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Nakayama

Natural Japanese sharpening whetstones: mine characteristics and significance

Japanese natural sharpening stones, also known as toishi (砥石), are not only tools, but also a cultural heritage, valued around the world for their unique grinding qualities and aesthetic. These stones, extracted from mines around Kyoto, are divided into eastern (Higashi Mono, 東モン) and western (Nishi Mono, 西モン) groups, according to their geographical location around Mount Atagoyama. Each [...]

Nakayama Japanese Natural Sharpening Finishing Stones

Nakayama is the most famous of Japan's natural finishing stone mines, due in part to the ancient history surrounding the mine, the marketing skills of the previous owners, and the extremely fine quality of the stones. Kato-san, who owned the mine from the 1950s to the late 1960s, stamped many of his stones with his own personal ink stamp, while most other miners simply wholesaled […]