Talks, competitions and cutting

Videos

Twenty-one videos of Kanemitsu in person, of his work and of his family’s: his 2024 talk, his competition blades with the official card and cutting tests from a dōjō. They play from YouTube when clicked; each with its channel, its length and what it tells.

On this page

Kanemitsu in person
His works at the NBTHK exhibitions
Cutting, kata and the family’s blades

Kanemitsu in person

Four videos in which he certainly appears, from 2011 to 2025: the Sasebo talk is the best oral source. In another, his photos set to music from 2014, a young smith appears who may or may not be him; the same happens in a 2016 feature at the forge, by a shop, which is not embedded here.

刀匠ギャラリートーク (Tōshō gyararī tōku; Smiths’ gallery talk) · りん (Rin) channel

1:02:02 · 11 October 2024
A talk at the Sasebo arts centre with Komiya Kokuten (小宮國天), in September 2024. 00:14–00:24, the process: tamahagane at about 1,300 ℃, kawagane and shingane, kōbuse and honsanmai; around 43:14, that he became an apprentice by his own decision; around 44:40, the possible link with the Komiya; 45:49, his sword “imitating” the Sanchōmō; 47:30–49:30, learning by copying masterpieces; around 51:00, a wide sunnobi tantō with saka-chōji. It is recorded by a Sasebo enthusiast who films local exhibitions.

そうだ！お守り刀展覧会に行こう！ (Sō da! Omamori-gatana Tenrankai ni ikō!; That’s it, let’s go to the omamori-gatana exhibition!) · りん (Rin) channel

8:44 · 26 February 2020
The setting-up of the 14th Omamori-gatana in Sasebo with three smiths: 1:54, the label “刀匠木村兼光” (tōshō Kimura Kanemitsu); 5:20, Kanemitsu explains live signature engraving; 8:16, his tantō with a red saya.

第24回【刀匠会ニュース】（7/18） (Dai-nijūyonkai Tōshōkai nyūsu, 18 July; Tōshōkai News no. 24) · 【公式】全日本刀匠会チャンネル (Kōshiki Zen Nihon Tōshōkai channeru)

3:14 · 18 July 2025
From the association’s channel: the exhibition at Kokura castle. 0:28–1:58, Kanemitsu: a talk in the hall, at 1:12 he engraves a signature live and at 1:42 a studio portrait with a blade.

NO!! MAGAZINE: 刀鍛冶 (katanakaji, the smith) · NoMagazineK (NO!! MAGAZINE)

0:33 · 18 May 2011
A video extra to the feature “NIPPONのものづくり” (Nippon no monozukuri, “the making of Japan”): Kanemitsu, aged 32, in a white samue and with a blade, talks about his way of working and the future of Japan. No subtitles.

KATANA, 木村兼光 (Kimura Kanemitsu), music by Maki Nagata · 永田マキ (Nagata Maki)

5:13 · 27 February 2014
Photos and editing by Kanemitsu himself with music by Maki Nagata: 0:39, kera and tamahagane stacked; 0:55, the hearth; 1:41, forging by hand; 3:30, a rough blade; 4:48, a blade and a tub of water. That the young smith at the power hammer, at 2:59, is him is our interpretation; it is not confirmed.

His works at the NBTHK exhibitions

Videos by visitors to the Sword Museum in Tokyo. The card of each work gives his portrait, its measurements, its signature, his record and his comment.

太刀・刀・脇差・薙刀・槍の部 (tachi katana wakizashi naginata yari no bu): 刀 (katana), 銘 (mei) 肥後國兼光 (Higo no Kuni Kanemitsu) 令和七年二月日 (Reiwa shichinen nigatsu hi), 熊本県 (Kumamoto-ken), 高松宮記念賞 (Takamatsu-no-miya Kinenshō) · 永野照男 (probable reading: Nagano Teruo)

1:26 · 7 August 2025
The katana of the 2025 Takamatsu-no-miya Kinenshō: 0:06, the card with his portrait; 0:10, the tang; 0:16, the engraving; 0:30–0:56, the jigane; 1:20, the cup.

日本刀令和七年度現代刀職展作刀の部 (Nihontō, Reiwa shichinendo Gendai Tōshokuten, sakutō no bu) · 迫田貫路 (probable reading: Sakoda Kanji)

21:05 · 5 August 2025
The same katana, in a different light: 0:34–2:24.

日本刀平造の部と作刀残り令和七年度現代刀職展 (Nihontō, hira-zukuri no bu to sakutō nokori, Reiwa shichinendo Gendai Tōshokuten) · 迫田貫路 (probable reading: Sakoda Kanji)

8:01 · 26 August 2025
The tantō of the 2025 Kunzanshō, 24.9 cm: 0:14–1:06, the card, the blade, the tang and the engraving.

日本刀 (Nihontō) 現代刀展 (gendaitōten) 作刀の部 (sakutō no bu) + 10, 刀剣博物館 (Tōken Hakubutsukan) · 迫田貫路 (probable reading: Sakoda Kanji)

20:37 · 15 December 2022
The katana of the 2022 Kunzanshō, 74.9 cm: 3:18–5:58, the card with the comment on the utsuri and the 新人賞 (Shinjinshō) of 2004, the blade, the tang, the hamon and the tip.

日本刀 (Nihontō) 令和の名刀・名工 (Reiwa no meitō, meikō), 研磨 (kenma), 刀剣博物館 (Tōken Hakubutsukan) · 迫田貫路 (probable reading: Sakoda Kanji)

7:51 · 31 August 2022
The chokutō with the Big Dipper in gold, 68.2 cm: 4:52–5:06.

