Marc Newson Develops Aikuchi Swords with Japanese Master Craftsmen for WOW

For his latest artistic foray, celebrated designer Marc Newson has teamed up with Japan’s WOW for an exploration of Japanese sword-making – a tradition that dates back more than 1,000 years and one that’s considered to be at the pinnacle of Japanese craftsmanship. Working tirelessly to perfect the ancient technique, Newson, WOW, and a team of veteran woodworkers, blade-smiths and lacquer specialists developed a one-of-a-kind aikuchi – a traditionally small, decorative sword that eschews the lower guard (tsuba) found on the larger katana in favor of a scabbard-meets-handle design. Its sleek aesthetic and intricate scabbard are the perfect melding of the Japanese sense of beauty of Newson’s own exacting design techniques. Limited to just 10 pieces in all, the collaborative aikuchi was on display March 19 and March 20 at the Tokyo Art Club – a gallery that has spent the last century preserving, nurturing and promoting Japanese artistic excellence.

Tokyo Art Club
3rd Floor
6-19-15 Shimbashi Minato-ku
Tokyo
Japan