NEWS
2024
November 4
Nikko
I visited the shrine Nikko-Futarasan-Jinja-Chugushi to see the swords displayed
there. There are many interesting swords and nice swords.
Some of the impressive swords (Pictures are from the catalogue)
No signature
No signature, nickname "Nukemaru"
"Tochika"
November 2
Project Gotoba
The challenger selected a ken style blade. It is a little difficult to
heat the both side of the blade evenly to proper temperature, though. He
tried clay designing, heating, and quenching.
Just after quenching
October 29
Mt. Haguro in Yamagata prefecture
I went to Mt. Haguro together with my customers and my family. There is
a tempel at the top of the mountain, and an old Gassan tachi blade was
displayed there. The members, except for me, climed up to the temple by
foot. Of course, I drove my car and waited for them at the temple.
Unfortuneately, it is forbiddened to take picture of the blade.
I was inspired with the old Gassan blade. Then, I took water at the waterfall
in the temple area of Mt. Haguro. I'm gonna make a Gassan style tachi blade
with this water.
September
One of our customers from Australia sent me the video about the MND Gala dinner where a wakizashi was auctioned. He bought the wakizashi with rust from us. And then, he put new polishing
and shirasaya on it to dedicate to the activity. We appreciate his efforts.
Glittering event raising $260k for MND Research - YouTube
August 24
Seikado-bunko Museum
I went to the Seikado-bunko Museum to see the exhibition. There were many
masterpiece blades. It was really exiting.
And after that, I went to a restaurant to drink beer. It was hot and humid
day.
August 22
Quenching long blades
Finally I made a quenching work with long blades tonight. It was my first
time of long blade quenching after the heart surgery. I had a feeling during
the work that I don't want any astonish hamon, but want just a hamon. In
other words, hardened edge, that's enough. I have yet checked the result.
But I'm happy and I feel I'm blessed. I think to myself I should remember
this feeling.
August 20
I received a picture of Japanese swords in the Sydney Knife Show.
August 9
Chichibu-jinja shrine
I visited the shrine together with my customers from Italy.
Chichibu-jinja shrine is the temple where Ohkawara family dedicated the
swords ordered from Osafune smith about 700 years ago. Those are the tachi
made by Kagemitsu and Kagemasa, and the tanto made by Kagemitsu. Both of
them have engraving of the name of Buddha "Chichibu-daibosatsu".
The swords have left this temple for many years. But this is the temple
of "Chichibu-daibosatsu".
August 3
Project Gotoba => sisters in sandwich steel construction
Two of our sword club members tried the hardening work. Each of them did
the clay designing, heating, and quenching.
#1
After quenching
#2
After quenching
July 31
Project Gotoba
I had a customer from Germany who experienced the hardening work on tanto
blade. And some of our sword club members also came to study swords. We
had a nice moment to talk about swords and watch the customer's challenge.
What blade will come up?
July 21
Another issue of project "Gotoba"
Some time ago, a customer challenged the hardening work with tanto blade.
He put the clay on the blade, and tried the work heating and quenching.
The blade got a hamon all through the blade. I told him it was success.
Then, he ordered me to put his name in the tang and make habaki, shirasaya,
and polishing. After some months, the blade was finished. But finally he
refused to receive the blade. Because it turned out that the hamon is just
a wavy pattern made of large particles, nothing special. He was no longer
interested in such an ordinary hamon.
Now I understand that customers are expecting some astonish hamon in their
mind, like Masamune, Osafune or some other masterpieces. So, I have changed
the policy of project "Gotoba" a little bit. I should prepare
some better quality blade for their challenge in spite of more risk of
their failure. "No risk, no reward".
June 9
Visited the shrine "Mitake Jinja" in Ome, Tokyo
I went to the shrine to see their treasures. They were interesting. I went
there by car, and used the cable car from the parking area. And then I
walked to the shrine from the station. But the way was steep and hard.
Of course, young guys walked to the shrine without using cable car.
The treasures are forbidden to be taken in photos. So these pictures of the treasures are from the catalogue.
May 25
Oshi castle in Gyoda, Saitama prefecture
I visited the Oshi castle to see a sword exhibition. Actually the castle
is just a ruin, and there is a museum there. The swords in the exhibition
are not all masterpieces, but they are handed down in samurai families
in that clan. They suggest what the swords belong to ordinary samurai were.
