Preserving the tradition of Sakai Uchihamono

A technology once recognized by Oda Nobunaga and the Tokugawa Shogunate

Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture, is known for its Sakai Uchihamono (Sakai perforated cutlery). The history of cutlery making dates back to the 5th century, when blacksmithing techniques developed from the production of tools for building ancient burial mounds. It became a major industry in the 16th century. When guns and tobacco were brought to Japan from Portugal, the manufacture of guns and tobacco knives for chopping tobacco leaves became popular in Sakai, making use of the knife smithing technique. The high technology was recognized by Nobunaga Oda and Tokugawa Shogunate, and spread throughout the country. In the Genroku era (1688-1704), the single-edged type, which is the characteristic of Sakai kitchen knives, was born, and now it has spread to the public as many cooks use it. They are also designated as “traditional crafts” by the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry.
Morimoto Cutlery, which preserves the tradition of Sakai percussion cutlery, is a traditional craftsman’s house that combines work and residence in a back alley. In Sakai City, houses of similar construction can still be seen today. The workshop is so small that it is difficult for people to pass each other. Machines lined up in cramped spaces show their age. However, the Sakai Uchihamono cutlery born here is highly trusted by chefs in Japan and abroad.

Koichi Morimoto, the company president, was born in Sakai in 1941. In 2008, he was selected as a “Contemporary Master Craftsman,” an award given by the Minister of Health, Labor, and Welfare under the Outstanding Technical Skill Award System, and in 2016 he was awarded the Medal with Yellow Ribbon. He is one of Sakai’s leading cutlery craftsmen. The cutlery industry in Sakai is characterized by the long-established division of labor. The “forging,” or the production of the “base” of a Japanese kitchen knife, is divided into two separate processes: “ji,” or forging, which produces the “base” of the knife, and “edging,” or polishing, which sharpens the “base” produced by the forging craftsman to create a beautifully sharp kitchen knife, Each technique can be mastered. The single-edged blade is suitable for Japanese cuisine, such as fish and vegetable dishes, because the knife runs away in the direction without the blade when cutting materials.

Cutlery supporting Japanese cuisine

I just took over my parents’ business and did what I was taught to do to support my family. I am very happy that professionals use my products, but I also feel a strong sense of responsibility not to betray their expectations and trust,” said Koichi Morimoto.
Although Mr. Morimoto has been selected as a “Contemporary Master Craftsman,” he says, “Blades are not works of art. I just have to keep working steadily,” he says of his own work.
The knives born from this small workshop support Japanese cuisine,” says Nakata.
Nakata also took on the challenge of sharpening. It is not an easy task to sharpen a knife by placing the blade on a grinding stone spinning at high speed. Not only are there sparks from the fire, friction noises, and dust flying around, but it also requires a great deal of force to hold the blade against the whetstone. It takes a long time of practice before one is able to recognize the optimum level of sharpening with the senses of the eyes, ears, and hands. Following Morimoto’s example, his sons are now following in his footsteps, and I hope that the techniques that have been passed down for over 1,500 years will be preserved for future generations.

NIHONMONO – 「にほん」の「ほんも…

歴史と伝統の堺打刃物「榎並刃物製作所」／大阪府堺市 – NIHONMONO 古くから鋳物職人の住む“堺” 堺市は、日本最大の前方後円墳、仁徳天皇稜がある地。5世紀前半に作られたのではない

NIHONMONO – 「にほん」の「ほんも…

「一生使える鍋」を掲げる手作り鍋のスペシャリスト「姫野作.」三代目 姫野寿一／大阪府八尾市 – NIHONMONO 大正13年に設立した大阪府八尾市の工房。銅とアルミを原材料にした厨房機器や調理器具を主に製造し、代々受け継がれ

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Echizen Uchihamono, a traditional craft of Echizen City, Fukui Prefecture, is a world-class product. The knives, which combine traditional fire-making forging techniques with modern design, have been highly acclaimed and are inundated with orders from famous chefs in Japan and abroad. However, until 50 years ago, the entire production area had declined to such an extent that its current prosperity was unimaginable, and even its survival was in jeopardy, but one thing led to a dramatic revival. The man behind this dramatic revival is Katsuyasu Kamo of Kamo Cutlery.

The one and only “vegetable harvesting knife”

Kamo Cutlery is located in the Takefu Knife Village, southeast of Echizen City. The facility will be renovated in 2020. The modern, equilateral triangular building is impressive and does not evoke the image of “cutlery. Takefu Knife Village is a joint workshop of 13 cutlery companies that produce Echizen hammered blades, and in addition to offering the rare experience of forging hammered blades, it also has a workshop tour and a direct sales shop for kitchen knives and knives.

A key player in the revival of the production area

Born in 1941, Mr. Kamo, who made a major contribution to the establishment of Takefu Knife Village, was certified as a traditional craftsman in 2008 and has served as the first chairman of the Takefu Knife Village Cooperative since the establishment of the facility. Mr. Kamo’s history as a craftsman is also the history of traditional crafts, from their decline to their revival to their current prosperity.

The Decline of Vegetable Cutting Knives

Mr. Kamo, born in Echizen City, dropped out of a local high school to help his father, a knife maker of vegetable cutting knives, and became a hammered knife craftsman in 1956. While apprenticing under his father, he mastered the “hi-zukuri forging two-ply spreading” technique, which is unique to this region, in which two steel blades are layered and stretched thin. The blade of the vegetable knife finished with this technique is thin. The blade is so thin that it is extremely sharp, and until the 1970s it sold like hotcakes, as Mr. Kamo himself says. However, with the advent of santoku knives, which can be used not only for cutting vegetables but also meat and fish, and stainless steel knives, which are resistant to rust, the demand for this product, which has few uses, gradually declined.

