Craftsman
富樫憲治
Kenji Togashi
The story
Aoki Hamono's roster for its Sakai Takayuki brand lists eight blacksmiths. Three of them are Togashi smiths, and each is listed for honyaki (本焼). Kenji Togashi (富樫憲治) is one of the three, with honyaki and forged work (本焼・打物) as his stated specialty. The roster lists the other two, 富樫憲幸 and 富樫龍生, as traditional craftsmen certified in 2008 and 2022; they are his sons.
Sakai City's register of traditional craftsmen records his certification in the blacksmith division in 1996 and names his company beside it, 株式会社富樫打刃物製作所. That company is an independent Sakai forge, not part of Aoki Hamono. His name sits on Aoki's own page for the Sakai Takayuki brand, which is how blades he forges reach the people who cook with them.
The Sakai cutlery federation's award lists name him for a director's commendation from the Kinki Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry for the traditional craft industry in fiscal 2021, and for the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Silver Rays (瑞宝単光章), in fiscal 2022.
We list his Byakko line for Sakai Takayuki, in yanagiba, kiritsuke yanagiba and sakimaru takobiki at 270 mm and 300 mm, and his honyaki gyuto at 240 mm with a Western handle.
The Knives & Stones take
I remember Master Togashi telling me that water-quenched honyaki has a failure rate of about 40 to 50 per cent, and the figure goes even higher on a bad day.
— James Zhang, Knives and Stones
In photographs
Awards
- Traditional Craftsman (dentō kōgeishi), blacksmithing, certified 1996
- Kinki Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry Director's commendation, traditional craft industry, FY2021
- Order of the Sacred Treasure, Silver Rays (瑞宝単光章), FY2022
The relationship map 職人系譜
Masters, family, and the brands between them. Every line is a verified fact from our research. Tap a node to light up its connections and read its story.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Kenji Togashi?
Reviewed by James Zhang
What is Kenji Togashi known for?
Reviewed by James Zhang
Where is Kenji Togashi based?
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Which brand does Kenji Togashi forge for?
Reviewed by James Zhang