春の収蔵品展「忍城ゆかりの武具」／行田市 (gyoda.lg.jp)
Some of the stone stupa in the museum were interesting to study the Sanskrit letters on them.
May 17
Traveling in Europe
One of our staff Wataru is traveling in Europe bringing swords for customers
there. Probably old customers might remember him. He is traveling in Prague,
Vienna, and Krakow.
April 27
Project Gotoba
I had a challenger who was trying the Shintogo Kunimitsu style hamon. She
is dreaming the famous masterpiece tanto nicknamed "Aizu Shintogo".
Just after the quenching
What hamon will come out of the steel?
April 24
Parcel missing
We sent a tanto blade with mount to Europe by EMS this January. But it
has missed during the flight. On the online trace, it definitely departed
from Japan, but never arrived at the airport in Europe. Finally we have
to recognize that it has missed.
Unfortunately the value we declared on the invoice was lower than the real
value, since the customer wanted to avoid high custom taxes in his country.
Eventually we may only receive a small money by insurance of the post service.
It was a lesson for us that we must declare the real value on the invoice
in spite of high custom taxes.
April 16
Shodenzan temple => 妻沼聖天山 | 国宝、妻沼聖天山へようこそ (ksky.ne.jp)
I visited the temple "Shodenzan" in Kumagaya together with my
friend from the UK. The temple is designated to a National Treasure. It
was nice.
YouTube channel of the friend
Shandenzanden Temple, there is a memorial to a famous samurai, his story is worth an episode . - YouTube
Statue of Lord Sanemori - YouTube
April 5
Start working with a katana blade
After my surgery of the heart in May last year, I have only worked with
tanto blades. But now, I started making a long blade, since the customer
got angry with my delay. It is my first challenge of katana blade after
the surgery. I got pain on many parts of my body, but it's OK. It's just
a muscle pain. I will do my best. I understand the anger of the customer,
because he also got a cancer. Our lives are always like that in this world.
March 31
The first challenge of a customer who tried to make shirasaya.
Congratulations!
March 09
The exhibition "Masamune and his students" at Fukuyama Art Museum
Many nice and interesting swords were displayed there. But still, Masamune
is legendary smith and all of his swords are more doubtful. There were
no genuine Masamune swords displayed. All of "Masamune" there
were no-signature and attributed to him. It was a big joke.
Book of the exhibition
After seeing the exhibition, I went to an old port town "Tomonoura".
It was nice.
February 22
Project Gotoba
I made a workshop of project Gotoba for a challenger from the US. This
time, the blade was in Kobuse steel construction.
On the work of clay designing
Heating and quenching
Just after the quenching work
What hamon will come up?
February 9 and 10
Visiting the Tatara furnace in Shimane prefecture
I visited there. I watched only two days. Feb. 9 - it was the third day of their work of smelting. They keep putting sand iron and charcoal into the furnace for three days. Feb. 10 - in the morning, the bellows are stopped. And they break down the furnace and take the big iron out of the bottom of the furnace. It was exciting and amazing.
Later, the big iron is broken into small pieces. It is the tamahagane.
2023
August 16
I went to the hospital to take three-month check after the surgery. The
results suggest everything is going well. What is more, the doctor finally
allowed me to drink beer. Now, I can go back to my job slowly. But it may
need some while till I get back my muscle and strength to make sword.
May 27
I returned home from the hospital.
I will heal my self at home. And slowly come back to my original calling, sword smith. Thank you for the encouragements you customers gave me.
May 16
I'm sorry I'm in hospital.
As a matter of fact, I have been in a bad health condition from the last
summer. And recently I decided to accept the advice of the doctor to take
surgery. I took the surgery on May 16. I took an operation to replace the
main valve of my heart with pig's one. I will have to suffer on the bed
in the hospital for a while. The doctor said it would need at least three
months to recover from the surgery. So I will be able to be back to my
job around the end of August or beginning of September. I'm very sorry
for the delays of the works. Oink, oink!
Card from kids of my friend family
Card from an orphanage
(=> Remembrance from the news page)
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