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.

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In “Manyoshu,” Japan’s oldest known anthology of waka poems composed about 1,200 years ago, Otomo no Yakamochi laughed at the summer weight loss of the same official and recommended that he eat eels. One theory suggests that eels were already being eaten as early as the Jomon period (710-794), and eels have been known as a tonic fish in Japan since ancient times. In the Edo period (1603-1867), it is said that “kabayaki,” a style of cooking in which the eel meat is opened, gutted and boned, skewered, and grilled in a savory sauce made of soy sauce and mirin (sweet sake), became widespread. Like tempura, nigiri-zushi, and soba (buckwheat noodles), which were perfected around the same time, today’s kabayaki continues to be loved almost as much as it was then.

Seki City in Gifu Prefecture, where many sword smiths moved to during the Kamakura period (1185-1333) and the cutlery industry developed. In Seki City, Gifu Prefecture, where many sword smiths moved to during the Kamakura period (1185-1333) and the blade industry developed, eels were valued as a source of stamina for sword smiths who worked in hot workshops all day long, merchants often used eels for business meetings, the clear Nagara River running through the city was a good growing environment for eels, which are born at sea and raised on the river, and cormorant fishermen also loved eels as a dish to invigorate their spirits. The combination of these factors and many others led to the development of many eel restaurants along with the local industry, and even today, more than 20 eel restaurants are concentrated in a small area, which is popular not only among local residents but also among tourists.

The oldest of these restaurants is Tsujiya, located in a corner of the Honmachi shopping street, which stretches approximately 800 meters east to west in the center of Seki City and retains its old-fashioned townscape. Tsujiya was founded in the Edo period (1603-1867). The founder’s love of river fishing led him to open a restaurant to introduce people to the deliciousness of river fish.

Around the restaurant, the smoke from the broiling eels and the aroma of burnt sauce wafting in the air whet the appetite. After passing through the brick door, customers of all ages sit at the sunken kotatsu in the long tatami room in the back of the restaurant and wait for their food. The famous proprietress, dressed in a beautiful Japanese kimono, welcomes the customers who come in endlessly, and in the back of the restaurant, artisans skewer and grill eels with expert skill. This scene, unchanged since the establishment of the restaurant, is the reason why it is a long-established business.

The specialty is “unadon (bowl of eel rice topped with rice topped with a bowl of eel). The grilled surface is fragrant and crispy. The inside of the bowl is filled with a good amount of fat. Combined with the secret sauce, it is a perfect match for the hard-cooked rice. The basic style is not the Kanto style, in which the eel is opened from the back, skewered, steamed, and grilled, but the Kansai style, in which the eel is opened from the belly, skewered, and grilled as it is. However, in order to ensure that the cross section is crispy, the eel is cut into pieces before skewering. The eel is dipped into the secret sauce, which has been used for generations, and then placed on a grill with binchotan charcoal and returned to the skewer at just the right moment. The fat from the eel falls onto the charcoal and is smoked, and the smoke that rises from the charcoal leaves a rich aroma on the surface of the eel. The flavor is so good that the eel is often served with white rice, leaving only the rice.

The taste is so well known that it is listed as a “Michelin plate” in the “Michelin Guide Aichi, Gifu, and Mie 2019 Special Edition”. It is a must-try dish for those who want to visit Seki. The restaurant’s philosophy is “3 years of skewering, 8 years of tearing, and a lifetime of grilling. The taste loved by many masters is here.

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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.

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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To know nothing about “katana”

You rarely see a Japanese sword in everyday life. They are intimidating when you actually see them. Today, Nakata visited swordsmith Akitsugu Amata, holder of the title of Important Intangible Cultural Property, his studio and “Token Densho-kan” museum (within Carrion Culture Center.) Kanesada Amata, Amata’s younger brother and his apprentice gave us a tour. His head wrapped in “tenugui” cloth, he was the perfect image of a swordsmith. First he told us the basics of Japanese swords as we observed the display. Nakata asks a simple question, “Why do the curves differ from sword to sword?” “Yes, the blades curving upward when displayed are ’katana’ swords and the ones with the blades curving downward are called ’tachi.’ The difference is whether you hang the sword on your waist and attack the enemy from a standing position or if you are on a horse and attack the enemy.”. The swords differ in shapes, sizes, usage and names. The shapes also differ depending on style or school the user belongs to.

Forging the steel

Next at the studio, Akitsugu Amata joins us and he explains to us about the unique Japanese tradition. At this studio, the sword is made from ironmaking. ”We used to collect iron sand with a bucket.” They would put the iron sand in a brick making furnace and make ”tamahagane.” steel. Then they would heat the ”tamahagane” and forge it. The scene we often imagine of swordsmiths pounding on iron is done at this stage. Nakata tries forging the metal. It is hot sweaty labor with blaze of the furnace close by, the iron repeatedly heated in the fire and stroked over and over again.

Make it or break it

Nakata was only able to observe up to this process, but the actual process continues to further forging, shaping and polishing. The sword is straight during the whole process until one point. “The most difficult step is the Yakiire’ process when we curve the sword. It takes one month to fully forge a sword, and the sword may break in a moment when we apply ’yaki ire.’ It is literally, a make-it-or-break-it moment. The Japanese expression for make it or break it is “Noruka Soruka’ noruka soruka’ (whether it will be straight or be curved)” came from this process,” says Kanesada Amata. At the end of the tour, Nakata was invited to their room to hold an actual sword. Nakata sat on “tatami” in “seiza” style and looked very serious. There was a tense atmosphere in the air.

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