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.

The Imadate area, located on the east side of Echizen City in central Fukui Prefecture, is a major production center of Echizen washi with a history of 1,500 years and is home to Okata Shrine and Otaki Shrine, the only shrines in the country dedicated to the god of paper. Yoshinao Sugihara, who took over the 150-year-old washi wholesaler Sugihara Shoten in this “village of washi,” is bringing a new style to the world of washi by connecting producers and modern needs with ideas and energy.

The Challenge of a 150-Year-Old Washi Wholesaler

Mr. Sugihara is the 10th generation of a long-established washi wholesaler and calls himself a “washi sommelier. As a wholesaler, his work is not limited to purchasing washi from producers and wholesaling it. He also plans and sells large-format washi as interior decorations for spaces, including products that reconstruct washi in response to the changing times. The company’s connections with local washi producers make it possible to develop innovative products. Each producer has its own specialty. They are asked to make use of these to meet the needs of modern consumers and clients in Japan and abroad. It is Mr. Sugihara who wields the tact. Like a sommelier who selects wines according to taste.

Making the most of washi compatible with home-use printers

Sugihara Shoten now sells washi paper worldwide. Mr. Sugihara’s path to prosperity has not been a smooth one.

In 1988, when Mr. Sugihara returned to his hometown at the age of 26 after working for Kozu Sangyo, a washi wholesaler that had been in business for nearly 370 years, and joined Sugihara Shoten, the washi industry was facing a period of decline. Demand for fusuma paper, which had been rising steadily during the high-growth period of the Japanese economy, had plummeted due to the westernization of housing and the decrease in the number of Japanese-style rooms. Echizen washi, which had previously excelled at fusuma paper, suffered a major blow. Sugihara, who was concerned about the survival of the Echizen washi industry, decided that the survival of Echizen washi would depend on the survival of the washi producing region, and he decided to establish Sugihara Shoten. With this sense of crisis, Mr. Sugihara began to develop washi products in response to the changing times.

The result was “habutae paper,” which can be printed on a home printer. Washi paper is originally designed so that characters will not bleed through when written on with ink. However, it is a fact that the custom of writing characters with ink on a daily basis is disappearing, except for calligraphers. Habutae paper was created by applying a device to Japanese paper to prevent blotting even with ink. The variation in thickness was also groundbreaking for washi. This washi, named after a textile representative of Fukui Prefecture, once known as the “Habutae Kingdom,” was a hit, perfectly capturing the changes of the times with the widespread use of printers.

Hand-rolled sheets of washi paper called “Chigitate Meisho” (tear-off business cards)

After feeling the pressure to develop new washi products, Mr. Sugihara turned his attention to a use for paper that would not become obsolete despite the advance of digitalization. It was business cards, which are indispensable for face-to-face business. Instead of cutting the paper apart from the beginning, he folded a sheet of Japanese paper into a business card by tearing it off by hand. The name of the new product is “Tear-off business cards. Even the edges, which have been torn off and fluffed up, have a washi-like appearance. The traditional “sukashi” technique was adopted in the development of this product, and the folded part is finished with sukashi to make it easy to tear off by hand. Tear-off business cards” have been introduced on TV and other media, and have been a big hit. Today, the company produces not only business cards, but also sheets of washi with motifs of animals, flowers, etc. The “Tchigitte” series has been used for a variety of purposes. The “Chigitte” series offers a wide range of variations.

Lacquer on Washi. A New Encounter of Traditional Crafts

Next, Mr. Sugihara planned to collaborate with traditional crafts. In the Echizen City area of Fukui Prefecture, where Echizen Washi paper is produced, a variety of other traditional crafts are also thriving. One of them is lacquer, which is essential for Echizen lacquerware, and we wondered if we could use it in our washi products. The result is “Urushi Washi. The result of a trial-and-error process, Urushi-Washi has the appeal of a leathery look that has been used for a long time, created by the combination of Japanese paper and lacquer. The lightness of the paper is retained, while the water resistance is enhanced by the lacquer coating. Soon after its commercialization, Urushi-Washi won the grand prize of “DESIGN WAVE FUKUI,” which honors products with excellent design in Fukui Prefecture.

Expanding Washi’s Sales Channels and Possibilities

Habutae Washi,” “Tear-off Business Cards,” and “Lacquer Washi. All of these products are products that have successfully revived a tradition that has lived on in the region and adapted it to modern needs. However, there were many difficulties when they were first launched. The more innovative a product is, the longer it takes for the world to accept it. Mr. Sugihara’s product was no exception, and he was particularly persistent in his discussions with producers. When he consulted with his existing customers, he was told that they were interested in his interesting product but did not know how to sell it. The same was true for Mr. Sugihara himself.

