When Pablo asked me to write this page, my first thought was: should I be wearing a suit while doing this? In the end, I didn’t. But I’ll do my best to write this in the spirit of James Bond – which, for the record, has been my life’s ambition since I was old enough to watch the films.

I was born and raised in Hamamatsu, a city in Shizuoka Prefecture with deep historical roots – it’s home to Hamamatsu Castle, where the legendary Tokugawa Ieyasu spent his formative years before unifying Japan. A city with that kind of legacy has a way of making you think about history from a young age.

As a kid, I was obsessed with two things: Star Wars and 007. My dream was simple – grow up and get a job where you wear a suit. Less Han Solo, more Bond. Watching the villains match wits with 007 on screen, I thought: that’s where I want to be. So in high school, I took the logical first step and joined the drama club. To become a Bond villain. Obviously.

I went on to study Business Administration at university, all while continuing to pursue theatre. It was there that I first crossed paths with John – now Unique Japan’s photographer – as fellow members of the same drama club, performing on the same stage as senior and junior together.

After graduating, I gave the conventional job hunt a shot. It didn’t take long to realise it wasn’t for me. Instead, I leaned into something I’d been doing since my university days: working as a sound engineer for weddings, freelancing my way through life. Supporting people on the greatest day of their lives, from behind the scenes – there’s a quiet kind of pride in that.

In 2018, Eric – Unique Japan’s photographer at the time – reached out and introduced me to Pablo and the world of Japanese swords.

I’ll be honest: despite being Japanese, my knowledge of nihonto at that point was largely informed by anime. What drew me in wasn’t the swords – it was Pablo himself. His character, his passion, his integrity. I wanted to work with someone like that.

As for the interview, the detail I remember most vividly isn’t anything sword-related. It was the conversation about the movie posters on my wall. I’m fairly certain I spent the majority of the time explaining just how much I love and James Bond. Somehow, I got the job.

The world of Japanese swords is, by its very nature, a Japanese world. Almost every craftsman, every polisher, every expert is Japanese – which means someone needs to bridge the gap between Japanese and English, between the art and the audience.

That’s where I come in. With Pablo based in the UK, I serve as his eyes, his voice, and his hands here in Japan. I meet the swords in person, observe them, assess them, and bring that experience back to Pablo. It’s not a job you can do from a distance – and that’s precisely what makes it meaningful.

If I had to describe Unique Japan in two words, they would be: integrity and romance.

Profit matters in any business – I understand that. But personally, I’ve always held to the belief that how you conduct yourself matters more. Pablo runs an exceptionally honest operation and takes great pride in that. And beyond honesty, there’s something else that keeps me here: Unique Japan refuses to let tradition become stagnation. We respect the heritage of Japanese swords deeply, while always chasing something new – something more. That restless pursuit of better is what I call romance. These two qualities are why I’m proud of what we do, and why I’m still here.

Japanese culture was simply the air I breathed growing up – so familiar that I’d stopped being able to truly see it. Entering the world of nihonto changed that.

A sword is a weapon. Durable, sharp – that should be enough, right? And yet our ancestors refused to stop there. They set out to make it art. To push the interplay of technique and aesthetics as far as human hands could take it. Had it been purely functional, every sword would look the same. But made under the ultimate mandate – to be trusted with one’s life – the Japanese sword became something far beyond utility.

The shape of the hamon, the grain of the jigane – every detail was the answer to a single question: what is the strongest, most beautiful blade our school can produce? Each tradition answered differently. Each sword carries a distinct personality. Every time I hold one, I’m struck by the sheer obsession it represents. It borders on frightening. And as a Japanese person, it fills me with immense pride.

I’m a film lover at heart – and Star Wars and 007 remain at the top of my list. Pablo was kind enough to gift me an oversized 007 poster that now hangs proudly in our office. I don’t wear a suit every day – even Daniel Craig’s Bond, it should be noted, wears his reluctantly – but I do my best to carry myself in the Bond spirit.

In 2024, Pablo invited me to visit the UK. A lifelong dream, finally realised. MI6 did not recruit me. But every moment felt like stepping into a world I’d only ever seen on screen.

Japanese swords feel a little like that, too. It’s said that a kami – a spirit – dwells within each blade. For me, it goes further than that. In every sword, I sense the emotions, the obsession, and the will of the person who made it. Sometimes, if I’m honest, something that feels a great deal larger than that.

Perhaps that’s just the Bond fan in me. Or perhaps the sword really does contain the universe.

I look forward to working for you.

Warm regards,

Ayumu Ogusu
Operations Manager, Unique Japan