Aritsugu
Encyclopedia
Aritsugu is a Japanese knife and cooking utensil producer and store, founded by Fujiwara Aritsugu in 1560, making it one of the oldest still existing knifemakers in Japan.
Aritsugu was originally involved in the production of swords and was appointed a supplier for the Imperial House of Japan
, before the requirement for new blades diminished due to a more peaceful era emerging through the influence of the Tokugawa shogunate
during the Edo period
in the 17th and 18th centuries. It was during this period that Aritsugu switched its primary production from swords to the pointed knives that were used to carve statues of Buddha
. The late 19th century Meiji period
saw a strong growth in demand for kitchen knives and cooking utensils developing in Japan thanks to a stable government and improved living conditions. Aritsugu used its experience in blade production to focus on this emerging market.
The current proprietor of Aritsugu is Shinichiro Terakubo, having taken over from his father in 1956 when Shinichiro was 17 years of age. He is the 18th generation to be involved in the running of the store since its inception. Shinichiro also teaches cooking, as well as knife sharpening and use classes through the store.
The main store is presently at the Nishiki Market
in Kyoto
having moved there in 1981 from Sakaimachi Street, where the shop was located for almost 400 years and the company's offices are still based. A selection of the company's products are also available from the Takashimaya
department store in Nihonbashi
, Tokyo.
Aritsugu was originally involved in the production of swords and was appointed a supplier for the Imperial House of Japan
Imperial House of Japan
The , also referred to as the Imperial Family or the Yamato Dynasty, comprises those members of the extended family of the reigning Emperor of Japan who undertake official and public duties. Under the present Constitution of Japan, the emperor is the symbol of the state and unity of the people...
, before the requirement for new blades diminished due to a more peaceful era emerging through the influence of the Tokugawa shogunate
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
during the Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
in the 17th and 18th centuries. It was during this period that Aritsugu switched its primary production from swords to the pointed knives that were used to carve statues of Buddha
Buddharupa
Buddharūpa is the Sanskrit and Pali term used in Buddhism for statues or models of the Buddha.-Commonalities:...
. The late 19th century Meiji period
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
saw a strong growth in demand for kitchen knives and cooking utensils developing in Japan thanks to a stable government and improved living conditions. Aritsugu used its experience in blade production to focus on this emerging market.
The current proprietor of Aritsugu is Shinichiro Terakubo, having taken over from his father in 1956 when Shinichiro was 17 years of age. He is the 18th generation to be involved in the running of the store since its inception. Shinichiro also teaches cooking, as well as knife sharpening and use classes through the store.
The main store is presently at the Nishiki Market
Nishiki Market
is a marketplace in downtown Kyoto, located on a road one block north and parallel to and west of . Rich with history and tradition, the market is renowned as the place to obtain many of Kyoto's famous foods and goods.-Shops:...
in Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
having moved there in 1981 from Sakaimachi Street, where the shop was located for almost 400 years and the company's offices are still based. A selection of the company's products are also available from the Takashimaya
Takashimaya
is a large Japanese department store chain.Founded in 1829 in Kyoto by Iida Shinkichi as a retailer of used clothing and cotton cloth, the store now has outlets throughout Japan and also in Taipei, Paris and Singapore....
department store in Nihonbashi
Nihonbashi
, or Nihombashi, is a business district of Chūō, Tokyo, Japan which grew up around the bridge of the same name which has linked two sides of the Nihonbashi River at this site since the 17th century. The first wooden bridge was completed in 1603, and the current bridge made of stone dates from 1911...
, Tokyo.