In 1996, by happy coincidence, I learned about the first arrival from Japan of my future teacher, Viktor Ono, a native of Prostějov.
That year marked the beginning of my actual learning and study of the Japanese sword and its accessories. I chose the path of manufacturing and studying sword accessories.
Until then, I had only rarely come across information about Japanese swords. Articles were often inaccurate, misleading, or incomplete. In fact, there was a vacuum and mystery surrounding Japanese swords. That is why I know today that truly high-quality and accurate information can only be obtained from a teacher directly from Japan. This is still true today, even in the age of the internet and numerous books. There is a lot of information available, but it is often incomplete and poorly presented, so the result is almost the same as it was back then.
My teacher is a swordsmith and sword expert. He runs his practice directly in Japan. This gives him the opportunity to constantly improve and develop his knowledge. He has access to the most famous swords and sets, which are used as references for books.
Thanks to this, I have the opportunity to receive completely unique and authentic information that is otherwise only intended for Japanese craftsmen and is not available outside of Japan.
For over twenty years, I have also been practicing IAIDO and the practical use of swords (I currently hold a 3rd degree dan). Practicing and using swords also gives me the opportunity to learn about the practical principles of shapes, lengths of sets, their balance, and functionality.
The use of swords in my sets then meets practical requirements, for example, in TAMESHIGIRI or KATA. It is easier to understand why the set is constructed the way it is.
