Tokensho was founded in 2021 and brings together an international network of craftsmen and artisans.
Our goal is to combine tradition and innovation in order to provide practitioners of Japanese sword arts and collectors with fine and genuine Japanese swords at competitive prices.
Our smith, Ono Kanemasa, was born as Shinsuke Owaku in Chiba and we all call him "Shin". He was determined to become a Katana smith at a young age and did not stop pestering his to be master until he finally accepted him as an apprentice. He is rooted in a millenial tradition but has his eyes wide open to the future of his craft.
Manuel is not only a great artisan, working under the name 古伝 "Koden",but also a great guy and a very knowledgeable collector of Nihonto. He never stops honing his skills and is constantly trying out new techniques and materials, combining them with the old traditions, allowing him to evolve his craft.
Gustavo Mastalli is a great bloke and a fine craftsman. And as such he is the one who is responsible for Tsuka-Maki and putting together the Koshirae of Matsukaze. He trades as "Katana Customs". While he is very creative when it comes to putting together the koshirae for a blade, he is also a traditionalist who will make sure functionality and aesthetics are also on point.
Chris is our "man in Japan" and a close friend. He also operates the international proxy service "Nippon Buyers Club" for Nihonto, Yoroi, Tanegashima and other hard-to-get items when he is not busy teaching English to Japanese kids. He has been living in Japan's Aichi province for more than 20 years and entertains close relationships with a number of Nihonto dealers and brokers as well as blacksmiths.
Oliver is the founder of Tokensho and handling the logistics and marketing of Matsukaze and other swords. He practices Iaido and Battodo/Tameshigiri. He is also a practitioner of Soto Zen-Buddhism and a novice collector of Nihonto.
"Yugen Swords" is run by Chris Osborne. Chris is one of the finest Katana polishers in North America and a true connoisseur of Japanese swords. This is why we have chosen him to be the exclusive licensee for Matsukaze in the US.
