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Kasuga Shrine in Seki. Founded as a subbranch of the main shrine in Yamato Province in 1288, it enshrines the guardian deity of blacksmiths.
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Exhibits at the Seki Traditional Swordsmith Museum.
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A sword forged by Izuminokami Kanesada.
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A swordsmith demonstrates his technique at the Seki Traditional Swordsmith Museum. Mino-den swords are made with steel melted using pine charcoal.
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The yokoza (at right) is the key figure in forging. Wielding a small mallet, he sets the pace for the other two workers, who swing larger hammers.
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A sword made by Magoroku Kanemoto. It is characterized by the sanbonsugi pattern resembling the silhouette of a row of cedar trees.
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The headquarters of Kai Industries.
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A display of Kai’s early long-blade, lightweight razors.
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Kai has a diverse lineup of products, including all the nail-cutters here.
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A display of items from Kai’s two major kitchen knife brands, Seki Magoroku and Shun.
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The Seki Magoroku Kaname is the pinnacle of the brand.
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Wet type blade edging is one of the most important steps in the manufacturing process and is only done by a craftsman with many years of experience.
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The blade ensures a clean, beautiful cut each time.
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