Explore the Production Area of Japanese Knives in Seki, Gifu

History of Japanese knives in Seki, Gifu：

Seki boasts the largest share of household cutlery in Japan. The history of cutlery making in Seki is very old, dating back to the Kamakura to Nanbokucho periods, more than 700 years ago, when Mino-den, one of the five major swordsmiths, flourished.

As is well known from the Battle of Sekigahara*, many swordsmiths settled in Seki from the perspective of supplying weapons, and passed on their skills.

*The Battle of Sekigahara was a decisive battle fought in Gifu Prefecture, to which Seki City belongs, in 1600 at the end of the Warring States Period. The battle was the largest internal battle in ancient Japan and is regarded as the most important battle.

During the Meiji era (1868-1912), when the Sword Abolition Ordinance was issued, the art of Japanese sword-making was carried on by changing its object to Japanese knives.

In the Showa period (1926-1989), by importing technology from abroad and mechanising the production process, a top-class domestic mass production system was established. Since the age of swords, the production style has been mainly based on the division of labour, with each person specialising in his or her own field of expertise to improve quality, and the region has become renowned as one of the world's three major production centres for cutlery.

(Source: How to select, use, grow for knives and whetstones. Shibatashoten Co., Ltd.)