"Blades Day" in Seki: Day to Offer Gratitude to Used Blades

What Sheffield is to the Britons and what Solingen to the Germans, Seki is to the Japanese. The city of Seki, Gifu Prefecture is the Land of Blades. Famed swordsmiths born and raised in Seki have produced over ages a number of super swords. Magoroku of Seki stands out alone in a world of his own.

Now, this episode is not meant to explore what Seki has in store for our readers. Rather, it is meant to introduce you to a unique tradition handed down through the ages in this Land of Blades.

The Japanese believe God resides in the tools they use and offer gratitude to dulled tools not longer fit for use. They will offer gratitude to used sewing needles, torn dolls, broken blades, and you name it.

November 8 is the Blades Day not to celebrate the utility of blades but to offer gratitude to used blades of all kinds. In front of the Blades Monument of the Seki Sword Smithery Museum was a huge stack of some 41,000 pieces of used blades, kitchen knives, scissors from all over the country.

The attendants all offered branches of the sacred tree on the altar and offered gratitude to the blades.

The stack of blades will be recycled into new blades at a metal processing company in Nagoya.

The thought behind this ritual is an underlying Japanese mentality that spirits dwell in every "being" on earth, be it organic or inorganic.

Japanese cuisine is one fine expression of Japanese culture; tea ceremony is another. On too of all, the Japanese preserve in quite artless manners, like offering gratitude to used blades, certain rituals and festivals in everyday life to feel out man's association with the invisible.