Kantei
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Swordsmith of Fukushima · Miyairi school

Fujiyasu Masahira (藤安将平)

A Fukushima swordsmith, pupil of Miyairi Akihira, who devotes his life to reproducing the ancient sword and its steel: his life, his work, his prizes and his videos

Fujiyasu Masahira (藤安将平), a pupil of the Living National Treasure Miyairi Akihira, has forged since 1975 in Tatsugoyama (立子山), in the city of Fukushima. His motto is 古刀再現 (kotō saigen), reproducing the ancient sword, and to that end he smelts his own steel in an iron furnace. This short monograph tells what can be checked about him, with the level of evidence of each fact.

Photo: the smith himself

1946
Born in Kawamata (Fukushima)
1966
Pupil of Miyairi Akihira
1972
Swordsmith’s licence
1975
His forge in Tatsugoyama
On this page
  1. Quick profile
  2. In short

Quick profile

Name
Fujiyasu Masahira AT
Kanji and reading
藤安将平 (Fujiyasu Masahira) AT
Birth
10 November 1946, in Kawamata (Date, Fukushima) AT
Where he forges
Tatsugoyama (立子山), in the city of Fukushima, since 1975 AT
Master
Miyairi Akihira (宮入昭平), since 1966 AT
School or tradition
The Miyairi school; the reproduction of the ancient sword (古刀再現, kotō saigen) AT
Licence
1972 AT
Rank
There is no record of his being mukansa: he is not in the catalogues of the 現代刀職展 (Gendai Tōshokuten) of 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025 and 2026, nor in the results of 2023 II

In short

What we know. He became a pupil of Miyairi Akihira in 1966, was licensed in 1972 and in 1975 opened his forge in Tatsugoyama. In 1990 he received the prize of the president of the NBTHK and was commissioned to make a sword for the Ise shrine. Since 2003 he has experimented with iron smelting, and since 2012 he has built his own furnace (たたら, tatara) in Tatsugoyama every year.

How we know it. From the Japanese Wikipedia, from television reports and from what he himself says.

What we do not know. The years of his excellence prizes in the NBTHK competition, and dated photos of his works.

Sections

  1. From Kawamata to Tatsugoyama Life and forging His apprenticeship with Miyairi Akihira, his Tatsugoyama forge, the offering forgings at the shrines and the iron furnace.
  2. Kotō saigen Work and style The reproduction of the ancient sword, steel from iron sand, the copies of meibutsu and the sword of meteoric iron.
  3. What can be dated Prizes His prizes in the NBTHK competition and what remains to be checked.
  4. Television and public forging Videos Three videos: a report by Fukushima television, a public forging and an interview.
  5. Bibliography and credits Sources The sources consulted and the credits for every image.