Kantei
Black-and-white portrait of a man with a towel around his neck who holds a sword blade and looks at it.

Swordsmith of Ōta (Gunma), 1932–2009 · the suguha of Rai and Aoe

Ōsumi Toshihira (大隅俊平)

The swordsmith of Ōta (Gunma) who devoted his life to suguha: three Masamune Prizes and Living National Treasure from 1997. His life, his work, his prizes and his sources

A pupil of Miyairi Akihira, he forged for more than half a century in Ōta, his home town. From the late sixties he devoted himself to the suguha of Rai and of the Aoe of Bitchū, and for that he was called “Ōsumi of the suguha”. He won the Masamune Prize three times and was a Living National Treasure from 1997; his city dedicates a museum to him in his former house and workshop.

Photo: City of Ōta

1952
Apprentice to Miyairi
1957
Swordsmith’s licence
1974
First Masamune Prize
1997
Living National Treasure
On this page
  1. Quick profile
  2. In short

Quick profile

Name
Ōsumi Toshihira AT
Kanji and reading
大隅俊平 (Ōsumi Toshihira) HD
Birth
23 January 1932, in Tomizawa, village of Sawano (today Ōta, Gunma) AT
Death
4 October 2009, at his home in Ōta, aged 77 AT
Where he forged
Ōta (Gunma): first in Tomizawa, from 1979 in Yura-chō AT
Master
Miyairi Akihira (宮入昭平, Miyairi Akihira), later Yukihira, in Sakaki (Nagano) AT
School or tradition
Miyairi school; suguha in the manner of Rai and of the Aoe of Bitchū AT
Licence
1957, from the Ministry of Education AT
Rank
Mukansa (無鑑査, mukansa) from 1972; Living National Treasure (重要無形文化財保持者, jūyō mukei bunkazai hojisha) from 1997 AT

In short

At twenty he entered the forge of Miyairi Akihira, in Sakaki, and in 1958 his first work submitted to the NBTHK technical competition won a prize. In 1960 he returned to Ōta to work on his own. From 1965 he exhibited at every edition of the NBTHK competition for new swords until his death; he was mukansa from 1972 and won the Masamune Prize in 1974, 1976 and 1978. He forged chokutō for the Ise shrine and protective swords for the imperial household, and in 1997 he was named a Living National Treasure. The Agency for Cultural Affairs holds a tachi of his from 1998 and a tantō from 1999.

Sections

  1. From Sakaki to Ōta Life and forging His apprenticeship with Miyairi Akihira, his forge in Ōta, his commissions for Ise and the imperial household, and his museum.
  2. Rai · Aoe · suguha Work and style From the Bizen chōji to the suguha of Rai and Aoe, his steel and the works held by the state.
  3. Three Masamune Prizes Prizes His prizes year by year, from his debut in 1958 to the title of Living National Treasure.
  4. Documentary, museum and forging Videos A 2007 television documentary in four parts, a forging session at his museum and a visit.
  5. Bibliography and credits Sources The sources consulted on 4 October 2026, with their link, and the credit for each image.