GENKAI MASAKUNI (Yoneo Muko): Blacksmith
SHOTARO NOMURA: Shaper/ Sharpener
These knives are directly from the workshops of these legendary Japanese knife artisans. True museum/historical pieces of authentic Japanese knife history.
Remarkably rare masterpieces have been completed - 330mm Honyaki (本焼) Yanagiba knives forged from the remaining stock steel of Genkai Masakuni (Yoneo Muko), the pioneer who perfected modern Mizu-Honyaki (水本焼: water-quenching) knife making method. Genkai Masakuni (Yoneo Muko), a legendary bladesmith deeply revered for his uncompromising artistry and for elevating Mizu-Honyaki to its contemporary form, passed away on September 25th 2025 at the age of 85…
Renowned for his exceptionally pure steelwork and his mastery of traditional water-quenching, he is remembered as a craftsman whose influence shaped an entire generation of Japanese Mizu-Honyaki knife makers.
These exceptional blades were finished and given their edges in Sakai, Osaka — the birthplace of traditional Japanese cutlery — by Shotaro Nomura, an 86-year-old master sharpener, one of the last remaining artisans preserving the old-world methods of Sakai, and my personal mentor in Japanese knife sharpening. Over the years, he has generously shared with me a wealth of knowledge — not only sharpening techniques, but also the history and traditions of Sakai knives, practical wisdom, and countless insights gained through a lifetime of craftsmanship. To this day, he remains my greatest mentor in the world of Sakai knives and one of the craftsmen I respect most deeply.
Over a lifetime spanning seven decades, Shotaro Nomura has become known for his precise blade geometry, flawless kasumi work, and his unparalleled ability to reveal the true character of Honyaki steel.
For a craftsman of such standing to personally inscribe his full name and title — “Certified Traditional Craftsman Shotaro Nomura” — onto these exceptional Honyaki blades by Genkai Masakuni adds another important chapter to their provenance, making these two knives truly exceptional pieces of Sakai knife-making history.
His inscription brings together the names and craftsmanship of two remarkable artisans of Sakai in a single blade — Genkai Masakuni, who forged the Honyaki blades, and Shotaro Nomura, who completed and sharpened them — giving these knives a provenance that can never be reproduced.
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