWORDS

Grey River Argus, 14 April 1916, Page 7

BLESSING THE SWORDS

WOMEN ARE FORBIDDEN TO MAKE THEM.

That the Japanese are past-mas ters in .the art of sword-making is proved by the splendid weapons, equal to those of Toledo and Dam ascus, which they turn out. Th«e actual methods of sword-making extraordinary feature oi m(n Japan are jealously guarded, jji dustry being the religious ceremony which accompanies every process of their manufacture. The walls of every swordmaltfng shop in Japan will be found to be'cov ■cred with allegorical representa tions of the sword-makers and the chief goddess of the Shintos.

Evil spirits are kept away by charms consisting of bits of paper and wisps of straw, Avhile should any woman enter the shop, disas-' ter would certainly come to the swords that are being made and to their wielders. Consequently women are absolutely debarred from entering business as sword, makers, while not only is prayer offered up before the work begins but various- religious rites, peculiar to the Japanese, are perform ed in order that the swords, when finally compleitcd, may be said to have been well an<;l truly made. Even the final process of polish ing and sharpening are characterised by certain religious ceremonies, and finally the weapons are offered, one by one, to the sword god to be blessed. The ceremony consists in placing the swords in front pf the goddess of the Shintos on the wall, with arr offering of sake , rice, and sweetmeats, after which prayer-scrolls are read and blessing upon the work is invoked.