Osumi Toshihira 大隈俊平 (Living National Treasure)

[DoTanuki yokai]

I coudnt find anything about him here on the nmb after i saw one of his blades for sale https://iidakoendo.com/8145/ .

So i wanted to share some of my research including a good video of him working. Interesting yaki ire :D https://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMzI4NDA2Mzc2.html (in Japanese)

 

Close up Tanto video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNJ3Qf5uEHQ

Straight Blade (with awesome koshirae) https://www.aoijapan.net/katana-toshihira-saku-osumi-toshihira/

And another one up for sale https://www.aoijapan.com/katana-kouzuke-koku-nitta-ju-osumi-toshihira-sakuliving-national-treasure/

 

Also they made a museum of his workshop http://www.oosumi-museum.jp/

 

"When I was living in Gunma-ken, Ota-shi, I met and talked with an uchi-deshi = live-in student/apprentice of one of Japan’s (only two) Living National Treasure swordsmiths, Osumi Toshihira.

He told me that as a student of Osumi-sensei, he recieved only about $500 a month as salary*, and had only one week off a year, the rest of the time, 7 days a week, he worked…no dates, no girls, no partying with the boys…and he was about 22 when I met him; a very strict life for a young guy at his peak of being young, dumb, and full of …

As I was talking with him, I also notice the NUMEROUS burn scars he had on the back of his hands, which I can imagine happening right at critical times when he probably couldn’t move or stop what he was doing i.e. holding the blade for Osumi-sensei, and thus had to let the sparks burn into his skin…all for the love of the craft of the steel.

This is where the “select trial and testing” comes from…it is mainly self-imposed by the student who volunteers to give up his freedom and privacy (re: the “live-in” part. They are literally under there master’s eyes almost all the time) in exchange for the education they recieve. Anyone willing to do that is obviously dedicated to the art.

On final interesting tidbit about his apprenticeship was that the student were expected to be abble to tell by the sounds of Osumi-sensei’s small hammer striking the anvil how hard he wanted them to hit the blade…there was absolutely NO TALKING in his shop when a blade was being forged, and this rule applied to the rare visitor he would allow to watch the process. One peep from a visitor, and he would tell them to get the out of his shop. This rule is out of reverence to the blade they are making (= the Soul of the Samurai warrior) and to the art they are creating."

from http://ingunowners.com/forums/cutting-edge/20787-my-dream-has-been-achieved-my-real-katana-3.html

I think the video of him working is proof of how serious he takes it

The dates at aoijapan are different at both blades.

So the Facts are: 

Ōsumi Sadao or Ōsumi Tadao born 1932 and died 2009. Was a student of Miyairi Yukihira (Akihira) who also was a living national treasure(1913-1977). 

Living national Treasure since 1999.

Hope u enjoy the infos and i dont really know what to discuss ? The suguha is awesome isnt it ? 

 

[DoTanuki yokai]

The same video I posted in first post but on YouTube. Im not able to watch my old link anymore don’t know why.