Nakaniida Uchihamono forged blades are hand-forged cutlery rooted in the blacksmithing tradition of Kami Town (formerly Nakaniida Town), Kamigun, Miyagi Prefecture. According to tradition, their origins trace back to the Kanbun era of the Edo period (roughly 1661 to 1673), when Funano Gorobei, a bladesmith of the Sendai Domain, began making sickles. For more than 300 years since, a forging method known as the kuu-uchi method, using the same hand-forging technique as swordsmithing, has been passed down for beating and combining iron and steel. The distinctively shaped sickles, designed to be used with the blade facing upward, are valued for reducing friction with soil so the edge resists chipping and can be easily re-sharpened. Beyond sickles, various other forged blades are also made, including nakiri kitchen knives and peeling knives. At its peak, eleven blacksmith workshops operated side by side, but due to a shortage of successors, today only Ishikawa Michio, the fourth-generation head of Ishikawa Hamono Seisakusho, continues to preserve the technique as its sole craftsman. It was designated a Traditional Craft by the Governor of Miyagi Prefecture in 1982 (Showa 57).
Origin
The origins of Nakaniida Uchihamono are said to trace back to the Kanbun era of the Edo period (roughly 1661 to 1673), when Funano Gorobei, a bladesmith of the Sendai Domain, began making sickles in Nakaniida (present-day Kami Town). Applying swordsmithing forging techniques, a method of beating and combining iron and steel was established, and the area developed into a blade-producing region centered on sickles essential to farm work, supporting the livelihood of the local community.
History
For more than 300 years since, blacksmiths in Nakaniida (present-day Kami Town) have carried on the tradition of forging blades. At its peak, eleven blacksmith workshops stood side by side, producing a wide variety of blades such as sickles and kitchen knives, but demand shifted over time and the number of successors declined. In 1982 (Showa 57), it was designated a Traditional Craft by the Governor of Miyagi Prefecture, and today Ishikawa Michio, the fourth-generation head of Ishikawa Hamono Seisakusho, continues to preserve the technique and tradition as its sole craftsman.
Features
The defining feature of Nakaniida Uchihamono is a forging method known as the kuu-uchi method, which uses the same hand-forging technique as swordsmithing. Iron and steel heated in a forge are shaped by beating them with a hammer, a method considered rare among blade-producing regions nationwide. The representative sickle has a distinctive shape designed to be used with the blade facing upward, valued for its high practicality: it resists chipping by reducing friction with soil and can be easily re-sharpened.
Materials Used
Production Process
- 1
Forge welding and forging
Iron and steel are heated in a forge and shaped using the kuu-uchi method, in which they are combined by hammering and forging.
- 2
Quenching
The heated blade is rapidly cooled to bring out the hardness and toughness needed for a cutting edge.
- 3
Sharpening and finishing
The blade is sharpened and fitted with a handle, completing it as a finished sickle or knife.
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Artisans & Workshops
石川刃物製作所
The sole workshop producing Nakaniida Uchihamono. Ishikawa Michio, its fourth-generation head, hand-finishes each sickle and knife using the same technique used to make fine swords.
Official site →How to Buy
- Ishikawa Hamono Seisakusho (Online Shop / Furusato Nozei Tax Donations)
- Nakiri kitchen knives and other items can be purchased through the BASE online shop or various furusato nozei (hometown tax donation) sites. Direct inquiries to the workshop are accepted by phone (0229-63-3095).Where to buy →PR