Danica Davidson
April 13, 2021 
Japanese sword expert Paul Martin, who once curated the Japanese section of the British Museum in London, is a Master of Culture for Honganji Temple’s cultural organization and is a specialist recognized by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism as a promoter of Japanese swords to non-Japanese visitors.
And he really wanted Tanjiro’s sword fittings from Demon Slayer.
So last year he began a project to do exactly that. Working with Japanese craftsmen, they created Koshirae (the mountings for a Japanese sword). Martin uploaded a series of videos on the project to his YouTube channel, The Japanese Sword, some of which have him speaking in Japanese.
The second video shows more work on the tsuba (handguard).
There’s a third and final part to these videos.
Two weeks ago, he showed the completion of the tsuka (hilt).
And on April 9, he showed the completion of the project.
Obviously a lot of work went into making these mountings, as they were not mass-produced but made with traditional techniques using centuries’ old knowledge.
Source: Paul Martin
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Danica Davidson is the author of the bestselling Manga Art for Beginners with artist Melanie Westin, and its sequel, Manga Art for Intermediates, with professional Japanese mangaka Rena Saiya. Check out her other comics and books at www.danicadavidson.com.
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