I am pleased to accept my appointment as Chairman of the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Sword Culture. I am humbled by the weight of succeeding the previous chairmen in the history of this society beginning with the first chairman, Amata Akitsugu. Followed by Honami Koshu and Yoshihara Kuniie. I was particularly hesitant about accepting the position, but due to the recent passing of Yoshihara Kuniie who (along with Yoshihara Yoshindo) was a great mentor to me, I decided to accept the appointment in order to play a role in carrying out Kuniie’s wishes and intentions for the future.
Needless to say, Kuniie stood out at a young age, and it is no exaggeration to say that he was a pioneer of modern Bizen tradition of swordmaking, which still flourishes today. Due to his vigorous work load and high degree of perfection in his work, he was not just a role model for members of his own school, but also for many other swordsmiths. When the All Japan Swordsmiths Association became independent in 2006, I believe that we were able to achieve this because of his strong leadership as chairman. I am very happy that the current Japanese sword boom continues. However, I would like to conclude by telling you that I will do my best to convey Japanese sword to future generations, beyond that of a mere boom, via correct transmission as a traditional culture.
Ono Yoshimitsu (real name: Yoshikawa Mitsuo).
Chairman, the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Sword Culture (NBSK)
July 2023