Hiroshi Kato is a blacksmith with a high reputation among knife enthusiasts worldwide. He was born in 1941 and for several years he has been bearing the title Dentokogeishi. It is a title awarded by the Japanese government and only a few skilled blacksmiths have received this recognition. Hiroshi Kato belongs to the second generation of the blacksmith Kato family, and he is active in Takefu/Echizen. He forges his knives in the same premises as, among others, Shiro Kamo and Hideo Kitaoka (Takefu Knife Village) and Kato was actually one of the blacksmiths who helped build Takefu Knife Village into what it is today as a gathering place for blacksmiths to exchange ideas. During the years 2015-2018, Hiroshi has gradually handed over responsibility for the forge to Yoshimi Kato, who with new ideas is moving the brand forward.
