At one of the few producers of traditional samurai armor in Japan ... how to cut a makiwara (rolled-up tatami mat) with a real sword. From Tokyo, flights to Kitakyushu take about two hours.

KYOTO--Suits of samurai armor given to Malta as diplomatic gifts in the 19th century returned to Japan for repair work ahead of their exhibition at the 2025 Osaka Kansai Expo. “I’m looking ...