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Shigeki Tanaka
Shigeki Tanaka is the fourth generation blacksmith. After his great grandfather, Mr. Gentaro, started making sickles in Meiji Period, the family men (Tanaka’s grandfather and father) specialized in traditional sickles.
His knife-making path began in the city of Takefu (the current city of Echizen in Fukui Prefecture), where Mr. Tanaka was trained to be a knife blacksmith. After three years of training, he joined his family’s factory in Miki City in 1999 and started making kitchen knives.
Although at that time the demand for sickles was gradually decreasing, his family continued mainly with their production. However, Tanaka’s father and uncle also made some knives in addition. Few years ago, after his father passed away, Tanaka took over and now the company focuses only on high-quality, handmade kitchen knives. He has four people working with him at the factory and all the knives are handmade. Due to his excellent knife-making skills, Shigeki Tanaka is one of the most recognizable blacksmiths in the city of Miki.