Knives that Make Harvesting Vegetables Easy

Sales of vegetable cutting knives had been declining with the changing times, but the sharpness of the double-edged blade was still highly regarded.

Mr. Kamo, a vegetable farmer in Nagano Prefecture, was wondering if he could make a new kitchen knife using this technology. A fellow skier who ran a vegetable farm in Nagano Prefecture introduced him to an agricultural cooperative in the prefecture, suggesting that he could propose a vegetable knife to a place that would meet the demand for such knives.

When we visited him all the way there, we learned that growers cut several thousand plants of cabbage and other vegetables a day, and that it is not unusual for them to get kenshoitis. Realizing that there might be a demand for a knife that could be used differently from the conventional way, but which would make harvesting vegetables easier, Mr. Kamo worked with vegetable farmers to develop one, and in 1975, they completed the “Vegetable Harvesting Knife.

Various innovations to help farmers

The vegetable harvesting knife has a blade all the way to the tip, as shown in the photo above, so that the tip of the blade can cut the core of cabbage or Chinese cabbage by pressing lightly on it. The blade is slightly warped to prevent damage to the leaves when harvesting. Farmers who have used the machine have highly praised it, saying that it has reduced the burden of harvesting and improved the quality of the vegetables they ship. Furthermore, after hearing that farmers sometimes lose sight of their knives in the field while farming or injure themselves by stepping on them unexpectedly, Mr. Kamo devised the red handle so that the knife would stand out. Gradually, the distinctive red handle came to be known as “Kamo-red,” and became synonymous with Kamo-san’s harvesting knives.

Kitchen Knives Loved in Vegetable Growing Regions Nationwide

Convinced that he could create knives that were truly needed only by working directly with farmers, the users of his products, Mr. Kamo went on to visit vegetable-growing regions such as Chiba, Ibaraki, Iwate, and Hokkaido. In addition to knives specially designed for harvesting broccoli, which at the time was being cultivated by an increasing number of farmers, he also developed a left-handed harvesting knife and a lightweight model that is easy for women to use, which he sold to agricultural cooperatives throughout the country. He regularly visited the users of his knives and performed maintenance such as resharpening and repairing handles. Word of Kamo’s approach to producers and the sharpness of his Echizen Uchihamono knives spread by word of mouth, and his vegetable harvesting knives are now used in more than 30 locations throughout Japan.

Currently, Mr. Kamo’s vegetable harvesting knives are lined up by vegetable, such as cabbage, lettuce, celery, broccoli, Chinese cabbage, green onion leaves, Chinese cabbage, and radish leaves, each with a different shape and blade length. These are available in more than 50 varieties, with approximately 6,000 sold annually.

To not erase 700 years of tradition

Mr. Kamo’s vegetable harvesting knives are also linked to the origin of Echizen Uchihamono. About 700 years ago, a Kyoto swordsmith named “Chiyotsuru Kuniyasu” moved to Echizen in search of a suitable place to make swords, and in addition to swords, he also made sickles for nearby farmers, which he called “Echizen sickles,” and this is believed to be the origin of the name. Since then, Echizen became a major producer of agricultural cutlery, and these products spread in the form of “peddling” throughout the country.

Peddler who spread Echizen sickles throughout Japan

The peddlers were lacquer shovel craftsmen who traveled around the country in search of lacquer for Echizen lacquerware, a traditional craft also known in Fukui Prefecture. They sold their cutlery to farmers wherever they went and brought back orders for sickles from all over the country, and Echizen sickles are said to have been the nation’s largest producer from the middle of the Edo period until the Meiji period.

The sharpness of the Echizen sickle resides

However, during the period of high economic growth in the Showa era (1926-1989), the mechanization of agriculture and forestry advanced, and the demand for sickles continued to decline. Along with this, sickle producers were forced out of business one after another.

On the other hand, mechanization of vegetable crops, which are more diverse in variety and shape than rice and are often harvested on slopes or in confined spaces, lagged behind. Even today, the harvesting of vegetables such as Chinese cabbage, lettuce, and broccoli is still largely unmechanized and done mainly by hand. Mr. Kamo found a way for Echizen Uchihamono to survive in knives specially designed for harvesting vegetables, and like the lacquer shovel craftsmen of the past, he personally went around the country visiting farmers to promote the harvesting knives. The high quality of Echizen Uchihamono, which had become known to farmers nationwide through the sickle, was once again recognized through vegetable harvesting knives.

Meet the World’s Leading Designers

Mr. Kamo revived a traditional craft that had been in decline for some time as vegetable harvesting knives, but when he looked at the situation in the region as a whole, the situation had not changed much, and the region was facing severe price competition from inexpensive cutlery products.

If nothing is done, 700 years of history will disappear.

In 1973, Mr. Kamo and 10 other successors of cutlery companies in the region, who felt a sense of crisis about the future of Echizen hammered cutlery, got together and launched a study group to consider these issues. The group began its activities with a focus on branding Echizen hammered blades to break away from price competition. Then, things started to move quickly when the Industrial Research Institute, with whom they had a relationship, introduced them to Kazuo Kawasaki, a world-renowned designer in the field of product and industrial design who hailed from Fukui Prefecture.

We immediately explained to Mr. Kawasaki about the activities being promoted by the association and succeeded in gaining his approval. Mr. Kawasaki proposed the development of new products from a designer’s point of view, incorporating modern design concepts while preserving the basics of traditional Echizen hammered blades. However, Mr. Kamo and his team were puzzled by the shape of the knife, which they had never seen before.

The most important reason was that they wondered if it was possible to reproduce the shape by handwork of craftsmen.

