Uneda Laboratory of Mechanical Engineering Course, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Hosts "A New Japanese Sword Appreciation Experience: The Beauty of Blades Through Real and VR"
On Saturday, June 6 and Sunday, June 7, 2026, the Uneda Laboratory of the Mechanical Engineering Course in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering at Gifu University, held a collaborative event titled "A New Japanese Sword Appreciation Experience: The Beauty of Blades Through Real and VR" in cooperation with the Seki Traditional Swordsmith Museum (Seki City, Gifu Prefecture). A total of 43 participants attended over the two days (21 on June 6 and 22 on June 7), coming from both within and outside the prefecture. The Mouri-Ozeki Laboratory from the Intelligent Mechanical Engineering Course of the same Department also contributed on the VR technology.
This special event allowed participants to experience the appeal of Japanese swords--such as their delicate curvature, the brilliance of the hamon (temper line), and the texture of the steel--through both real artifacts and virtual reality. Participants viewed authentic Japanese swords while listening to explanations from museum curators and also wore VR headsets to freely handle and closely examine the swords in a virtual space.
On the day of the event, Mayor YAMASHITA Kiyoshi of Seki City and Vice President WANG Zhigang of Gifu University attended and experienced the VR system prior to the participants. Mayor Yamashita offered words of encouragement to the students involved in organizing the event, praising this new initiative utilizing VR technology.
Participants first learned how to operate the system through a video in advance, then entered a VR space that recreated the actual exhibition environment. There, they were able to pick up and observe swords, examining differences in hamon patterns and details of inscriptions. Features that are difficult to see in ordinary displays could be carefully examined using magnification functions. Some visitors learned about the event through X (formerly Twitter) and came from distant locations, indicating strong interest in Japanese swords.
Additionally, swordsmiths active in Seki City participated in the VR experience during spare time before their forging work. They enjoyed unique virtual experiences such as placing multiple swords side by side or holding them with both hands for comparison--activities difficult to achieve in reality. Many attendees also expressed surprise that education and research related to Japanese swords and VR are being conducted within the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
The laboratory team members will continue to improve and develop the VR system based on feedback and impressions from participants.
