Nokaji Hamono are forged (tanzo) blades made in Shingu, Wakayama Prefecture. Nokaji (village blacksmiths) are blacksmiths who forge, and also repair, blades used in daily life, such as farm tools and tools for mountain work. Shingu lies at the mouth of the Kumano River and once flourished as a collection point for timber and charcoal carried by river boats. Yamashi (forestry workers) gathered here, and blacksmiths who made their tools lined the streets of the town. Around 1910, there are said to have been about 30 blacksmiths. The blades produced are mainly for forestry, such as axes, nata (hatchets) and shitakari-gama (undergrowth-clearing sickles). Based on the idea that 'tools used in the mountains must be hard enough not to lose out to knots in the wood', iron and steel are heated in a furnace and forged with hammers. In 2002 (Heisei 14) Nokaji Hamono became a Wakayama Prefecture Governor-Designated Local Traditional Craft.
Origin
Supported by the abundant water transport of the Kumano River, Shingu was a collection point for timber known as Kumano timber, and its lumber industry flourished greatly. As a result, yamashi engaged in forestry gathered here, and blacksmiths making the tools they used came to line the streets. In this way, nokaji forging the axes and hatchets indispensable to mountain work took root in the life of the town.
History
Around 1910 there were about 30 blacksmiths, and in 1916 (Taisho 5) there was also a blacksmiths' association joined by about 30 workshops. At the height of the forestry industry, it was said that blacksmiths earned a cooper's daily wage before breakfast. From around Showa 30 (around 1955), chainsaws spread, and opportunities to use hand-forged blades gradually decreased. The place names 元鍛冶町 and 新鍛冶町 that remain in the city convey the bustle of those days.
Features
The main products are blades used in forestry, such as axes, hatchets and undergrowth-clearing sickles. Thin grooves are carved on both faces of an axe, three on one side and four on the other. The side with three is called 'miki' and represents sacred sake offered to the gods (omiki), while the side with four is called 'yoki' and is said to represent the harvests of the mountains and the sea. Before felling a tree, woodcutters are said to have leaned the axe against the tree and prayed in gratitude to the mountain and for safety in their work. There is also a theory that the seven grooves on the two sides are likened to the Big Dipper.
Techniques
Forge welding
A technique of joining iron and steel into one piece by applying heat and pressure. The pieces are hammered together using a spring hammer and hand hammers. By combining the steel that forms the cutting edge with iron, the foundation of a blade that can withstand mountain work is created.
Quenching and tempering
The blade is heated in a charcoal fire at 730 to 850°C and rapidly cooled in water to harden it. It is then tempered at 150°C to give it toughness. At 大川鍛冶, quenching and tempering, which were done at the same time in the father's generation, are said to be carried out separately to finish the blades more reliably.
Materials Used
Production Process
- 1
Cutting and forge welding
Iron and steel are cut into pieces with a hacksaw (tetsunoko) and a cold chisel (tagane). Next, using a spring hammer and hand hammers, the iron and steel are joined with heat and pressure.
- 2
Forging and shaping
Iron heated red-hot in a coke furnace is drawn out and hammered into shape with a spring hammer and hand hammers. Even with the use of machines, the final stage is handwork in which the craftsperson swings the hammer.
- 3
Finishing
After the material has been left to cool for half a day, it is ground with files and a grinder to refine its shape.
- 4
Quenching and tempering
The blade is heated in a charcoal fire at 730 to 850°C, then rapidly cooled in water to harden it. It is then tempered at 150°C to give the blade toughness.
- 5
Sharpening
The edge is set on a whetstone over about 30 minutes, finishing the piece as a blade.
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Artisans & Workshops
大川鍛冶（大川治）
A nokaji (village blacksmith) in 相筋, Shingu. 大川治 was selected as a Wakayama Prefecture Meisho (Master Craftsperson) in fiscal 2004 (Heisei 16), and was introduced in a 2013 paper as the last blacksmith in Shingu. The workshop makes everything from agricultural and forestry blades such as axes, hatchets, hoes and sickles to fishing tools such as eel tongs (unagi-tsukami).
How to Buy
- 大川鍛冶 (workshop in Shingu)
- A workshop in 相筋1丁目, Shingu, Wakayama Prefecture, listed as a place where Nokaji Hamono are exhibited in an introduction by 日本伝統文化振興機構. For orders or repairs of axes and hatchets, it is best to inquire by telephone (0735-22-5066).
FAQ
Q. What is a nokaji?
A. A nokaji is a blacksmith who forges, and also takes on repairs of, blades used in local daily life, such as farm tools and tools for mountain work. Because forestry was thriving in Shingu, blades for forestry such as axes and hatchets became the main products.
Q. Are the blades still forged by hand today?
A. In the past, iron and steel were beaten out by hammers held in the hand, but today machines such as spring hammers are also used. Even so, the final stage is the craftsperson's handwork of drawing red-hot iron out of the blazing furnace and striking it with a hammer.