If it were just a shape, it could be done by press working,” said Kamo. However, the value of Echizen Uchihamono lies in creating the form using the traditional fire forging technique.” While struggling with this question, he finally developed new products, including an all-purpose all-stainless steel kitchen knife with an integrated blade and handle, through repeated trial and error. This was the beginning of an explosive hit.

Birth of Takefu Knife Village

In 1983, the company finally completed a kitchen knife with a novel design that would be the future of Echizen Uchihamono. He named the brand “Takefu Knife” and held an exhibition at a gallery in Tokyo, which was surprisingly well received. Riding the momentum of this success, the company vigorously held exhibitions throughout Japan, including a very successful one in New York in 1986. This gave the members of the study group the confidence that “anything can be accomplished if we work together,” and gradually “the branding of kitchen knives got on track. The next step was to create a place that would attract people from outside of Echizen to Echizen Uchihamono.

In 1993, Mr. Kamo and his colleagues invested 30 million yen per person to complete the “Takefu Knife Village,” a joint workshop. This created the advantages of a workshop that was widely accessible and craftspeople could share expensive processing machines. But above all, the most significant impact was that discussions among everyone expanded their knowledge and led to the development of new products. At the time, we were all in debt. It was a big gamble, but we were able to make the decision because we absolutely needed a base to promote Echizen Uchihamono to the world. As a result, I think the creation of the knife village led to the revival of the production area.”

Echizen Uchihamono becomes a world brand

After 2010, Echizen Uchihamono knives began to receive orders from all over the world, as their sharpness and design quality were highly acclaimed by famous chefs overseas. Today, 70-80% of the knives produced by Takefu Knife Village are destined for overseas markets. The workshop, which initially had only 10 craftsmen, including Mr. Kamo, now has more than 40 craftsmen honing their skills.

Now, the production area is sailing smoothly,” says Mr. Kamo. Producers are now responsible for pricing, and the number of expensive knives is increasing. In this age of dreams, we want to protect the Echizen Uchihamono brand by not cutting corners and by respecting the basics of proper craftsmanship,” says Mr. Kamo. Under his leadership, successors are growing steadily, and not only people from within the prefecture but also young people from outside the prefecture are training hard, making the former environment of working under bare light bulbs seem a lie.

The spirit of Mr. Kamo and his colleagues, who have continued to take on the challenge of reviving a traditional craft, will be passed on to the younger generation, and a new page will be carved in the history of Echizen hammered blades.

The post Katsuyasu Kamo, a key figure behind the drama of the revival of “Echizen Uchihamono” first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Echizen hammered blades are said to have a history of about 700 years. It became a specialty of the Echizen City area, once called Echizen Province, and was protected by the Fukui Domain during the Edo period, and in 1970 it was designated as a traditional craft for the first time in Japan. In this rare production area, Masaru Kurosaki is a blacksmith who attracts the world with his knives that combine outstanding sharpness, lightness, durability, and beautiful design.

10,000 knives were reserved, and a three-year waiting list was required.

Echizen Uchihamono is produced in Echizen City, located in the center of Fukui Prefecture, about 10 minutes by car east of the nearest JR Takefu Station in Ikeizumi Town, which is also close to the production center of Echizen washi paper. In recent years, Echizen hammered blades have been highly acclaimed by chefs in Japan and abroad for their modern design and sharpness, but there was a time when the industry was on the verge of serious decline. The “Takefu Knife Village,” completed in 1993, saved the company from this crisis.

The “Takefu Knife Village” has continued to operate as a revolutionary joint workshop where blacksmiths cooperate with each other and nurture their successors. It is now jointly operated by 13 cutlery companies, and in addition to the 40 or so blacksmiths who work together, there is also a direct sales center and a cooperative association. Yu Kurosaki, who became an independent craftsman after completing his apprenticeship here, is now a world-renowned master craftsman of hammered blades.

Kurosaki has his own workshop and store, Kurosaki Uchihamono, next to Takefu Knife Village. The knives produced by Mr. Kurosaki in his workshop have attracted a great deal of attention and are so popular that he has received approximately 10,000 reservations from users around the world, including top chefs in every genre of cuisine, such as Japanese, French, and Spanish, with a three-year waiting list before they are delivered.

Attracting Top Chefs from Japan and Abroad

Mr. Kurosaki receives many offers from overseas to come to Japan and give demonstrations. He has coordinated with trading companies to give sharpening demonstrations in European countries such as Paris, France, Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands, as well as in Calgary, Canada, where he demonstrated tapping and forging blades, and in New York, USA, where he exhibited at an exhibition.

In meeting with overseas chefs and other users, he was asked for “lightness” and “design” when he held the knives. Mr. Kurosaki has applied what he learned to his own knife making, and orders have been pouring in, with overseas orders now accounting for 80% of all orders. Chefs from all over the world, including the United States, Canada, Europe, and even South Africa, visit Mr. Kurosaki’s workshop to observe his work.

Of course, Michelin-starred chefs of Japanese cuisine, sushi, French cuisine, and so on are waiting for Mr. Kurosaki’s knives in Japan.

Thin, sharp, and durable kitchen knives

Why are the knives produced by Mr. Kurosaki so highly regarded by top chefs? It is simple,” says Mr. Kurosaki. They are thin, sharp, and durable,” Kurosaki says.

Double-edged Western-style kitchen knives are generally thicker than single-edged Japanese-style knives, but Mr. Kurosaki’s double-edged knives are made to be as thin as possible, making them light, sharp, and fatigue-free for chefs. Furthermore, using traditional Echizen Uchihamono techniques not found in other production centers, the blade edge is rounded like a clam to prevent blade spillage.

Although the ultimate thinness of the blade and its strength are normally contradictory, Mr. Kurosaki produces knives that are both thin and strong through forging, a process in which the blade is thoroughly tempered to increase its strength.

Forging” is a process in which metal is beaten to increase its strength. The name “forging” refers to the process of “forging to create.

