In Medieval Japan, the katana was much more than a weapon for a samurai: it was the extension of his body and mind. Carefully forged in its details, from the tip to the curvature of the blade, they were worked entirely by hand. Thus, the virtuous and honorable samurai made their sword a philosophy of life. For the samurai, the sword was not just an instrument for killing people, but a way of doing justice and helping people. The sword went beyond its material sense; symbolically, it was considered as an instrument capable of "cutting" the defilements of the soul and mind.