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.

※ An online meet-up experience with the master can be arranged upon request.