Echizen forged knives are made strong in the tradition of Echizen hammered blades.

Most kitchen knives used in the home are generally made from steel or stainless steel sheets that are passed through a large machine to the appropriate thickness, and then punched out into the shape of a kitchen knife. This type of knife can be mass-produced efficiently and at a reasonable price.

On the other hand, Kurosaki Uchihamono forges each knife by purchasing the highest quality steel, which is made by laminating the base metal steel with stainless steel for the blade, from a local metal manufacturer. The steel is heated to about 800 degrees in a furnace, and the forging process is repeated to make the metal structure uniform and create a strong blade. At this point, they make full use of a technique unique to Echizen hammered blades called “Nippai Haki” ( two-ply spreading). The “Ni-Haihatsu” is a process in which two blades are heated while stacked on top of each other and struck from the front and back with a belt hammer. The overlapping of the two blades doubles the thickness of the blade, making it harder for the temperature to drop and the force of the belt hammer to be transmitted properly, making it easier to stretch the steel. This results in a blade that is thinner than a single piece. The blade is then coated with mud, heated, quickly cooled with water, and sharpened.

Beauty like jewelry

The beauty of Kurosaki Uchihamono’s knives is also a major feature of its products, and the one-of-a-kind design of Mr. Kurosaki’s knives is sure to attract chefs from all over the world.

Mr. Kurosaki creates a “tsuchime” pattern on the side of his knives. The “tsuchime” is a pattern created by tapping the surface of the knife, and Mr. Kurosaki was the first to incorporate the “tsuchime” pattern into a kitchen knife. After thousands of prototypes, he created five original designs: “Shizuku,” “Fujin,” “Raijin,” “Jyugyo,” and “Senko. For the handle material, turquoise is used in addition to natural wood, and combined with “hammered” wood, the result is a beautiful knife that looks like a piece of jewelry.

Mr. Kurosaki was certified as a traditional craftsman in 2019. While he is committed to carrying on the traditions of the Echizen hammered cutlery production area, he dares to focus on the “present” rather than tradition in his own knife making. He has cultivated an eye for what is required in this modern age through his own efforts to become independent after undergoing rigorous training, and to venture out into the world on his own.

To create a new history of Echizen hammered blades

Mr. Kurosaki, who is now attracting attention from around the world, first encountered knife making when he was 22 years old and moving from job to job, when he happened to find a job offer for a kitchen knife smith. At first, he went to visit the workshop and the master showed him his work. The fire in the furnace burning fiercely, the craftsman pounding the iron….　After experiencing the knife-making process, Mr. Kurosaki felt strongly that it was “cool,” and immediately started working at the company the next day.

Encounter with knife making

Mr. Kurosaki, who had “never lasted long in anything he did before,” worked under his master for 12 years.

It was dirty, noisy, hot, and scalding. It was dirty, noisy, hot, and scalding, and the master would get angry easily. But I could get through it. I liked manufacturing and found it interesting.

After gaining experience under his master, Kurosaki began to think, “I want to use this technique as a weapon to become famous and go global. A breakthrough came from a trading company that had been paying attention to Mr. Kurosaki. When Mr. Kurosaki brought his knives to a knife store in Canada, the first order was for only six knives, but from there, the reputation of Mr. Kurosaki’s knives slowly spread on SNS, and orders from overseas began to pour in. Following the recommendation of his master who saw this, he founded Kurosaki Uchihamono in 2014, and the following year, the workshop was completed. It was the first time in 40 years in the production area that the company became independent in a new workshop rather than being taken over.

Training people in a modern workshop

The workshop of Kurosaki Uchihamono is well organized and thoroughly cleaned every day, so it is spotless. I think it is the cleanest workshop in the world,” Kurosaki says proudly. The same rational and modern thinking that cleanliness makes good work possible also applies to the training of younger workers.

I don’t like to be angry with young people. I want to improve together.” Under Kurosaki’s supervision, two young apprentices are honing their skills. Mr. Kurosaki posted a job offer at the “Knife Village” cooperative, and among the applicants, he hired two people from outside the prefecture who “didn’t know who he was. The two apprentices are now mainly in charge of sharpening, and will spend the next 10 years or more in training.

Going global with his apprentices

Mr. Kurosaki encourages his apprentices to create their own works of art in their spare time. The Kurosaki Uchihamono workshop is located next to the Takefu Knife Village, making it possible for apprentices to learn from other blacksmiths and to interact with other apprentices. Kurosaki says, “I want my apprentices to become traditional craftsmen while taking advantage of the environment, and I want us to go around the world together.

A new workshop is currently under construction next door to the studio, scheduled for completion in May 2023.

We are planning to take on another apprentice at the new studio,” Kurosaki said. But I don’t plan to make it too large. I want to work with my apprentices in a spacious workshop.

Mr. Kurosaki’s current goal is to create a high-end line of kitchen knives that will receive even higher acclaim. If we can create satisfactory products in an environment that we are satisfied with, the value of Kurosaki Uchihamono will increase even more. Mr. Kurosaki’s challenge is framed by a newness that cannot be contained by the word “tradition,” as he says with a wry smile, “Continuing to produce kitchen knives that are sought after around the world in the Echizen region will be a source of pride for the entire region and an important asset to be passed down to the future.

