{"title":"Naoto Kitaoka","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"p-brand\"\u003e\n\n  \u003cdiv class=\"p-brand_inr\"\u003e\n\n\n    \u003cdiv class=\"p-brand_head\"\u003e\n\n        \u003cdiv class=\"\"\u003e\n\n            \u003ch1 class=\"p-brand_head_ttl_main\"\u003eNaoto Kitaoka \u003cspan\u003eNaoto Kitaoka\u003c\/span\u003e\n\n\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\n        \u003c\/div\u003e\n\n        \u003cul class=\"p-brand_head_menu\"\u003e\n\n            \u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"#a1\"\u003eBrand Overview\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n            \u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"#a2\"\u003eProduct Lineup\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\n        \u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n    \u003c\/div\u003e\n\n    \u003cdiv class=\"p-brand_section\"\u003e\n\n      \u003cdiv class=\"p-brand_section_inr\"\u003e\n\n        \u003cdiv class=\"p-brand_image inview_fiU\" style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0634\/5598\/5825\/files\/naoto_kitaoka_mv.jpg?v=1780735421);\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n        \u003ch2 class=\"p-brand_name inview_fiU\"\u003eNaoto Kitaoka \u003cspan class=\"p-brand_name_en\"\u003eNaoto Kitaoka\u003c\/span\u003e\n\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n        \n        \u003cdiv class=\"p-brand_main\"\u003e\n\n          \u003cdiv class=\"p-brand_main_pic inview_fiU\"\u003e\n\n            \u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0634\/5598\/5825\/files\/naoto_kitaoka_pic.jpg?v=1780735421\" alt=\"Naoto Kitaoka Naoto Kitaoka\"\u003e\n          \u003c\/div\u003e\n\n          \u003cdiv class=\"p-brand_main_txt\" id=\"a1\"\u003e\n\n            \u003ch3 class=\"p-brand_people_name inview_fiU\"\u003eNaoto Kitaoka\u003cspan class=\"p-brand_people_name_en\"\u003eNaoto Kitaoka\u003c\/span\u003e\n\n\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n            \u003cp\u003eNaoto Kitaoka carries on the blacksmithing tradition passed down since his great-grandfather’s generation. Originally, his family worked as sickle smiths, but it was during Mr. Kitaoka’s generation that they began focusing seriously on knife making. Building on the skills honed through sickle making, he is exploring new expressions of Tosa-style forged blades.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n            \u003cp\u003eThe hallmark of Mr. Kitaoka’s knives lies in the “beauty of the black finish.” He makes the most of the texture of the black finish, but doesn’t stop at a rough surface; instead, he refines it into a polished appearance. In particular, he pursues a “beautiful black finish” even among Tosa-style forged blades, forging each knife one by one with the aim of achieving a quality that rivals that of other regions. He also places great importance on the longevity of the blade’s sharpness. He explains that you can tell the moment you sharpen a knife that has been finished with minimal decarburization, leaving the steel in a truly “vibrant” state. It is only when we go beyond forging to include the sharpening process that we truly find the answer—we continue our craft while cherishing that sense of completion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n            \u003cp\u003e“Today is better than yesterday, and tomorrow will be better than today,” says Mr. Kitaoka. Amid a culture of subcontracting that remains deeply rooted in Kochi, he continues to expand the possibilities of Tosa-style forged cutlery with the desire to “be chosen not just for the region’s name, but as a craftsman in my own right,” while also conducting ongoing research into new expressions and patterns.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n        \u003c\/div\u003e\n\n        \u003cdiv class=\"p-brand_sub\"\u003e\n\n          \u003cdiv class=\"p-brand_sub_piclist inview_fiU\"\u003e\n\n            \u003cdiv class=\"p-brand_sub_pic\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0634\/5598\/5825\/files\/naoto_kitaoka_img_1.jpg?v=1780735421\" alt=\"Naoto Kitaoka Naoto Kitaoka image 1\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n            \u003cdiv class=\"p-brand_sub_pic\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0634\/5598\/5825\/files\/naoto_kitaoka_img_2.jpg?v=1780735421\" alt=\"Naoto Kitaoka Naoto Kitaoka image 2\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n          \u003c\/div\u003e\n\n          \u003cdiv class=\"p-brand_sub_en inview_fiU\"\u003e\n\n            \u003cp\u003eNaoto Kitaoka carries on the blacksmithing tradition passed down since his great-grandfather’s generation. Originally, his family worked as sickle smiths, but it was during Mr. Kitaoka’s generation that they began focusing seriously on knife making. Building on the skills honed through sickle making, he is exploring new expressions of Tosa-style forged blades.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n            \u003cp\u003eThe hallmark of Mr. Kitaoka’s knives lies in the “beauty of the black finish.” He makes the most of the texture of the black finish, but doesn’t stop at a rough surface; instead, he refines it into a polished appearance. In particular, he pursues a “beautiful black finish” even among Tosa-style forged blades, forging each knife one by one with the aim of achieving a quality that rivals that of other regions. He also places great importance on the longevity of the blade’s sharpness. He explains that you can tell the moment you sharpen a knife that has been finished with minimal decarburization, leaving the steel in a truly “vibrant” state. It is only when we go beyond forging to include the sharpening process that we truly find the answer—we continue our craft while cherishing that sense of completion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n            \u003cp\u003e“Today is better than yesterday, and tomorrow will be better than today,” says Mr. Kitaoka. Amid a culture of subcontracting that remains deeply rooted in Kochi, he continues to expand the possibilities of Tosa-style forged cutlery with the desire to “be chosen not just for the region’s name, but as a craftsman in my own right,” while also conducting ongoing research into new expressions and patterns.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n          \u003c\/div\u003e\n\n        \u003c\/div\u003e\n\n      \u003c\/div\u003e\n\n    \u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\n  \u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c!--ブランド紹介ここまで--\u003e","products":[],"url":"https:\/\/knife-gallery.com\/en\/collections\/%e5%8c%97%e5%b2%a1-%e7%9b%b4%e6%96%97-naoto-kitaoka.oembed","provider":"ナイフギャラリー","version":"1.0","type":"link"}