7 ▁– ▁July ▁ 5 , ▁ 2 0 1 3 ) ▁was ▁a ▁Japanese ▁sword sm ith . ▁ ▁Am ata ▁followed ▁his ▁father ▁Am ata ▁Sad ay oshi ▁into ▁the ▁trade ▁of ▁sword - making ▁after ▁the ▁latter ▁died ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 7 , ▁moving ▁to ▁Tokyo ▁from ▁his ▁home ▁in ▁Ni ig ata ▁Pref ect ure ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁en roll ▁in ▁a ▁special ist ▁sword - making ▁school . ▁This ▁school , ▁the ▁N ih onto ▁Tan ren ▁D ens hu ▁Jo , ▁was ▁run ▁by ▁the ▁noted ▁sword sm ith ▁Kur ih ara ▁H ik os ab uro , ▁who ▁originally ▁employed ▁Am ata ▁as ▁a ▁mas se ur ▁before ▁teaching ▁him ▁the ▁bas ics ▁of ▁sword - making ▁when ▁the ▁boy ▁was ▁th ir teen . ▁Am ata ▁worked ▁at ▁Kur ih ara ' s ▁inst itute ▁for ▁the ▁next ▁six ▁years . ▁ ▁After ▁leaving ▁Tokyo , ▁Am ata ▁returned ▁to ▁his ▁home ▁village . ▁He ▁res ided ▁there ▁since , ▁claim ing ▁that ▁the ▁local ▁water ▁and ▁cl ay ▁( which ▁contains ▁a ▁large ▁amount ▁of ▁iron ▁ox ide ) ▁were ▁very ▁suitable ▁for ▁the ▁y aki - ire ▁( hard ening ▁process ) ▁of ▁sword ▁manufact ure . ▁He ▁also ▁sm elt ed ▁his ▁own ▁tam ah ag ane ▁steel ▁at ▁home . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War ▁the ▁American ▁occup ying ▁forces ▁prohib ited ▁the ▁manufact ure ▁of ▁traditional ▁s words ▁in ▁Japan . ▁When ▁the ▁ban ▁was ▁partially ▁lifted