Kohsetsu Nagaike of Mikisyo Hamono in Miki City is certified by the Japanese government as a traditional craftsman — one of roughly 80 registered blacksmiths still working in a region that once supported dozens of kogatana makers. The Tsuru-Kame is his most ambitious expression of that tradition: a hand-forged kogatana that is as much a sculptural object as it is a working knife. Tsuru means crane, Kame means turtle, and in Japanese tradition the pairing carries deep meaning — cranes said to live for 1,000 years, turtles for 10,000 — making the combination a symbol of long life and good fortune that has persisted in Japanese art and craft for centuries. Nagaike has rendered this symbolism directly into the steel: the blade takes the form of a crane's head, and the handle is shaped in the image of a turtle.
The steel is Aogami Super — the highest performing of the Hitachi blue paper carbon steels, capable of reaching exceptional hardness and producing an edge that rewards careful sharpening technique with results that are difficult to achieve in any other steel category. The cladding is ultra-soft iron, the same combination found in Nagaike san's standard kogatanas, here applied to a piece that pushes the format into pure craft territory. The forging, shaping, and finishing are done entirely by hand using traditional techniques, and no two pieces are identical. This is a functional knife — Aogami Super will take and hold a serious edge — but it is equally suited to display and collection. It arrives in a wooden gift box appropriate to the piece.
Care Instructions: Aogami Super is a reactive carbon steel that will rust if left wet. Wipe and dry the blade thoroughly after each use. Apply a light coat of camellia oil before storage to protect against oxidation. Hand wash only. When sharpening, work the bevel side on quality water stones and strop regularly — Aogami Super rewards consistent maintenance with an exceptional edge. Store in the included wooden box when not in use.
Each knife is made by hand so measurements may vary.Blacksmith: Kohsetsu (Hiroyuki) Nagaike
Maker: Mikisyo Hamono
Location: Miki City, Japan
Certification: Japanese Government Certified Traditional Craftsman
Edge Steel: Aogami Super (Super Blue)
Cladding: Ultra-Soft Iron
Construction: Hand Forged, Traditional Techniques
Storage: Wooden gift box included
Weight: ~2.5 oz (71 g)
Blade Length: 60 mm
Total Length: 198 mm
Blade Width: 22 mm
The steel is Aogami Super — the highest performing of the Hitachi blue paper carbon steels, capable of reaching exceptional hardness and producing an edge that rewards careful sharpening technique with results that are difficult to achieve in any other steel category. The cladding is ultra-soft iron, the same combination found in Nagaike san's standard kogatanas, here applied to a piece that pushes the format into pure craft territory. The forging, shaping, and finishing are done entirely by hand using traditional techniques, and no two pieces are identical. This is a functional knife — Aogami Super will take and hold a serious edge — but it is equally suited to display and collection. It arrives in a wooden gift box appropriate to the piece.
Care Instructions: Aogami Super is a reactive carbon steel that will rust if left wet. Wipe and dry the blade thoroughly after each use. Apply a light coat of camellia oil before storage to protect against oxidation. Hand wash only. When sharpening, work the bevel side on quality water stones and strop regularly — Aogami Super rewards consistent maintenance with an exceptional edge. Store in the included wooden box when not in use.
Each knife is made by hand so measurements may vary.
