月心火床
Gesshin Hokubo
Tosa Hokubo
“Tosa Hokubo” is the name of theis project, conducted by the Association of Commerce and Industry of Kami city in Kochi. It consists of eight members, including three blacksmiths. Hokubo’s aim is to produce “Tosa uchihamono (hammer-forged tool [blade],” and bring Tosa’s culture and design across Japan.
Each Gesshin Hokubo knife has been designed and created specifically for us and we are excited to bring you these unique artistic, yet functional, pieces.
Hokubo – The Birthplace of a Blade
The word “hokubo” in Japanese refers to the furnace used for heating steel to be forged. This is a buzzword, commonly used by blacksmith in the Tosa region. In standard Japanese, it is pronounced as “hidoko,” but in the Tosa dialect, it is “hokubo.” In hokubo, iron and steel are heated until they are soft, and then hammer-forged to shape. So the hokubo is truly the birthplace of blades… a place where steel is transformed into a knife.
To preserve and pass down the rich history behind hidoko, the members create the Hokubo project. Tosa uchihamono has more than 400 years of history with traditional skills- creating sharp and strong blades. Tosa blades are known for their practical designs and quality – Tosa blacksmiths have only adopt modern machinery to some extent, but would rather preserve the traditional blacksmithing technics. It is with these traditions as their base, Hokubo are now creating these practical and functionl, yet high-end collector-worthy artistic knives.
The Hokubo Brand Concept
- Hokubo products are genuinely hand-crafted tools, born in Tosa, where the place is known for its vast nature and bighearted people.
- Hokubo tools are created by craftsmen through hammer-forging steel into functional and practical shapes.
- Hokubo is made using traditional skill sets to bring the best in the steel.
- Hokubo are tools with a history of cooperative work with various professionals in the pursuit of creating traditional and genuine products.
- Hokubo products aim to give joy through the rich history and depth in their creation and design, becoming more personal with time.
- Hokubo has rooted themselves in the tradition of Tosa uchihamono enriched lives of those around them and share their culture with people all around the world.
What is Tosa Uchihamono?
Characteristics
Kochi prefecture had been referred to as “Tsa Kingdom” since the Nara period (710-784). It is one of the few temperate and rainy regions existing in Japan, and is blessed with bountiful forest resources. Due to this, there was great demand for forestry knives, and thus Tosa began its long history of developing hammer-forged tools for the industry.
From the end of the Kamakura period (1185-1333) to the end of Muromachi period (1336-1573), forgers belonging to the “Gorozaemon Yoshimitsu” sect moved into Tosa from mainland Japan in response to the demand for swords and armors. These blacksmiths’ influence was very strong on blacksmiths in Tosa region.
Tosa Yamada, in Kami city, is known as the birthplace of Tosa uchihamono. This began when the lord of the Tosa feudal clan brought in talented sword makers from Sado, in Nigata, after serving under the Shogun, Toyotomi Hideyosi. Those sword makes were provided with domiciles in Tosa Yamada in exchange for contributing the region’s uchihamono. Tosa uchihamono began to flourish from 1692, under the Tosa feudal domanial lord in during the Edo period. Consequentially, Tosa uchihamono's both quantity of production and quality significantly improved during this time period. There is a document from 1950 stating that there were 399 blacksmiths in Tosa- a testament to the long lasting and deep roots of Tosa uchihamono in the area.
Tosa uchihamono has only adopted modern machinery to a limited extent, rather hoping to preserve the 400-year-long practice and tradition of hand-forging their blades and tools. Tosa uchihamono takes great pride in the way that makers can adjust the size or weight of their wares, and adapt for any other personal preferences. This is why Tosa uchihamono is also known as “Tosa Jiyu Tanzo (free forging).”
The Definition of Tosa Uchihamono as Traditional Crafts
- Forging is done using a furnace- heating up softer cladding and harder core steel, and hammering them into the desired shape.
- Hatchet and ax’s go through the “Hitsu-nuki” process – steel and wood are not welded together. Rather, the steel is hammered many times in order to create a hole for the wood handle. This hitsu-nuki process is said to be done only by Tosa blacksmiths.
- Saws are created using the same material for the body, grip, and tang.
- The yakiire (heat treatment) of sickles, knives, and hatchets should be rapid cooling, using mud for a special heat treatment.
- Single bevel hatchets have a “hi” or fuller(a groove on the side of the blade- it is said that this tradition came from the fuller swords for letting out blood when stabbing).
- Shaping, grinding, and final sharpening are done by hand.
- The materials used are carbon steel and softer iron.
- The handles are made of wood
When these conditions are met, the products can be referred to as Tosa Uchihamono.