Katsushige Anryu

Master Blacksmith

"Iron is alive, it can live and it can die depending on the blacksmith"

Knife making is in Anryu san's blood. His family started as knives makers in the early 1870's. He started apprenticing as a knife maker under his father, Katsutoshi Anryu, after graduating high school in 1959. He is a fourth generation knife maker and has been working as a blacksmith for well over 50 years. Amazing. Anryu san is always striving to make better knives to please the cook using them.

1933 helped establish Takefu Knife Village

1996 nominated as an Excellent Successor of Traditional Craftsmen

2002 obtained the Certificate of Traditional Craftsmen

2010 award from The Kansai Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry