Australian Knifemakers and Bladesmiths Tour Japan

We were very proud to be a part of the recent blade tour of Japan by a contingent of Australian knife makers.

In Australia when you tell a person you make knives, one of the most common comments is “who do you want to stab”. The ignorance and disdain for what we do is sincerely disturbing.

It was refreshing to visit a country where the reaction was the exact opposite. Knifemakers in Japan are held in reverence. Many of their Bladesmiths are declared as National treasures and their work respected and sought after by chefs across the country. Their sword smiths are respected for the works of art that they produce. They have literally hundreds of words and sayings related to knives and blades, for which there are no translations to English.

There were over 15,000 people at Seki knife festival, all searching for the perfect blade or cutting tool. From all ages and walks of life.

Here is the promotional video for Seki City.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AjRPdeHCZwA&feature=youtu.be

Have a look at the pictures at #australiajapanbladetour on Instagram.

To get involved in the next one, follow Tharwa Valley Forge on Facebook.