National Awards For Contemporary Osafune Artisans

[Bugyotsuji]

On Sunday a friend showed me a newspaper clipping from earlier this year (28 June) with an article I had not seen before. It concerns two up-and-coming artisans who have been recognized nationally by the NBTHK in this their 63rd event. (Apologies if this has already been mentioned on the NMB site.)

 

One is the younger To-ko swordsmith Hiroyasu Ando, on the right at the anvil, who was given the top prize for a tanto, a first for this region. The other is the Chokinshi carver Mr Katayama on the left with a dragon he carved into a long yari blade, winning the most excellent award again after a gap of four years. What impressed the judges about Ando San's tanto were the Kataochi-gunome, and the straight line of his Bizen-style utsuri which they found particularly beautiful. A first for Mr Ando after six attempts, this was a fourth first prize for Mr Katayama.

 

This is the younger Mr Ando, who has made swords, kozuka and tsuba with meteorite iron, including a generous meteorite sent by our esteemed member Ken all the way from Hawaii. Mr Katayama carved some cherry blossoms for me onto the brass plate on my Kunitomo pistol.

 

Anyway, local artisans need all the help they can get, and recognition for them has to be heart-warming. Gambare!

 

Photo of article...