Norihiro Miyairi
Born in Nagano, Japan in 1954
Master Swordsmith

Graduated from the Faculty of Letters at Kokugakuin University in 1978
Trained under Masamine Sumitani, a holder of Important Intangible Cultural Property (Living National Treasure)
Certified as an uninspected swordsmith, the highest rank of swordsmith, in 1993
2002, he was invited by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, one of the largest art museums in the world located in Manhattan, New York City, USA, for the maintenance of the museum’s collection of swords
2003, he crafted the ring-entering tachi for the Yokozuna Asashoryu
From 2002 to 2004, he crafted the protective sword for the Queen of the Takamado family
2010 Awarded the prestigious Masamune Award at the New Sword Exhibition, becoming the sixth recipient in 14 years and the first from Nagano Prefecture.
Among the 6 recipients of the Masamune Award, 4 are designated as Important Intangible Cultural Property Holders (Living National Treasures).
2010, he restored and produced the “Shōsangō Tōsu” upon the request of the Imperial Household Agency’s Shōsōin.
2011, he was recognized as a holder of the Intangible Cultural Property of Nagano Prefecture (Japanese Sword Making Techniques).
2011, he restored and produced the national treasure “Inariyama Iron Sword”.
2012, upon the request of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, he restored and produced the “Etafunayama Kofun Excavated Iron Sword”.
2015, he restored and produced the national treasure “Nikko Ichimonji” owned by Nikko Futarayama Shrine.
2016, he restored and produced the “Shokudaikiri Mitsutada” handed down in the Mito Tokugawa family from the Tokugawa Museum.
2018, he restored and produced the famous “Honebami Tōshirō Yoshimitsu” from the Kyoto National Museum.

He has received multiple awards including the Takamatsu-no-miya Prize, the Agency for Cultural Affairs Award, the Kōzan Prize, the Kanzan Prize, and the Chairman’s Award of the All Japan Swordsmiths Association.