The post Orders are pouring in from top chefs in Japan and abroad. Yu Kurosaki, a revolutionary of Echizen hammered blades / Echizen City, Fukui Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

From a house on a hill overlooking the rolling plains of Tateshina Town in central Nagano Prefecture, the sound of hammering iron echoes. Peering into the dark room where the sound can be heard, one is confronted with a fantastic and majestic scene of red sparks flying and scattering as the hammer strikes chunks of iron covered with baked rice and clay. This is the swordsmith shop of Miyairi Norihiro, a swordsmith who has won numerous prestigious awards, including the highest award in the sword field, the Masamune Award, the Prince Takamatsu Award, the Commissioner of the Agency for Cultural Affairs Award, the Kurosan Award, and the President of the All Japan Sword Artisans Association Award, and in 2011 was certified as an intangible cultural asset holder by the Nagano Prefecture. Perhaps because Mr. Miyairi grew up in an environment where his uncle is a living national treasure, Shohei Miyairi, and his younger brother, Seihei, is also a swordsmith, he naturally turned to sword making after graduating from college.

The Birth of Sword Artist Houhiro Miyairi

Sword making is not a profession that many people are familiar with, but how in the world does one become a swordsmith? The first step in becoming a swordsmith, according to some, is to pass a certification like a quasi-national exam to assess one’s skills and knowledge, which is approved by the Agency for Cultural Affairs. Of course, it is not something you can just think of and get certified right away. It is a requirement that one must train under the same master for at least five years. Mr. Miyairi studied under Mr. Masamine Sumiya, who has a swordsmith shop in Matto (now Hakusan City), Ishikawa Prefecture. Mr. Sumiya is also certified as a living national treasure.

Mr. Miyairi was inspired to study under Mr. Sumitani during an encounter with Mr. Sumitani when he visited the Hokuriku region on a university study tour. When he was shown Mr. Sumitani’s work, he was surprised by his creative spirit, which led him to try his hand at making sheaths and other items that would normally be made by a division of labor by specialized craftsmen. He was also fascinated by the way Mr. Sumitani listens to his apprentices and the people around him. As a member of a family of swordsmiths, he grew up in an environment where there were always about three apprentices training at any given time, and he saw a new view that he had not seen from Mr. Miyairi, who had witnessed the feudal apprenticeship system. The title he used on his business card was not “swordsmith” or “sword smith,” but “sword artist. When we asked him why, he replied, “We cannot reach the world we are aiming for simply by following the techniques of the past. More creative techniques are needed. When we consider its development, we need the qualities of an artist who creates works of art. Hence, I write ‘sword artist.'” Impressed by Mr. Sumitani’s strong awareness as an artist, he volunteered to become his apprentice. He trained under Mr. Sumitani for five years and followed the style called “Sumitani Choji,” which was his master’s specialty.

It is said that meeting a good master and learning good techniques are very important during this period of training. In fact, Mr. Miyairi was able to find the direction of his sword making by living and eating with Mr. Sumiya. This live-in apprenticeship was called the “apprentice system” in the past and was indispensable for the transmission of skills, but over time this system was abolished, and the style of training changed to one where the apprentice went to a master rather than live-in. However, over time, this system was abolished, and the apprentice system was changed to one where the apprentice goes to a master for training rather than lives in the workshop.

However, he says that it is important to watch and learn the rhythm, movements, and every move of the master up close, because it is said that swordsmithing is the art of making a good sword by always thinking ahead and working with a clear vision. Therefore, it is important to watch and learn the rhythm, gestures, and every move of the master up close. Therefore, Mr. Miyairi believes that if this flow is removed from the apprenticeship, it will take twice as long to learn the techniques. However, even if the apprenticeship system is changed, the rule of “at least five years” remains the same, so there is no way to stop the decline in skills. That is why Mr. Miyairi does not allow his apprentices to graduate until they feel they have grown to a level they are satisfied with, even if it takes more than five years.

In Pursuit of the Ideal Sword

This is how the art of swordsmithing has been handed down from generation to generation. The standard for evaluating their skills is how closely they can reproduce the appearance of old swords. It is important to be able to express the shape of the sword in accordance with the old techniques of the time when swords were a part of everyday life, rather than suddenly having innovative designs evaluated like modern art. In the industry, swords from the Kamakura period are said to be the best. However, swords made of tama-hagane, the most popular base iron, were not made during this period, and it is not clear what kind of base iron was used. In order to reproduce swords from this period, we must first imagine the composition and refining method of base iron, which is said to be the most important factor in sword making. Since this was a long time ago, with very little remaining in the literature, it is quite possible that there are techniques that have not been passed down to the present day. However, Mr. Miyairi says that exploring these techniques is the romance of being a swordsmith, and he is not particular about which school of swordsmith he uses. His father, Seihei, followed “Soshuden,” one of the five major swordsmith schools, but Miyairi did not inherit it.

He thought that by learning the techniques and philosophies of various schools, he would be able to see the unique qualities of each and clarify the answers he was aiming for.

Of course, in order to learn techniques quickly, it may be important to pursue only one school. However, there are some things that become clearer by taking the long way around and learning many things. Mr. Miyairi, who has been designated an intangible cultural asset by Nagano Prefecture, is next looking toward the restoration of the base iron used to make good old-fashioned swords.

His endless inquisitiveness will greatly expand his possibilities, and one day he may even create masterpieces that surpass the work of the masters active in the Kamakura period (1185-1333).

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World-class cutlery by Seki Kenji

Seki City, Gifu Prefecture, is a “cutlery town” where about 300 cutlery-related companies are concentrated.The city is located in the Chuno region in the central part of Gifu Prefecture and is rich in nature, with the Nagara River, Itadori River, and Tsubo River flowing through the city.It is said that two swordsmiths, Motoshige and Kinju, who are considered the founders of Seki smithy, fell in love with this area, which had all the necessary elements for sword making, such as high-quality burnt blade clay, water, and pine charcoal, and moved here and started making Japanese swords.In the Muromachi period (1336-1573), the area produced such master swordsmiths as Magoroku Magoroku, known as “Magoroku of Seki,” and Kanesada Izumi-no-kami, known as “Izumi-no-kami.At its peak, Seki was a major production center with more than 300 swordsmiths, and is known as one of the world’s three major production centers of cutlery along with Solingen in Germany and Sheffield in England.

