Boshu Nokogiri is a saw-forging technique with over 450 years of history in the Minamiboso region. It is said to have originated during the Sengoku (Warring States) period, when a blacksmith serving the Satomi clan, who ruled the Boso region, created it as a 'ship saw' for building the Japanese-style boats used in trade and other purposes. During the Edo period, the technique spread throughout the coastal areas of Awa and developed its own distinctive character; a story is also told that its sharpness became known to the shogunate after thieves used Boshu Nokogiri to break into earthen storehouses, spreading the saw's fame widely. Made from the same steel used for Japanese swords, with unique refinements in blade curvature and tooth-setting, Boshu Nokogiri combines thinness and flexibility with outstanding sharpness and durability. Prioritizing quality over efficiency, the traditional method of doing all 20-plus steps entirely by hand is still upheld today. However, with no successors having been trained, the technique is currently kept alive by only a single craftsman in all of Japan, a severe situation.
Origin
The origins of Boshu Nokogiri date back more than 450 years to the Sengoku period. It is said to have begun when a blacksmith serving the Satomi clan, who ruled the Boso region, created it as a 'ship saw' for building the Japanese-style boats used for trade and other purposes. Entering the Edo period, the technique spread throughout the coastal areas of Awa and developed its own distinctive character as a tool of shipwrights. A story is also told that the shogunate learned of its remarkable sharpness after thieves used Boshu Nokogiri to break into earthen storehouses, spreading its name widely.
History
Boshu Nokogiri is made from the same steel used for Japanese swords, and unique refinements in blade curvature and tooth-setting have achieved a blade that is thin and flexible yet offers outstanding sharpness and durability. It developed alongside demand for shipwrights' tools, and today more than 30 shapes are made, extending well beyond ship saws. However, a shortage of successors has made it increasingly difficult to pass the technique on year by year, and today only a single craftsman in all of Japan upholds this tradition. A commitment to careful handwork over efficiency continues to sustain the quality of Boshu Nokogiri.
Features
The greatest characteristic of Boshu Nokogiri is its thin, flexible blade made from the same steel used for Japanese swords. All of the more than 20 steps are done entirely by hand, and flat-surface polishing uses a traditional tool called a 'sen,' with each blade carefully finished one at a time. Rather than modern tools such as diamond whetstones, continued use of traditional files achieves a distinctive sharpness together with long durability. Because the method prioritizes quality over efficiency, it is not uncommon for an order to take several months from request to completion.
Materials Used
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Artisans & Workshops
中屋雄造正直（粕谷雄治）
The only Boshu Nokogiri craftsman in Japan. Based in a workshop in Higashi-e, Kamogawa City, he forges each saw by hand using the same steel as Japanese swords. It is not uncommon for an order to take several months from request to delivery.
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