Author Archives: Administrator

On the Japan Sea coast in western Japan near Matsue in Shimane prefecture is the small but important steel town of Yasugi, the home of  Hitachi Metal speciality steel works. Every spring a few square blocks of Yasugi are set aside to host a … Continue reading →

The very first time I ever shaved in Japan was New Years Day 1979 and it was in a public bath in a small city named Komastu, yes the tractor companies home base. It was a little tense at first, … Continue reading →

Hello M. * I think it’s fantastic that you have inherited an authentic Japanese tennen toishi from your father. You might be the only one here who can stake that claim. The tomae strata stone that you have is from … Continue reading →

In Japan long rips from a few inches to 20 feet or more are done with the board raised up about a foot or higher off the floor on blocks or shorter sawyer stands. A good dark sumi ink line … Continue reading →

I have been asked about soaking natural japanese sharpening stones in water before use. Although this is just an opinion, I tend to not be in favor of soaking natural awasedo stones. Someone has recently thrown out there that it … Continue reading →

When dealing with stones that have no ink stamps it is nice to have some reference points to go back to. I am lucky enough have a few Nakayama that are ink stamped “Maruka” that date back to the first … Continue reading →

Several years ago I had a chance to visit the Ohira mine at the invitation of its owner Ishihara-san of the Tamba region of Kyoto. He is the 5th generation to run the mine and he remembers his grandfather working … Continue reading →

Did you ever wonder what it would be like to be a samuri and live in a Japanese Castle? Chances are the daimyo or local king who owned it hardly ever went into it. This little castle in the town of Maruoka, Ishikawa Prefecture … Continue reading →

Yesterday my wife Emiko and I took the JR bus from Kyoto station up Hwy 162 out of Kyoto’s Utano ward, through Narutakihonmachi and up into the village of Takao. The bus took us a little further up into the … Continue reading →

The very first time I ever shaved in Japan was New Years Day 1979 and it was in a public bath in a small city named Komastu, yes the tractor companies home base. It was a little tense at first, not … Continue reading →