Seki Kanetsugu Hamono, established over 100 years ago, is a kitchen knife manufacturer founded by a descendant of the swordsmith “Kanetsugu”.There are several “cutlery towns” left in Japan, but Seki is the only production center that has its origins in swordsmithing.We train our knives every day to make them as sharp as Japanese swords,” says Mitsuyasu Kawamura, president of the company.In fact, Japanese food has become popular worldwide in recent years, and Japanese kitchen knives have gained a growing reputation around the world as a result.The reputation of Japanese kitchen knives as the most suitable knives for cutting Japanese foods has spread, and now about 30% of Seki Kanetsugu Knives’ sales come from developed countries overseas, including the United States and Europe.

To become a knife needed by many people

The distinctive feature of Seki Kenji Knives’ kitchen knives is the cross-section called a “clam shell blade.This technique is also used in the 100th anniversary model of “Zuigumo,” a special cutlery knife.According to Kawamura, there are two theories of how a kitchen knife can cut: the “slope theory” and the “sawing theory,” and Seki Kanetsugu Knives produces products that reflect the characteristics of each.The former theory states that a proper amount of warping allows knives to cut objects like Japanese swords, which are warped to produce a sharp edge.The latter theory is that cutting objects is achieved by moving the blade back and forth like a saw.The craftsmen led by Mr. Kawamura pursue the possibilities of knives based on the principles of the Japanese sword and fuse them with modern technology to create knives loved by chefs around the world.

He also says that hints for developing new products can be found in everyday life.I made the ‘Nami’ steak knife because I love steak (laughs).I thought that if I had a knife that could quickly cut through tough sinew and melt-in-your-mouth tender meat, I would be able to enjoy steak without stress.It was a lot of work to develop this knife, but now that we have it, we have raised the level of our technology,” says Kawamura.Kawamura’s words are true, and the “Nami” is extremely popular, with customers waiting several months to obtain a copy.In addition, Kawamura has been developing products that fit modern life, such as a kitchen knife that remains sharp even without sharpening, and a bread knife that can easily cut both soft, high-quality bread and hard bread, in response to the fact that many families do not sharpen their kitchen knives.Although the Japanese sword has been replaced by kitchen knives, craftsmen who can cut with their brains and knives that cut well will always be valued.

あわせて読みたい

Best grinding bowl in Japan “Maruhon Seitojo” Home of the “grinding bowl” ”Grinding bowl” is an essential tool for making Japanese food. For instance, it is used to grind sesame to make sesame marinade f…

The post Modern cutlery with the sharpness of a Japanese sword produced by one of the world’s three major cutlery centers: Kanetsugu Seki, Mitsuyasu Kawamura / Seki City, Gifu Prefecture, Japan first appeared on NIHONMONO.

The Hon’ami Family Enhanced the Value of Japanese Swords

When I see the nameplate “Hon’ami,” I flip back to my Japanese history textbooks in my mind.The name may remind many people of Hon’ami Koetsu, a calligrapher and potter active in the Edo period.Hon’ami Kōzu is the owner of a Japanese-style house in a quiet residential area in Tokyo’s Ota Ward.He is a living national treasure (holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property) who appraises and polishes Japanese swords.
During the Kamakura period (1185-1333), long swords were the norm for fighting on horseback, but by the Muromachi period (1333-1573), short swords were being used for ground fighting.At that time, instead of making a new sword, the part of a long sword with the swordsmith’s name on it was cut off to shorten it, so it became difficult to tell who made the sword, which is why the job of appraising swords became necessary.Swords were an indication of a samurai’s rank, so it was very important to know what kind of sword he had,” says Hon’aya Kosyu.

The Hon’ami family has been involved in appraising and polishing swords for generations since the first Hon’ami Myomoto served as swordsmith to Ashikaga Takauji, and has served as the producer of Japanese swords.The word “origami” comes from the sword appraisal certificates issued by the Hon’ami family.The word “origami” was coined because the value of a sword increased when it was certified as having been authenticated by the Hon’ami family.A Japanese sword is a highly artistic work that can be appreciated for its various sword forms and blade patterns, as well as its cap, stem shape, and inscription.The process of making a complete sword involves many different craftsmen, including a sword smith who hammers iron from tama-hagane (tamahagane), sharpening, engraving, and arranging the sheath and handle, known as a koshira.Hon’ami Koetsu’s main occupation was the appraisal and polishing of swords, but he also demonstrated his artistic ability in many other fields, such as calligraphy, painting, ceramics, lacquer, and gardening.

Mr. Kosyu, the current head of the school, not only produces excellent Japanese swords, but also plays an important role in the preservation of cultural assets by polishing many swords designated as national treasures and important cultural properties.

Carefully crafted one-of-a-kind sword

The sound of shuffling swords is echoing in Kwangju’s workshop.The room for the sharpening process, with wooden flooring and a north window, is filled with a serene and sacred atmosphere, where master swords owned by museums and collectors from all over the country are waiting to be sharpened.
‘Is there a sharpening method unique to the Hon’ami family?'(Nakada)
The Hon’ami family has a unique way of sharpening swords.The blade should be sharpened softly like snow on a pine tree.The technique itself has not changed.There are some so-called secret techniques, but what is important is how to bring out the best of what the sword originally has,” says Hon’aya Kosyu.
Mr. Koshu’s polishing process is said to be highly acclaimed as a way to maximize the beauty of each sword and complete it by carefully proceeding through each step while highlighting the highlights in accordance with the personality and style of the modern swordsmith.

The blade is checked by natural light and sharpened using only natural whetstones.I am sure I am not the only one who feels as if even the spirit of the samurai that resides in the shiny Japanese sword comes to life when I see it.

