Togishi (研師): Qualifications and Training—Developing Skilled Craftspeople Who Restore Japanese Swords with Whetstones and Water

What is a Togi-shi (Sword Polisher)—The Master Craftsman Who Revives Japanese Swords

A togi-shi is a master craftsman who brings out the beauty of Japanese swords and puts the blade into its optimal condition. If a swordsmith forges tamahagane to create a sword, a togi-shi is a craftsman who reveals its latent beauty using only whetstones and water. The jihada patterns of the blade's jigane, the nie and nioi of the hamon, the sharp line of the shinogi—all of these become visible only through the togi-shi's technical skill.

The work of a togi-shi is not merely "polishing." It has two aspects: "form polishing" that adjusts the curve and shape of the blade, and "polishing for appreciation" that makes the steel's internal structure visible—it is a highly sophisticated technical practice. Incorrect polishing can severely damage the value of a sword, so a togi-shi's skill is directly tied to the market value of the blade.

The Path to Becoming a Togi-shi—The Reality of Apprenticeship

There is no formal legal examination system for togi-shi certification; instead, the master-apprentice system (deshi-seido) of training under a master craftsman remains in place today. A typical training progression follows this pattern:

• Apprenticeship and Junior Period (1–3 years): Upon entering a master's workshop, trainees begin with cleaning the workshop, maintaining tools, and managing whetstones. During this period, they are rarely permitted to actually polish blades; instead, they observe senior craftsmen's work and develop a physical understanding of whetstone properties.
• Early Training Period (3–7 years): Gradually learning to perform "rough polishing" (ara-togi) on the blade. Training begins with modern blades or swords of relatively low value, progressing in stages toward higher-difficulty blades. This is a crucial time to physically learn the types of whetstones and their use, and the proper pressure to apply to different parts of the blade.
• Intermediate Period (7–15 years): The stage of mastering appreciation-quality polishing (hon-togi and shiage-togi). This is when craftsmen build advanced techniques such as "edge polishing" (ha-tori) that maximizes the hamon's appearance, and "surface polishing" (ji-togi) that expresses the jihada patterns.
• Independence and Mastery (15+ years): Recognized by their master as independent, craftsmen either establish their own workshop or work as artisans receiving direct commissions from museums and sword dealers.

Throughout each stage of training, craftsmen are consistently required to develop the observation skills to assess the whetstone's condition and the blade's properties before touching it. Even blades of the same maker vary in steel hardness and condition from one sword to the next, so togi-shi refine their judgment—"observe before polishing"—with each year of experience. This judgment ability, which resists standardization, is the primary reason apprenticeships extend over such long periods.

The Whetstones Used by Togi-shi—Stone Science and Selection

The core of a togi-shi's technique lies in whetstone knowledge and application. Whetstones are broadly divided into natural whetstones (tennen-doishi) and synthetic whetstones (jinzo-doishi), but natural whetstones are considered essential for finishing Japanese swords.

• Rough whetstones (ara-do) and medium whetstones (naka-do): Used in the process of adjusting the blade's shape and removing large scratches. These are relatively coarse-grained whetstones used to adjust the blade's angle and correct curvature.
• Uchigumori whetstones (uchigumori-do): Used in the important process of making the outline of the hamon more pronounced. Whetstones produced in Kyoto Prefecture are considered the highest grade, and prices have risen sharply in recent years due to declining mining output.
• Finishing whetstones (shiage-do) and Nagura whetstones (nagura-do): The finest-grained whetstones used in final finishing. This is the process that draws out the beauty of the surface to the maximum, requiring expert skill.

For polishing near the habaki and blade tip, a specialized technique called "finger polishing" (yubi-togi) using small pieces of stone manipulated with the fingertips is also employed.

In the final stages of finishing, beyond whetstones, additional processes include "wiping" (nugui)—rubbing extremely fine powder dissolved in oil onto the blade—along with "edge highlighting" (ha-tori) to emphasize the hamon and "surface luster" (ji-zuya) work to refine the ground's appearance. These delicate processes adjust fine patterns born from the reaction between whetstone particles and steel so they become visible to the human eye; they differ in character from brute-force polishing. Because slight changes in whetstone grit or angle can dramatically alter how the hamon appears, togi-shi develop judgment to select the appropriate whetstone for each stage.

The NBTHK Certification System—How Official Credentials Work

The Society for Preservation of Japanese Art Swords (NBTHK) has established its own review and certification system for togi-shi, functioning as an objective assessment of technical skill levels.

• Preservation Sword Polishing: A standard recognizing polishing skill at a level capable of passing NBTHK authentication review. This represents a minimum independent qualification as a togi-shi.
• Special Preservation and Important Sword Polishing: A level capable of polishing swords of cultural significance. Only a limited number of togi-shi nationwide can work at this level.
• Special Important Sword Polishing: The highest level, trusted with polishing of National Treasure and Important Cultural Property swords. Currently, only several dozen togi-shi throughout Japan have reached this level.

Additionally, several togi-shi have been recognized as "designated holders of preservation techniques" by the Agency for Cultural Affairs and work to transmit traditional techniques under national protection.

The Modern Togi-shi Industry—Successor Shortage and Challenges

Approximately 300 to 500 active togi-shi are estimated to work throughout Japan, with far fewer who can support themselves solely through this craft. Although demand for art sword polishing remains stable, the lengthy apprenticeship period and low income during training make it difficult to attract young apprentices, creating a serious shortage of successors.

Income during the apprenticeship period often remains at only tens of thousands of yen per month, and financial hardship continues until independence is achieved after 15 to 20 years of training. Conversely, after establishing themselves, some craftsmen earn hundreds of thousands to over a million yen for polishing a single important blade, creating large income gaps based on skill level.

As overseas collectors and domestic sword enthusiasts increase, demand for high-level togi-shi remains robust. While scholarship and subsidy systems for successor development are gradually being established, these have not fundamentally resolved the shortage of practitioners.

How Sword Purchasers Should View Polishing

From the perspective of purchasing and owning Japanese swords, a togi-shi's technique is not irrelevant. A sword that has already received appreciation-quality finishing requires maintaining that condition to preserve the blade's value. Conversely, swords showing significant polish wear, blade chips, or rust may require re-polishing, and this assessment should properly be left to experienced togi-shi. When considering a purchase, confirming with the seller when the blade was last polished and whether it has appreciation-quality finishing or utility polishing will help establish a maintenance plan after purchase. It is important to understand that even if an NBTHK authentication certificate is included, it evaluates the sword's authenticity, period, and maker—not the polishing condition itself.

Blade Maintenance and Determining When Re-polishing Is Needed

Maintaining the blade in beautiful condition requires daily care. Basic maintenance—applying clove oil thinly to prevent rust from moisture, using uchiko powder to remove old oil and dirt, then applying fresh oil—is considered work that the owner can perform. However, when rust has progressed or blade chips have appeared, these should be addressed by consulting a togi-shi with specialized knowledge, as amateur polishing risks damaging the blade and diminishing its value. The judgment of whether re-polishing is necessary is most reliably made through the experienced eye of a trained togi-shi. Combining daily maintenance with polishing by specialists is the fundamental approach to preserving Japanese swords in good condition for generations to come.