Master Blacksmith Yu Kurosaki who works out of a newly constructed shop just steps from the Takefu knife Village community centre (based in Echizen City, Fukui Prefecture, Japan). He began his blacksmith journey in 2002 at Kanehiro Hamono, apprenticing under master blacksmith Hiroshi Kato-san (Traditional Master Craftsman, or Dentou-kougeishi, with over 50 years experience), and now only 17 short years later, he is the youngest blacksmith to be awarded the same Traditional Master Craftsman honour, as his mentor, Kato-san. His knives represent the future of Blacksmithing in Japan as he focuses on traditional technique while using innovative and progressive design's and finishes that have garnered the attention of many chef's around the globe. Simply put, his knives are stunning to look at and dare we say perform even better than they look.

Yu Kurosaki-san works primarily with stainless steel, such as high powder SG2/R2, and VG10, as well as HAP40, Takefu Cobalt Special, but also has older work with Aogami Super clad in soft stainless. His knives offer a playful aesthetic, given each line has a uniquely themed tsuchime pattern. His blades are exceptionally light and quite thin behind the edge, making them high performing, yet delicate.