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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The post Miyairi Norihiro, a swordsmith who is not bound by any school of swordsmanship to create his ideal sword / Tateshina-machi, Nagano Prefecture 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.

The post A Living National Treasure who passes on the art and technique of “sword polishing”-Mr. Hon’ami Koshu / Ota-ku, Tokyo, Japan first appeared on NIHONMONO.