「2023年度現代刀職展ー今に伝わるいにしえの技ー」両国刀剣博物館に行ってきました (Nisen-nijūsan-nendo Gendai Tōshokuten, ima ni tsutawaru inishie no waza: Ryōgoku Tōken Hakubutsukan ni itte kimashita; I went to the Sword Museum in Ryōgoku, to the 2023 Gendai Tōshokuten) · 永野照男 (probable reading: Nagano Teruo)

1:18:05 · 13 August 2023
The tantō of the 2023 Kanzanshō, 22.0 cm: 41:36–42:18, filmed vertically and in poor quality.

日本刀 (Nihontō) 令和六年度現代刀職展 (Reiwa rokunendo Gendai Tōshokuten) 短刀・刀身彫の部 (tantō, tōshinbori no bu) · 迫田貫路 (probable reading: Sakoda Kanji)

9:07 · 17 August 2024
The tantō of the 2024 Yūshūshō isseki, 25.2 cm: 3:16–4:20.

日本刀 (Nihontō) ⑤ 令和八年現代刀職展後半 (Reiwa hachinen Gendai Tōshokuten kōhan) 作刀の部無鑑査 (sakutō no bu mukansa) · NIHONTOU

13:55 · 25 August 2026
The tachi of the 2026 Doryokushō yonseki, 79.5 cm: 11:38–13:45, the blade, the card, the tang and a very showy jūka-chōji with utsuri. Ichimonji in style.

Cutting, kata and the family’s blades

Videos by practitioners and collectors. That the blades are by Kanemitsu or his family is stated by the title or description of each one.

極太竹斬り・・流石・赤松太郎兼光 (gokubuto take-giri, sasuga Akamatsu Tarō Kanemitsu; cutting a very thick bamboo: as expected, Akamatsu Tarō Kanemitsu) ２尺３寸５分 (ni shaku san sun go bu) · 武道武術 (budō bujutsu) 剣術体術 (kenjutsu taijutsu) 心風館 (probable reading: Shinpūkan)

0:17 · 31 August 2014
Three clean cuts through a very thick bamboo. With a blade by Kanemitsu of 2 shaku 3 sun 5 bu, and the bamboo with walls of about 3 cm, according to the title and description. The best public test of his work in tameshigiri.

肥後国住赤松太郎兼光作平成二十五年八月吉日初斬り卸し　4畳半巻　心風館　山村 (Higo no Kuni-jū Akamatsu Tarō Kanemitsu saku, Heisei nijūgonen hachigatsu kichijitsu, hatsu-kiri oroshi, yojōhan-maki, probable reading: Shinpūkan, Yamamura) · 武道武術 (budō bujutsu) 剣術体術 (kenjutsu taijutsu) 心風館 (probable reading: Shinpūkan)

0:11 · 25 August 2013
The first cut with a new blade, without a tsuka and with a wet towel on the tang: a roll of 4.5 tatami. That the blade is by Kanemitsu is stated by the title, which copies the signature. “本当に、刀の重さだけで斬れて行く” (“really, it cuts with just the weight of the sword”).

肥後国住赤松太郎兼光作 (Higo no Kuni-jū Akamatsu Tarō Kanemitsu saku) 平成二五年八月吉日 (Heisei nijūgonen hachigatsu kichijitsu), 8月19日登録 (hachigatsu jūkunichi tōroku), 8月25日試し切り前 (hachigatsu nijūgonichi tameshigiri mae) · 武道武術 (budō bujutsu) 剣術体術 (kenjutsu taijutsu) 心風館 (probable reading: Shinpūkan)

0:13 · 25 August 2013
The same blade before the cut. Registered on 19 August 2013, according to the title, which also gives the signature.

心風館２０１３年最終試切り稽古 (probable reading: Shinpūkan nisen-jūsan-nen saishū tameshigiri keiko), 使用刀 (shiyōtō) 赤松太郎兼光 (Akamatsu Tarō Kanemitsu) K-4 · 武道武術 (budō bujutsu) 剣術体術 (kenjutsu taijutsu) 心風館 (probable reading: Shinpūkan)

0:35 · 22 December 2013
A student cuts at the last practice of the year. With a blade by Kanemitsu, according to the title. “かなりの斬れ味に驚いている” (“surprised at how well it cuts”).

赤松太郎清麿写 (Akamatsu Tarō Kiyomaro utsushi) · 富山卓哉 (probable reading: Tomiyama Takuya)

1:29 · 11 December 2022
A katana in koshirae: 0:00–0:30, the koshirae; 0:32–1:29, the blade, with gunome midare and abundant nie. The title gives it as “Akamatsu Tarō” and an utsushi of Kiyomaro, without saying which smith of the family made it.

英信流 (Eishin-ryū) 日本刀 (nihontō): 現代刀 (gendaitō) · 山隆 (probable reading: Yamataka)

1:42 · 6 January 2024
A blade: 0:00–1:00, the gunome and chōji hamon; 1:04, the koshirae. The description gives it as the father’s, 肥後國住赤松太郎兼嗣作 (Higo no Kuni-jū Akamatsu Tarō Kanetsugu saku). At 1:09 it shows the sayagaki, which has not been read.

肥後國住赤松太郎兼嗣作 (Higo no Kuni-jū Akamatsu Tarō Kanetsugu saku), 清麿写 (Kiyomaro utsushi), SWORD KATANA · 77777re1

1:09 · 30 August 2011
Kata with a katana in shirasaya. No close-ups. The title gives it as the father’s and an utsushi of Kiyomaro.

Akamatsu Taro shinsakuto · The Curator

1:48 · 24 March 2022
A 2017 “Akamatsu Tarō” utsushi of Kiyomaro, of about 76 cm, with an ō-kissaki. Recorded on a phone, in very poor quality.