Japan Shop

Shigetoshi Sato: Japanese Bladesmith

Shigetoshi Sato is a bladesmith who is based in Hachioji, an area in the outskirts of Tokyo that was known for producing the Shitahara blade up until the Edo period. Sato uses the same methodologies that are used to forge katana swords, and he utilizes ironsand from the nearby Asa River. His methods make use of a special type of steel known as “tamahagane,” which is produced by using ironsand with the tatara technique - a word also used to refer to the tatara furnace.

Sato became an apprentice of a renowned blacksmith in Niigata Prefecture, and by the age of 45 his interest in Japanese katana led to an apprenticeship under a katana swordsmith in Gifu Prefecture. After 5 years of intense training, his skills were recognized by the government’s Agency for Cultural Affairs, and he became a professional bladesmith. Sato past studies of metal at a vocational school allow him to approach his work from the perspective of chemistry.

Yoshindo Yoshihara: Japanese Swordsmith

Yoshihara is world’s foremost present-day katana swordsmith, and has crafted works for the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and countless other institutions and individuals in Japan and around the world. His mastery and technique has contributed to the spread of sword making as a true work of art.

Due to COVID-19, Yoshihara had to close his atelier and stop taking in apprentices for more than 6 months. We normally recommend that the purchasers of the Long Katana, come to his atelier before purchasing as all of the swords are crafted upon custom requests and we would like to have a chance to show you the different techniques and designs that goes in to the making.

However we are extremely honored to share the short katana that he has collected himself over the years.

“Katana has always served as the most noble amulet charm and a family treasure in a samurai’s household.”

Your own tea house in collaboration with a tea master and a remarkable architect

Many of our guests have shared with us their dreams of having their own tea ceremony rooms in their home, and now we can finally make it happen!

We will support the building process in your country with the assistance of a master in the tea ceremony world, who has seen countless tea rooms and is very familiar with how to make the best use of them. In addition, an architect who has been involved in the construction of Japan's unique architectural style of tea rooms will be a part of the process. We have prepared a 3D model of a cultural asset tearoom for you to look at and help you with imagining your own.

In addition to the tearoom, we can help you with everything from curating a tea ceremony to landscaping a beautiful Japanese garden.