Young Brunette Girl With A Japanese Katana Sword Reveals In The Traditional Washitsu Room With Tatami Flooring

Outside of Japan modern katana are being produced by well known western swordsmiths using modern steel alloys such as L6 and A2, these modern katanas replicate the size and shape of the Japanese katana and are used by martial artists for cutting demonstrations (tameshigiri). The use of modern steel and technology can create strong blades without the risk of damaging valuable antique swords or a valuable modern Japanese katana.
Mass produced swords including iaitō and shinken in the shape of katana are available from many countries with China dominating the market, these types or swords are sometimes called "replicas". These mass produced swords are made with a wide variety of steels and methods. People buy these swords for many purposes including martial arts practice, home defense and for historical re-enactments. The quality of these swords can vary considerably.