The Japanese katana. The legendary sword, design object

Legendary, mystical, faithful companion in life and death of the Samurai: the katana is not simply the white weapon that for centuries accompanied the bloody deeds of the warriors of the Feudal Japan and that for centuries has fascinated and permeated the culture of a people with values such as honour and courage.
The katana of the Japanese, whose exact name is uchigatana, with a curved, single-edged blade and a two-handed grip, was considered the extension of the wearer's soul.
Generally, it was flanked by a second, shorter sword referred to by the name of wakizashiThe pairing of the two swords was a distinctive sign of the samurai serving the daimyo, the feudal lords.
Tough and flexible, the katana was and still is a work of high craftsmanship, made from iron that was melted in the Tatare, or smelting furnaces, at sunrise and then beaten and folded to obtain as many as 60 layers. This workmanship follows a strict discipline handed down for centuries and gives the sabre flexibility, cut and strength.
Wielding a katana required years of schooling and practice, practice that was not just physical. The constant idea of death as a reward for a glorious life in the service of the daimyo, necessitated an inner preparation, so that the samurai would live according to the principles of Bushido.
'Fast as the wind, quiet as a forest, aggressive as fire, and immovable as a mountain'... and the katana was the tool to achieve this.
Years of schooling and practice were required to handle it. Today the Katana has become a coveted piece of furniture that is displayed in homes, in the most exclusive shops, and in the finest restaurants. An original katana can cost up to twenty thousand euros. The concept of a Zen-style decoration is becoming increasingly seductive. With a light touch, some furniture with a refined appearance, the Japanese katana recreates a peaceful and luxurious atmosphere, enriched by the suggestions that the history and legends linked to this weapon with a mystical halo give it.