Ryoba Noko Japanese Both Sided Hand Saw By Nakaya Yuzomasanao - 240mm

Smith name: Kasuya Minoru (粕谷實, 1926~)

Brand name: 中屋雄造正直 (Nakaya Yuzomasanao)

Steel: Carbon Steel

Cutting edge length: 240mm

Total length: 645mm 

Blade thickness: about 0.60mm

Blade width: 80~100mm

Weight: 210g

Blade sharpening and adjusting: Kasuya Minoru

Manufacture Era: Before 1990s（according to collector’s memory)

Accessories: -

Additional Information: It is unused, with some shallow rust on the blade surface that does not affect its functionality. It was sourced from a retired carpenter in the Tohoku region of Japan.

The blacksmith of this saw is Nakaya Yuzomasanao, a famous saw blacksmith from Chiba Prefecture whose original name was Kasuya Minoru. The maker's stamp on the top of the saw is horizontally inscribed with the characters “Boshu/房州” (read from right to left), which refers to present-day southern Chiba Prefecture. Saws from this region are collectively known as “Boshu saws.” Due to its coastal proximity, these saws were primarily supplied to shipwrights. Because shipbuilding materials like zelkova and oak are extremely hard, the saws used by shipwrights required not only exceptional sharpness but also superior edge retention ('Nagagire'). It is said that during the Edo period, the Shogunate issued a ban on certain saws after discovering that thieves could use them to cut through the iron bars on warehouse door latches. Boshu saws were included in this ban because they were specifically designed for cutting hard shipbuilding timber, a distinction that made them famous throughout Japan.

The brand name Nakaya Yuzomasanao has been in use since the second generation. The first-generation blacksmith, Kasuya Yukichi(粕谷雄吉), was born in the Meiji era and became an apprentice under Nakaya Tatsuzo(中屋辰造)  at the age of 14. Ten years later, at age 25, he established his own blacksmith shop in Kamogawa, Boshu. He created the brand name 'Nakaya Yuzo' by combining characters from his master's name and his own. The second generation, Kasuya Minoru, was born in 1926. He fully inherited his father's techniques for making about 28 types of shipwright saws (and carpentry saws, logging saws, and bamboo saws) and was designated as a Traditional Artisan of Chiba Prefecture in 1987. The third generation, Kasuya Yuji(粕谷雄治) , was born in 1951. His skills are highly recognized by professionals, and  he was also designated as a Traditional Artisan of Chiba Prefecture.