When Iron Age Started, When first steel made, When first swords made in Japan

[Mustafa Umut Sarac]

When Iron Age Started, When first steel made, When first swords made in Japan ?

Thank you very much,

Umut

Istanbul

[palousian]

I can't say when swords were first made in Japan, but I think the first iron was being made in the Hittite empire (modern Turkey) c.1300 BCE.

[Jacques]

Yayoi era (started in 300 BC) if i'm not wrong  

I visited this site many years ago. 

https://www.yoshinogari.jp/en/

[ROKUJURO]

Iron making started with the Celts in Europe about 800 BC. As mentioned above, the Hittites (eastern Turkey) were the first in the Near East to produce iron about 1.500 BC (different sources give differing data).

As far as I know, iron swords were imported into Japan from China until they started producing them in the 6th century by themselves.   

[Peter Bleed]

All of these issues are excellently addressed in Gina Barnes' book, "Archaeology of East Asia: the rise of civilization in China, Korea and Japan" (532pp. Oxbow Books, 2015).

[David Flynn]

I saw a great documentary  called the Iron Road.   It traced the trade backwards and came to the conclusion that it was the Hittites, who first forged iron.  I believe there is some mention in Egyptian chronicles that  when they came across these superior weapons that the Hittites now had, it was a big shock.