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This workshop makes Tosa knives, a traditional craft that has been passed down in Kochi for over 400 years.
While 90% of Japanese kitchen knives are made in Osaka and Sakai, 60-70% of these knives are actually made in Kochi.
The workshop is constantly improving its skills to “raise the value of Tosa kitchen knives even higher.

Tosa knives have been handed down for more than 400 years.

The traditional Kochi craft of “Tosa cutlery ” is said to have started when Motochika Chosokabe, the lord of the time, brought back sword smiths when he participated in Hideyoshi Toyotomi’s conquest of Odawara. Thus, the history of Tosa cutlery is long, and it has been carefully passed down through the years to the present day.

Makoto Tadokoro of Tosa Kitchen Knife Studio Tadokoro Cutlery, one of the best sharpeners in Japan, says that he first trained at an “edging shop” in Susaki City.

At first, I just watched and was not allowed to touch the knives. I hated to lose and felt frustrated, so I began to think that I should learn the technique too, and before I knew it, I was hooked. The harder I worked, the more skill I acquired, so it was much more fun than studying or playing.”

Incorporating Sakai’s knife technology into the new Tosa cutlery

After 17 years of training in his hometown, Mr. Tadokoro traveled around the country to various knife production areas in order to further enhance the value of Tosa knives. There, he met his current master in Sakai, Osaka, the home of kitchen knives.

He said, “I wondered what I had done in Kochi, and my previous skills and knowledge were not applicable. If we were to do the same work in Kochi, there would be 10 processes, but at my master’s place, there would be 20 or 30. Anyway, he puts in a lot of time and effort to sharpen the work. I really felt that I had to learn this technique.

The sharpening process is divided into “rough sharpening,” “medium sharpening,” and “finish sharpening. Mr. Tadokoro, who was shocked at Sakai, spends a whole day carefully sharpening his knives in order to breathe new life into Tosa knives.

He grinds by feeling everything: the vibration, the sound, and the color of the sparks transmitted to his hands. As I gain more experience, I acquire a sense of these things.

The sharpness of the knife makes the food tasty.

Tadokoro’s knives, the result of his careful work, are beautiful and have excellent sharpness.

A knife that sharpens well does not put pressure on fish, meat, vegetables, etc., so the food tastes better,” he says.

In fact, if an ingredient is cut with a knife that is difficult to cut, it may taste bitter and cloying, and the flavor may be lost. A sharp knife is not only beautiful to look at, but also has great power to change the taste of food.

It is said that 90% of Japanese kitchen knives in Japan are produced in Sakai, but in fact, 70% of them are made in Kochi.

We cannot continue to be a “subcontractor” to Sakai forever. I think we must somehow raise the value of Tosa kitchen knives.

Mr. Tadokoro continues to pursue sharpness today in order to enhance the value of Tosa kitchen knives.

Japanese kitchen knives are attracting attention not only from Japanese chefs but also from all over the world, so much so that French chefs sometimes come all the way to Japan to buy kitchen knives. If you use a good kitchen knife, your food will taste better. Please try a good knife and see how sharp it is.

You can find more information here.

The post Traditional kitchen knife sharpening makes cooking more delicious Tosa Kitchen Knife Workshop Tadokoro Cutlery Makoto Tadokoro / Tosa City, Kochi Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.

Inheriting 350 years of history

Tsugaru area in Aomori Prefecture has been a thriving steel manufacturing area for a long time. At the foot of Mount Iwaki, steel manufacturing has been carried out on a large scale, and iron swords from the Nara period to early Heian period have also been discovered here. This trend continued over several eras, and more than 100 blacksmiths were in business in Hirosaki during the Edo period forming a town of blacksmiths. One of the blacksmiths was the Nigara Family which received orders to make swords for the Tsugaru clan about 350 years ago, and is the origin of Nigara Hamono Ltd. which we visited. They have become one of Japan’s leading swordsmith.

Kitchen knife certified as Traditional Craft of Aomori Prefecture

Active swordsmiths well into the Showa era, in particular, Kunitoshi Nigara is a renowned master craftsman, and has received numerous awards such as Sword Making Technology Presentation Grand Prize. They have also had the honor of making dedication swords for Ise Shrine and Meiji Shrine.
　Nigara Hamono Ltd. inherits the history of the Nigara Family. Although sword making was removed from their scope of work in 1965, the technology of sword making is still being used. Kitchen knives are made by hitting the base steel which is combined with hard steel. These kitchen knives are certified as Aomori Prefecture Traditional Craft. The technology developed from knife forging has also been applied to welding, earning them high reputation in this field as well.

Passing on the skills of predecessors

”For example, at a dam construction site, when making the corridor which is going to be the scaffolding for installing the machine, you roast the trabecular bone of the iron and burn away any irregularities. You cannot do this if you don’t understand the nature of iron. ” said Toshihisa Yoshizawa, who we interviewed.
”Our predecessors learned that by actually working on it and from experience. We’ve acquired a lot of knowledge and advances in technology have been made, but our ancestors made things from the knowledge they gained through day-to-day work and living. That’s why Japan’s ”monozukuri”(manufacturing) is so amazing.”
　Over the 350 year history, they have inherited the skills nurtured by craftsmen, honed them and passed them on to the next generation. History continues to live on, not just in items that are visible in our daily lives such as a kitchen knife, but in places that are hidden from sight such as the steel frame within a modern building.

