Iwasaki Kosuke – a respected authority on metallurgy who had conducted scientific research on Japanese blades and swords – founded the Sanjo Seisakusho workshop in Sanjo, Niigata Prefecture, in 1947. The sharpness of Sanjo Seisakusho Japanese razors and small knives is world renowned. In 2014, Mizuochi Ryoichi from the Sanjo Seisakusho workshop was recognised as a Master of Traditional Crafts by the Japanese government; he is currently one of the last remaining Japanese razor craftsmen in Japan.
