The export of nihontō reached its height during the Muromachi period when at least 200,000 nihontō were shipped to Ming Dynasty China in official trade in an attempt to soak up the production of Japanese weapons and make it harder for pirates in the area to arm.
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During a meeting with General Douglas MacArthur, Dr. Honma produced blades from the various periods of Japanese history and MacArthur was able to identify very quickly what blades held artistic merit and which could be considered purely weapons.
Hardness and toughness: Consistency in durability and sharpness is created in the same way as a Japanese sword.
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He was also highly respected for his metalworking skills and deep historical knowledge of the Japanese sword, the katana, serving at times as a specialist advisor to the East Asian Collection at the nearby Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
The story follows Kumomaru, a Japanese samurai who travels to Europe in during the 1930s and becomes embroiled in a plot to steal the legendary Japanese sword Kusanagi.