In Shigefusa's unassuming forge, all is calm and quiet. We are struck by an almost magical atmosphere in the small tea room next to the blacksmith's workshop. The father of the house speaks softly and slowly and everyone around the table listens and nods with great respect. It feels as if we have traveled back in time a few hundred years, to a time where stress and production pace have to take a backseat to quality and tradition. You can see that the two sons of the Iizuka family shoulder the responsibility and carry on the traditions of the Shigefusa brand in an exemplary way. They also speak in a calm voice and like to take their time to find the right words while they stir their green tea. We are in a sort of story time for adults. You want to hear more, because even if we don't understand a word of what is being said, we still understand everything. Ayanori translates as he goes along, but it's almost like he doesn't need to.
After the almost ceremonial tea time, they show us around the forge. It is dark and dusty as a forge should be, and high-tech equipment is conspicuous by its absence. They show us many parts of the production that could very well be done by more modern grinding machines, but it is not right according to Iizuka's traditions. The blades must be planed to the correct shape before hardening, not sanded on a belt sander. It is moments like this that make Shigefusa's knives special. The extremely low production pace also means that Shigefusa's knives cannot be ordered today. They are distributed piece by piece to different suppliers, and it feels as if the distribution is done arbitrarily.
After the tour, the youngest son shows how he laminates his steel. All steel is laminated by hand, even their damascus steel. Buying pre-laminated steel is a thought that would not even occur within these walls. With great skill, the steel is heated, blended with softer iron and finally forged into a finished blade. We don't know where this exact creation is going, but we do know for sure that the end user is getting a unique knife that deserves to be passed down for many generations.
