Kantei
A man with a white cloth on his head and white clothes looks along an unmounted blade, against the blue sky.

Swordsmith of Hōfu (Yamaguchi) · pupil of Matsuba Kagemasa

Kagami Yashamaro (鏡夜叉麿)

A Swedish-born swordsmith, pupil of Matsuba Kagemasa, who forges in Hōfu (Yamaguchi): his life, his work and his prizes

Kagami Yashamaro (鏡夜叉麿) is a Swedish-born swordsmith who trained in Hyūga (Miyazaki) under Matsuba Kagemasa (松葉景正, Matsuba Kagemasa), then Kunimasa (國正, Kunimasa), and forges in Hōfu (防府, Hōfu), in Yamaguchi prefecture. The NBTHK selected him in 2023 in the tachi and katana section. This short monograph gathers what can be told about him and separates what is documented from what only he tells.

Photo: the smith himself

1971
Born in Sweden
2009
Apprentice of Matsuba Kagemasa in Hyūga, from
2014
Forging in Hōfu (Yamaguchi), since
入選二席 (nyūsen niseki)
NBTHK, 現代刀職展 (Gendai Tōshokuten) of 2023
On this page
  1. Quick profile
  2. In short

Quick profile

Swordsmith’s name
鏡夜叉麿 (Kagami Yashamaro) AT
Birth
1971, in Sweden AT
Where he forges
Hōfu (防府市, Hōfu-shi), Yamaguchi prefecture, since 2014 AT
Master
Matsuba Kagemasa (松葉景正, Matsuba Kagemasa), then 國正 (Kunimasa), mukansa; in Hyūga (Miyazaki), from 2009 AT
School or tradition
The Matsuba school (松葉一門, Matsuba ichimon); he does not declare a tradition of his own AT
Licence
2016 or 2015: the sources disagree AT
Rank
入選二席 (nyūsen niseki) at the 現代刀職展 (Gendai Tōshokuten) of 2023; not listed as mukansa HD

In short

What we know. The NBTHK results list of 2023 includes his civil name, selected in second place (入選二席, nyūsen niseki) in the tachi and katana section. A 2021 television report presents him as the Swedish-born swordsmith of Hōfu. He trained from 2009 with Matsuba Kagemasa in Hyūga, passed the swordsmith’s examination and works alone in his Hōfu forge.

How we know it. From the NBTHK list of 2023 and the 2021 report. The rest he tells himself, and his master names him among his pupils.

What we do not know. The selections of 2020, 2021 and 2024 could not be checked against an official list. There is no description of his style, his own or by critics, and no catalogued works of his.

Sections

  1. From Hyūga to Hōfu Life and forging The apprenticeship with Matsuba Kagemasa, the Hōfu forge and his craft, year by year.
  2. Tamahagane and hardening in the dark Work and style How he forges, what can be seen of his style and his blades in pictures.
  3. Four selections Prizes His selections from 2020 to 2024 and the one confirmed by the 2023 list.
  4. Bibliography Sources The sources consulted and the image credits.