Naoki Mazaki

Blacksmith Naoki Mazaki
Made in Sanjo, Niigata, Japan

7 products

About Naoki Mazakis

Mazaki-san is a relatively young blacksmith from Sanjo, but he originally hails from the island of Hokkaido. Unsure of what to do with himself as a young man, he left to travel Japan on his motorcycle. He made a stop in Sanjo, and was fascinated by the knife making & blacksmithing industry in the area. He decided that he wanted to become a blacksmith, so he got an apprenticeship with Yoshikane. He spent about 5 years working at Yoshikane but decided he would like to pursue a more traditional, hands-on way of making knives. Now, he forge-welds all of his carbon steel knives in house, and finishes his bevel with a variety of different whetstones, all by hand. Every step of the way, he strives to be true to the trade. 

Mazaki san works prefers the more traditional Shirogami #2 and Aogami to craft his knives, and leaves a rustic finish on many of his blades. Shirogami is quite workable for the blacksmith, but is also capable of insane sharpness and edge-retention. His knives have a distinctly traditional look, while still standing out from the crowd as his own creations.

Articles and videos

  • https://www.youtube.com/embed/59sx_t4JrXg

    Masashi Yamamoto

  • Toshihiro Wakui

    Toshihiro Wakui

    Toshihiro Wakui-san is a third-generation maker of hand-forged crowbars who pivoted his business to knife making when hand-made crowbars went out of fashion. He mastered the art in four short years apprenticing under Kazuomi Yamamoto of Yoshikane and got to work making his own knives. Working completely solo in a rather chaotic workshop a la Doc Brown, he produces gorgeous blades with excellent fit and finish.
  • Mutsumi Hinoura

    Mutsumi Hinoura

    Mutsumi Hinoura is the son of renowned blacksmith Tsukasa Hinoura. In his late thirties, he is already considered one of Japan’s most revered blacksmiths. For nearly 2 decades, he studied with his father and is the 4th generation to carry on the family craft. Mutsumi-san lives in Sanjo, in the Niigata region. This area is known for its handmade cutlery. In 2001, he graduated from Niigata College of Engineering. From there, he began his career as a blacksmith, honing his craft to produce blades with traditional style and modern performance. Mutsumi-san continues to work under the family brand, Ajikataya (味方屋). They specialize in producing traditional bladed tools, including Japanese hatchets. His recent foray into kitchen knives has produced some stunning blades, and we can't wait to see where his career takes him.
  • Tomoo Matsumura

    Tomoo Matsumura

  • https://www.youtube.com/embed/_28h9rG65kg

    Kisuke Manaka

    Kisuke Manaka is a relatively young, 5th generation, blacksmith in Kasukabe, Saitama pref. His father-in-law was a wholesaler masquerading as a blacksmith, and Manaka-san didn’t like the dishonest way his father-in-law operated his business so he decided to become a blacksmith himself. He didn’t have anyone who could teach him, but he had a pile of equipment that he had inherited such as a spring hammer, a sharpening wheel, etc. He began making knives from scratch about 10 years ago and experienced many years of struggle and learning from his struggles. Through sheer force of effort, he developed the technique to forge-weld steels in house, even forge welding stainless steel which is no easy task.