I already completed my final project about this so I'll answer my own question since no one else did.

In the previous periods, the katana was a weapon of destruction. Samurai would even cut the head of strangers to test its blade after sharpening it. In the Edo Period, the katana was seen more as a symbol of status and beauty. More time was spent on its aesthetics and small intricate designs rather than the blade itself. The blade grew weak, but the overall look was stunning. Some used gold on the casing of the katana if they had the money. Since the tokugawa shogunate banned the use and production of the katana at the end of the edo period, it remained as a symbol of Japanese culture. Even today most people view the katana not as a weapon, but as a beautiful work of art.