Sakuragi・桜義・Bathhouse Kamisori

A Kamisori exclusively made for the yuya (湯屋) — the traditional Japanese public bathhouse, where a professional bather called a sansuke would shave heads and faces in a steaming, wet environment all day long.
The thick, heavy tang was a necessity. Wet hands, continuous use, no folding handle — the very thick nakago was the handle.
We know exactly what this razor was used for because it tells us. Stamped into the tang: 湯屋専用 — yuya sen’yō — exclusively for bathhouse use.
The maker, 桜義 · Sakuragi, combines 桜 (sakura, cherry blossom) with 義 (gi, virtue and honour). The original wrapper references the Imperial era — Japan between 1868 and 1941, the Meiji and Taishō periods, the Kamisori is from this era.

We have removed slight surface rust. Rehollowed the Omote with a sen. The ura was cleaned and polished — enough to bring the steel back, not so much that the vintage character is lost.
Honed through Mikawa Nagura: 牡丹・Botan ・ 天上・Tenjō ・ 目白・Mejiro ・ 細・Koma.
on 中山 烏 ・ Nakayama Karasu.
Stropped on cow leather with Diamond Edge sharpening oil, 0.5 micron.
Final pass on Kamisori Harnisch cordovan - back to hair popping sharpness.

This is an extremely rare piece and the first Yuya style Kamisori we offer in our shop