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Yamato Tradition, swords revived by Masamune Date

There are several swordsmiths still existing all over Japan, and in Miyagi, there is a workshop that creates Japanese swords according to the old tradition. We visited the workshop of Hokke Saburo Nobufusa who creates swords in the Hosho School of Yamato Tradition method. The swords of Yamato Tradition have a wide and high ”shinogi”, and the blades have beautiful and fine ”masame-hada”

Yamato Tradition is a classification of old Japanese swords. The method was originally established in Yamatono-kuni Takaichi-gun (Nara Prefecture) at the end of the Kamakura period. Although it declined at one time, the Sendai Clan revived it in times of Lord Masamune Date. At the time, the first generation of Hokke, Kiyofusa, went to study sword making with a prominent swordsmith called Kunikane and inherited the Yamato Tradition.

The revival of the Yamato tradition

After a while, the method of Hokke changed to another method called Bizen Tradition during the reign of the fifth generation Hokke. However, the eighth generation Hokke studied and revived the Yamato Tradition. He was recognized as a true heir of Hosho School of Yamato Tradition, and was designated as a Tangible Important Cultural Property of Miyagi Prefecture. When we visited the workshop, Daiki Takahashi, the ninth generation of Hokke Saburo Nobufusa, was in the middle of forging a sword.

Culture born from the rich iron sand and forest of Japan

Daiki’s son, Eiki is also working as a swordsmith. On our visit, Eiki explained to us about the swords. His first words were ”iron does not exist without humans.” In nature, iron does not exist in the form of pure iron. Iron exists in many different forms. Sand iron, for example, must be treated for it to become the substance we call ”iron”. Using sand iron and coal, iron must be refined. Japan is rich in sand iron and coal. People treated it to create iron. Iron was turned into swords, a symbol of Japanese culture. Japanese sword is a culture of its own that is closely related to the everyday life of Japanese people. ”Swords existed closely to people’s lives.” said Eiki. ”People possessed short swords not only for self-defense but as a charm to protect themselves. There are many idioms and proverbs in the Japanese language that use sword terminology. That shows how close the swords were to people’s lives.”

A sword made of “iron meteorite” that came from outer space.

As previously mentioned, iron is made by man, but short swords existed in Egypt and the Chinese Dynasty when iron manufacturing was not yet established. How were these made?
”They used material from outer space.” said Eiki. It is believed that they used iron meteorites.
Daiki and Eiki have forged a Japanese sword using only iron meteorites, on commission from a museum. We were given a special viewing of the sword and iron meteorites. It took the iron an incredible one million years to cool in outer space, so the metal composition was completely different from the iron on earth. It also could not be forged repeatedly. After multiple attempts over a period of two years, they were finally able to make a sword.

They will last one thousand years

Swords were first made as items to be used in rituals or as a symbol. At the end of the Heian period, swords became an important weapon as the ”samurai” gained power. It became essential to be able to evaluate swords. After a while, swords were not only used as weapons, they also became spiritual symbols of ”samurai”. It was important to develop methods to create better swords, but it was also important for appraisal methods to be developed.
In the Kamakura period, when ”samurai” had gained power, appraisal standards were established, and one could look at a sword and tell who created it and where.
”As a result, there is no compromise when we forge or when we appraise, because swords will remain for the next one thousand years.” Even though times change, the unwavering beauty and refined shape will remain as they are. We felt the weight of history in Daiki’s words.

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Beauty living in “katana”

”Aren’t ”katana” beautiful?” These were the words of Yoshindo Yoshihara, the swordsmith that is undoubtedly at the forefront of the swordsmith industry. His ”katana” are accredited not just in Japan, but also globally, and are part of the collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Boston Museum. One of the most beautiful features of ”katana” is the ”hamon”. There are a variety of ”hamon” including the straight ”suguha”, and each school and region has their own features.
Yoshihara specializes in ”choji midare”. The magnificence of the designs are depicted in large waves of different heights, which have a gorgeous beauty like flower petals. As the question ”Aren’t ”katana” beautiful?” implies, at first the majestic force takes our breath away, then we are drawn into the gracefulness.

”Katana” are Weapons that Support the soul

”Katana” are ”weapons” to attack people. However, Yoshihara claims that swords are ”weapons that protect the samurai spirit”, more than a weapon to take people’s lives. ”During the Sengoku era, guns were introduced from abroad, replacing swords as practical weapons during the war. Despite this, swordsmanship continued and developed, which were the same with ”kanatan”. During the Sengoku era, countless notable swords were made and valued. Although they had no use in the battlefields, people still wore them. Swords acted as moral support for the samurai.” To support this theory, Yoshihara told us the number of ”kanata” that are designated as National Treasure or as an Important Cultural Treasure. Of all National Treasures, swords outnumber all the rest.
He added, ”I think Japan is the only country that designate swords as National Treasures.” In Europe, there are sheaths that are designated as cultural assets, but most treasures are jewelry and decorations. In Japan, ”katana” are cultural assets and dedicated to shrines. This symbolizes that they are not just regarded as weapons, but serve as moral support.

Relaying to the next generation

Currently there are approximately 300 swordsmiths in Japan. However, there are only about 50 swordsmiths that make a living in the profession. To become a swordsmith, you need a licence. You need to go into apprenticeship for 5 years and then take an exam conducted by the Ministry of Culture.
The next generation aims to continue the culture even if it means that they to face this challenge. Yoshihara welcomes young apprentices. There is no age or gender restriction, but ”I don’t think there are any females. Maybe there is an image that this world forbids women.” As Yoshihara pointed out, there are very few females who work in the industry.
In the workshop, an apprentice was hammering steel for the ”katana”. With a pair of bellows on the right and a furnace with coal to the left, the sword is heated and hammered repeatedly. It requires long periods of strength and concentration. ”I learned complex skills out of love for the profession,” says Yoshihara. Currently, he creates the blade as well as the sheath and guard of the ”katana”. The Japanese tradition that lives on in the ”katana” is succeeded by the master swordsmith who has a strong love for ”katana”.

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