He decided that he had no choice but to do it himself. Mr. Sugihara personally went to major retailers such as Tokyu Hands, with whom he had no previous business relationship, to develop sales channels. He made a number of innovations to make it easier for retailers to sell his products, such as cutting Japanese paper into A4 size, and gradually gained acceptance.

A Fateful Encounter at an Exhibition

Sugihara Shoten is proud that it was able to develop sales channels to some extent and create products that connect washi to consumers. This brought a future to Sugihara Shoten. However, when I looked at the entire washi production area, “washi-no-Sato,” I wondered if I could do something more. For a long time, he remained conflicted.

Then came a fateful encounter.

Sugihara Shoten was also exhibiting at a “craft exhibition” held in Fukui Prefecture. It was a routine stall every year, but a prominent design consultant I met at the exhibition had this to say to me. Do you know that Japanese paper is in demand in architecture?”

Washi paper in architecture?　I had no idea what he meant. When I was at a loss for words, the consultant told me to attend the exhibition. Feeling something like fate, Mr. Sugihara decided to exhibit at IPEC, an international exhibition on interior design held at Tokyo Big Sight, despite his misgivings.

This was the catalyst for a leap forward. He was the first in the Japanese paper industry to exhibit there, and received an Encouragement Award. In addition, Sugihara Shoten received an order for a tremendous amount of washi paper to be used as a building material for Roppongi Hills in Tokyo, which was under construction at the time. Mr. Sugihara says, “I went to the exhibition.

We went to exhibitions, made connections with designers and planners, and started going abroad. What surprised me was their appreciation of the beauty of washi. Washi as a construction material is extraordinary in terms of both unit price and amount used. That is when I rediscovered the high potential of Echizen washi.

All for the sake of enhancing the value of washi

Echizen Washi as a construction material, for which Mr. Sugihara paved the way, is gaining further recognition. Echizen washi was used for the walls and pillars of the Lyon City Hall in France, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Stadium, the lounge at New Chitose Airport, the entrance to Mita Hospital in Tokyo, and the new facility “Eshikoto ” of the Kuroryu Sake Brewery, one of Fukui’s representative sake breweries, where Sugihara Shoten’s Echizen washi was used as restaurant wallpaper. Echizen Washi, handled by Sugihara Shoten, was used as the restaurant’s wallpaper.

Encounters with People through Washi

Sugihara Shoten has continued to innovate as a wholesaler of Echizen washi. While the distribution of this paper has fallen into disuse due to the shrinkage of its existing uses, the company has created new demand through sales at major retailers and in the form of construction materials.

The catalyst and driving force behind this challenge has been the relationships with people he meets wherever he goes. Through Echizen Washi, I want to create a “place” where people can engage with each other in a richer way. I believe that there will be further innovations that will be created through the effects of these places.

A 100-year-old storehouse converted into a washi gallery

The fruit of Mr. Sugihara’s vision is “Washi Shop,” a washi gallery opened on the premises of Sugihara Shoten. The Wagamiya, which was renovated from a 100-year-old warehouse adjacent to the company’s premises, exhibits washi works as interior decorations and art, such as lighting fixtures and vessels, as well as samples of kozo, mitsumata, and gampi, the raw materials used to make washi, and the paper from which they are made. A huge tapestry of washi hanging from the ceiling is also a highlight. Washi items such as “Habutae Washi,” “Tear-off Business Cards,” and “Lacquer Washi” are also available for purchase.

Mr. Sugihara welcomes visitors with hand-brewed coffee and responds to clients’ requests to actually touch the washi and listen to their stories. He is truly a sommelier of washi as he searches for the best proposal while explaining the historical background and transition of washi.

A deserted century-old warehouse was transformed into a place for people to gather through the use of washi. Washi has the power to connect people with each other, and will surely survive,” says Sugihara.

I will listen to various people and try everything through trial and error. In the process, I hope to find something new.

Sugihara Shoten will continue to connect people with Echizen washi and weave a new tradition of washi.

The post Echizen Washi connects people and creates new traditions. Yoshinao Sugihara, 10th generation of washi wholesaler Sugihara Shoten / Echizen City, Fukui Prefecture first appeared on NIHONMONO.