Kiyoshi Kato-san, (or Yoshiaki Fujiwara--his smith name) born in 1944, is a licensed swordsmith (since 1999). He was 20 years old when he began his swordsmith training under his grandfather, Kanekuni Kato, and his father, Sanehira Kato.
After more than a decade of training and swordsmithing, he entered the field of knife-making (outdoor and kitchen knives) in 1977. He makes his knives in his workshop in Hokuto City in Yamanashi prefecture.
Kato-san's knives are one of the most highly sought-after pieces among Japanese knife collectors. His knives, as you might have guessed, are also considered as "unicorns" just like Shigefusa knives.
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Brand/ maker: Kiyoshi Kato Location: Hokuto, Yamanashi, Japan Knife type: wa-gyuto Series: standard
Construction type: carbon clad Steel type: aogami
Total length: 392mm Blade length: 231mm Blade height at heel: 49.4mm Spine thickness at handle: 4.2mm Spine thickness at heel: 3.6mm Spine thickness at middle: 2.1mm Spine thickness 1cm from the tip: 1.1mm Weight: 209g
