The complete tool-history essays of Suzuki Toshiaki (鈴木俊昭) of Suzuki Kanamono — roughly 46 series — translated into English in full, most for the first time. Grouped below by theme.
Tokyo & the Chiyozuru line
The Genealogy of Chiyozuru KorehideThe Katō family, the Ishidō swordsmith house, Tarō’s tragedy, and the succession of the Chiyozuru name.Tokyo-Adjacent ArticlesThe Shōwa-7 price catalogue, the Chiyozuru Unju identification problem, the swordsmith Chiyomasa, and the Katō Yoshiaki line.Regional smiths
The Aizu Master, Nagamine ShigenobuThe Shigefusa school whose “Shige-” prefix marks the whole Aizu tradition.The Last Saw Smith of AizuThree generations of Nakaya Denzaemon, and the end of Aizu saw-smithing.On “Aizu Tegatari”A review of the photo-documentary record of the Aizu smiths.The Master Smiths of Banshū MikiMiyano Tetsunosuke’s tamahagane saws and the chisel master Kinryū.The Sanjō (Niigata) SmithsThe Eikō / Hatsuhiro plane genealogies and the Yoshiei / Kaihiro chisel lines.Tools & their history
Saw HistoryFour essays: Edo-me tooth origins, the double-edged saw, the sharpener’s trade, and the Edo saw-smith masters.Maebiki Saws & the Two-Blade PlaneThe nationwide maebiki survey, the ura-suki hollow back, and the re-dated emergence of the chipbreaker plane.The Sumitsubo HistoriesThe ink-pot’s orthography, its evolution, and the mystery Niigata master Ichimonji Masakane.On Natural WhetstonesThe history of Japanese natural stones and their bond with carpentry tools.Plasterer’s TrowelsThe history of the trowel, the “sakan” trade name, and the round-vs-square handle question.Gennō Hammer SmithsThe 源翁/玄翁/玄能 orthography, and the Sanjō gennō master Hasegawa Kōzaburō.The Kanejaku Smiths & Osaka ZensakuThe carpenter’s-square smiths and the Osaka master Matsubara Zensaku.Buddhist Image Carving & ChiselsThe development of the sculpture chisel alongside Japanese Buddhist statuary.Tool-Research HistoriographyThe author’s survey of how carpentry-tool scholarship itself developed.