Kantei
Three men forging at night beside the lit hearth; one raises a hammer.

A family forge in Yatsushiro (Kumamoto)

Akamatsu Tarō (赤松太郎)

The forge of the Kimura family in Yatsushiro (Kumamoto): where the name comes from, who is who, their works, Kanemitsu’s prizes and their videos

Akamatsu Tarō (赤松太郎) is not a person: it is the name of the forge of the Kimura (木村) family in Yatsushiro, in Kumamoto prefecture, and the name that the smiths who work there carry in their signature. The most decorated is Kanemitsu, Takamatsu-no-miya Kinenshō (高松宮記念賞) of the NBTHK in 2025.

Kumamoto Fired Up! (Kumamoto prefecture and city)

1951
Birth of Kanetsugu, the head of the family
5
Active smiths in the family, by its own account
77
Swords of the Aoi Aso shrine it began restoring in 2020
2025
Kanemitsu’s Takamatsu-no-miya Kinenshō at the NBTHK
On this page
  1. Quick profile
  2. In short

Quick profile

Name
Akamatsu Tarō (赤松太郎): the forge’s name and the one its smiths sign HD
The forge
木村日本美術刀剣 赤松太郎鍛錬所 (Kimura Nihon Bijutsu Tōken Akamatsu Tarō Tanrenjo) HD
Where he forges
Yatsushiro (八代), in Kumamoto prefecture HD
Head of the family
兼嗣 (Kanetsugu), born in 1951 AT
Master of the line
The grandfather, Kimura Kaneshige (木村兼重), trained under Kurihara Akihide AT
School or tradition
Broad works modelled on Minamoto Kiyomaro (源清麿); Kanemitsu, the Bizen-den AT
Licence
Kanetsugu, 1976; Kanemitsu, around 2003 PC
Rank
None is mukansa; Kanemitsu, Takamatsu-no-miya Kinenshō in 2025 II

In short

Working at the forge are the father, who signs Kanetsugu, and his son, who signs Kanemitsu; both appear in the lists of the Zen Nihon Tōshōkai. According to the family, the uncles, Kaneteru and Kanehiro, also work there, as does the other son, Kaneyuki, who polishes; and they make their own steel.

Kanemitsu is the only member of the family who appears in the NBTHK prize lists from 2017 to 2026, and he has his own monograph: Akamatsu Tarō Kanemitsu. This one tells the story of the forge and the family.

Sections

  1. The forge and the Kimura family Life and forging The name, the family of smiths and what is known about the forge.
  2. Kiyomaro, Bizen-den and blades for use Work and style The style of the forge, its joint works and its blades for use.
  3. Kanemitsu’s Prizes Kanemitsu’s prizes year by year and how to read them.
  4. Kanemitsu and the work of the forge Videos Six videos: Kanemitsu in person, his works and a blade cutting.
  5. Bibliography and credits Sources The sources consulted and the credit of each image.