Hometown Stories

Season 7, Episode 11

Episode Title: Forging On: Master and Apprentice

Air Date: 2018-04-15

Overview:

Yu Kikuchi left an engineering job in the big city to pursue his dream of making things with his own hands. Now 32, he's training to be a blacksmith in Shimanto, a rural town in western Japan. His teacher is 79-year-old Kosaku Matsumura, a master blacksmith who's nearing the end of his career. Turning his apprentice into a full-fledged blacksmith will be his final job. Passing on the traditional skills for crafting hand-forged tools presents challenges – and rewards – for both men.