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Volume 9
Issue 4
10.3390/qubs9040033
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Review

Japanese Sword Studies Using Neutron Bragg-Edge Transmission and Computed Tomography

by
Yoshiaki Kiyanagi
1,*,
Kenichi Oikawa
2,
Yoshihiro Matsumoto
3,
Joseph Don Parker
3,
Kenichi Watanabe
4,
Hirotaka Sato
1 and
Takenao Shinohara
2
1
Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Kita 13, Nishi 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8628, Japan
2
Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC) Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 2-4 Shirakata, Tokai-mura, Ibaraki 319-1195, Japan
3
Comprehensive Research Organization for Science and Society (CROSS), 162-1 Shirakata, Tokai-mura, Ibaraki 319-1106, Japan
4
Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Quantum Beam Sci. 2025, 9(4), 33; https://doi.org/10.3390/qubs9040033 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 31 August 2025 / Revised: 16 November 2025 / Accepted: 19 November 2025 / Published: 24 November 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quantum Beam Science: Feature Papers 2025)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Japanese swords have a history of more than one thousand years and are recognized as metallic art objects. The sword-making process is not clearly understood, especially for old swords made before about 1600 A.D. Knowledge of structural information such as crystallite sizes and anisotropy is important to understand the sword characteristics and the sword-making process. Bragg-edge transmission imaging is a useful noninvasive method that can extract this structural information continuously over a wide area of the sword. Neutron CT is powerful enough to detect quenched areas, voids, and precipitates. Using both methods, we measured more than 10 swords and obtained information on the two-dimensional crystallite size distribution, anisotropy parameter, lattice plane spacing, and quenched regions. Comparison of the results indicated the following features: the crystallite size distributions showed two patterns: an almost uniform distribution of small-sized crystallites, and mixed distributions of large- and small-sized crystallites. The patterns were observed in different eras and places. The preferred orientation showed different patterns, and strain areas due to quenching were observed in many swords. The quenched area showed a trend that the quenching was weaker for old swords than newer ones. CT images showed the boundaries of the quenched regions and a void in the layered structure for one sword, for which a layered structure was confirmed.
Keywords: Japanese swords; Bragg-edge transmission; crystallographic characteristics; CT image; comparison of characteristics Japanese swords; Bragg-edge transmission; crystallographic characteristics; CT image; comparison of characteristics

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Kiyanagi, Y.; Oikawa, K.; Matsumoto, Y.; Parker, J.D.; Watanabe, K.; Sato, H.; Shinohara, T. Japanese Sword Studies Using Neutron Bragg-Edge Transmission and Computed Tomography. Quantum Beam Sci. 2025, 9, 33. https://doi.org/10.3390/qubs9040033

AMA Style

Kiyanagi Y, Oikawa K, Matsumoto Y, Parker JD, Watanabe K, Sato H, Shinohara T. Japanese Sword Studies Using Neutron Bragg-Edge Transmission and Computed Tomography. Quantum Beam Science. 2025; 9(4):33. https://doi.org/10.3390/qubs9040033

Chicago/Turabian Style

Kiyanagi, Yoshiaki, Kenichi Oikawa, Yoshihiro Matsumoto, Joseph Don Parker, Kenichi Watanabe, Hirotaka Sato, and Takenao Shinohara. 2025. "Japanese Sword Studies Using Neutron Bragg-Edge Transmission and Computed Tomography" Quantum Beam Science 9, no. 4: 33. https://doi.org/10.3390/qubs9040033

APA Style

Kiyanagi, Y., Oikawa, K., Matsumoto, Y., Parker, J. D., Watanabe, K., Sato, H., & Shinohara, T. (2025). Japanese Sword Studies Using Neutron Bragg-Edge Transmission and Computed Tomography. Quantum Beam Science, 9(4), 33. https://doi.org/10.3390/qubs9040033

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