Origin of Yoshihiro
Origin of Goumanobu Yoshihiro
Wrought iron technology was introduced to Sakai during the Kofun period (401-500 AD (5th century)), about 1,500 years ago.
This technique, which was handed down from the end of the Heian period as a sword-manufacturing technique, eventually made its name known to the world as a tobacco knife for chopping tobacco.
Sakai was also a rich fishing ground, and various kitchen knives were developed during the Edo period, including deba knives for slaughtering fish.
Sakai knives, which are said to be used by 90% of professional chefs today, were born in this way.
1797 (Kansei 9) edition
Selected by Tessai Hirase/Illustrated by Mitsunobu Hasegawa From "Nihon Sankai Meibutsu Zue"
The story of Yoshihiro
Three famous swords
Since the Muromachi period, Koetsu of the Honami family has been appraising swords for generations.
「Soshu Goro Nyudo Masamune」
「Kuritaguchi Toshiro Yoshimitsu」
「Goumanobu Yoshihiro」,
three people and their swords. It was said that a feudal lord would not be able to maintain the status of a feudal lord unless he possessed all three of these famous swords.
Masakuni's anguish
At the end of the Edo period, there was a swordsmith named Masakuni who lived in Settsu. I have longed for Goumanobu Yoshihiro for some time, and even though I try day and night to get closer to his style, it just doesn't come true.
The days of disappointment continued.
At that time, Masakuni has an opportunity to visit a large shrine in Sumiyoshi, Senshu.
At the Taisha Shrine, looking out into the pond, you will see three turtles playing splendidly in the water.
1892 (Meiji 25) version
From Gekko Ogata's "Moonlight Essays/Inariyama Kokaji"
One night's dream
That night, Masakuni has a dream.
In the dream, the three turtles reappear and twirl in the void. Before long, it transforms into a crane and flies off to the Hokuriku Expressway.
Masakuni finds a hidden treasure for making swords. From that day on, he forgot to eat and sleep, and devoted himself to the sword.
Strike down with the smoothness of a tortoise in the water and the gracefulness of a crane in the air. The final bite is...
Call yourself
Masakuni is convinced that the finished morsels are of excellent quality, and that this is the very technique of Uma Yun.
After that, he called himself the successor of Goumanobu Yoshihiro.
After that, he moved to Senshu Sumiyoshi Taisha Yoshikata and devoted himself to making swords, but since there were no famous swords in the town, he only put Masakuni in the core.
Honyaki Knife
The second generation, Masatsugu, inherited his father's secret technique and became the chief craftsman of Yamawaki Yamato in 1930.
Third generation
In 1950, at the time of the third generation Hirotsugu, Yoshihiro Gouma was registered as a representative brand of Yamawaki Hamono Seisakusho, and was widely inscribed on Honyaki knives and Hontanen knives, which continues to this day.
This text is a summary of the "Books Derived from Yoshihiro Goumanobu" (written in 1979 by Toshihiro Shikita, Gon Guji of Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine) owned by Yamawaki Hamono Seisakusho Co., Ltd.