モーションアクターやスーツアクターとして業界の先頭を走り続ける杉口秀樹が、埼玉県に鍛刀道場を構える『刀王』こと川﨑晶平 刀匠へ、一振りの刀を作って欲しいと願い出た...!!晶平刀匠は現代に於いて相州伝(そうしゅうでん:刀伝播の五箇伝の一) を伝える刀鍛冶のうち、もっとも高い極みに達している一人として評される名匠。その名匠が、作刀工程の公開を快諾してくれた 事から、この動画シリーズの制作はスタートしました! この動画シリーズは、杉口が晶平刀匠へ依頼した刀の制作過程...鉄の塊が美しく研ぎあげられた日本刀の姿へ生まれ変わる迄 と、さらに杉口が、出来上がったその刀を用いた演舞を披露するまでを追う、これまでになかったドキュメンタリーです。
【主な登場人物】
杉口秀樹 ( Hideki Sugiguchi ): 株式会社モーションアクター代表。
「SUG-AFTRA stunt performer」。日本 XMA 界の第一人者。モーションアクター歴 20 年のベテラン。 驚異の身体能力でハリウッド含め国内外の作品に多数出演。出演作品は下記リンク先をチェック!
川﨑晶平(Akihira Kawasaki):刀鍛冶
現在相州伝(そうしゅうでん:刀伝播の五箇伝の一)を伝える刀鍛冶のうち、最も高い極みに達している一人として評 される名匠。
第4回は前回から引き続き、下鍛え（したぎたえ)の工程です。日本刀の構成要素である芯鉄(しんがね)を鍛錬し、さらに 皮鉄(かわがね)を作る為の下準備を行います。
動画の後半は、晶平刀匠による工程の解説です。どうぞお楽しみください。
00:12 力強い鎚の音。折り返し鍛錬は続きます。
地鉄（じがね）に折り返す為の溝を入れ、手鎚で折り返す。そして再び鉄の温度を上げて大鎚で叩く。これを数回繰り返します。
02:56 鉄の表情にご注目を。
03:18 鉄の形状を変更します。晶平刀匠は何故このような事をしているか、推測してみてください。
04:10 さらに、鉄の姿は変化します。
06:18 芯鉄の完成。
突起の部分は「開先(かいさき)」と言います。ここを造り込み用の梃子棒(てこぼう)の先端へ鍛接します。
06:25 続いて皮鉄の準備です。別の地鉄(じがね)を鍛錬して、短冊(たんざく)にします。
08:48 今回も下島房宙 刀匠がご協力くださいました。
先手(さきて)だけでなく、杉口や撮影スタッフへ様々なアドバイスをしてくださいます。
08:58 杉口、再び挑戦。今回は地鉄に鏨(たがね)を入れます。
12:57 地鉄の焼き入れが終わり、短冊の状態になりました。白く冴えた断面が美しい。
13:39 今回の工程について晶平刀匠が解説します。
Hideki Sugiguchi, who continues to be at the forefront of the industry as a motion actor and suit actor, asked Akihira Kawasaki, a Master of Japanese sword who has a sword dojo in Saitama Prefecture, to make a own Japanese sword... ! Akihira are said to have attained the highest level among swordsmith who have passed down Soshuden (one of the five legends of the propagation of swords) today. The master craftsman kindly agreed to release the swordmaking process, and the production of this video series started!
This video series is an unprecedented documentary about Sugiguchi's request to Akihira to produce a Japanese sword, and the process by which a block of iron is reborn into a beautifully sharpened Japanese sword, as well as Sugiguchi's performance using the finished sword.
【Key characters】
Hideki Sugiguchi : CEO of Motion Actor Co, Ltd.
「SUG-AFTRA stunt performer」。He is a leading figure in the Japanese XMA world.
He is a 20-year veteran of motion actors.
With his amazing physical abilities, he has appeared in many domestic and international productions including Hollywood. Please check the link below for the works!
Akihira Kawasaki:Master of Japanese sword
He is reputed as one of the swordsmiths who has reached the highest level among the swordsmiths who pass on the Soshuden (one of the Five Legends of Sword Propagation).
【Akihira Tantou Dojo】
【晶平鍛刀道場】
The 4th time continues from the last time, it is a process of shigitae.
We make "Shingane", and then prepare for making "Kawagane".
The second half of the video is an explanation of the process by Akihira . Please enjoy yourself.
00:12
A powerful hammering sound. "Orikaeshi tanren" is still going on.
Make a groove for folding back on “Jigane” and fold it back with a hand hammer. Then raise the temperature of the iron again and hit it with a large hammer. Repeat this several times.
02:56
Pay attention to the iron expression.
03:18 "Akihira" changes the shape of iron. Please try to guess why he are doing this.
04:10 In addition, the appearance of iron changes.
06:18 Completion of Shingane. The protruding part is groove. Forge weld this part to the tip of the lever.
06:25 Next is the Kawagane preparations. Forge another Jigane into a shape called Tanzaku.
08:48 Fusahiro Shimojima, a Japanese sword master, cooperated again this time.
Not only does he help out with “Sakite,” he also gives various advice to Sugiguchi and the shooting staff.
08:58 Sugiguchi, another challenge. He puts a chisel in Jigane.
12:57 Jigane's quenching is over, and it's now a Tanzaku. Please enjoy the white, dense and beautiful cross section.
13:39 Akihira said:
Shitagitae is the preparation process for making Japanese sword parts.
I separated the Jigane, which had been split through the "Mizuheshi" process, into soft iron with a low carbon content and hard iron with a high carbon content. Soft iron is used for Shingene and hard iron for Kawagane.
This time, I made a Tanzaku using materials derived from old iron.
Kawagane is of high quality when made from multiple materials. Therefore, we perform Shitagitae with each material and forgin it together with today's Tanzaku. Materials include pig iron derived from Tamahagane and from ancient ruins.By properly combining these, it is possible to make even better iron.