Ichiro Yokai is an expert polisher based in Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture, and an award winner in the Sharpening Division of the Contemporary Swords and Artworks Exhibition. In celebration of this achievement, the museum has invited him to give a demonstration of sharpening a Japanese sword.
Overview: (1) Sun., Nov. 25, 2018: Shitaji-Togi I
The initial steps of shitaji-togi (foundation polishing): a polishing stone known as a kongoto is used to remove any rust and to neaten the shape of the sword.
(2) Sun., Dec. 9, 2018: Shitaji-Togi II
The final steps of shitaji-togi: a polishing stone known as an uchigumori is used to remove tiny bits of scrap material caught in the rough surface of the stone used in the initial steps.
The raised wooden platform used by the polisher for sword-sharpening work is called a togibune. The polisher fills the bucket with water, and sits on a low wooden bench, leaning forward while polishing the sword. The entire process of sharpening and polishing a Japanese sword to a beautiful shine, from shitaji-togi through final finish polishing, involves a number of different polishing stones.
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