This whetstone is mined in Kyoto, a fine example of the whetstones from Yaginoshima mine from Mt. Atago (Shohonyama, or True Mountain).

It is sealed with an attractive black varnish to prevent it splitting, it is a sturdy whetstone however.

Unfortunately it does not include stamps of provenance. Doubly unfortunate is that I'd have to have removed them in order to use the stone properly.

I can guarantee its provenance however, as I bought it from a trusted vendor in Japan.

It is a razor and knife finishing whetstone. I especially love this for knife work, as it is on the borderline of being super hard for a Japanese shale. It does give slurry, but only with serious work, so I will include slurry stones from Japan so you can get the most out of it.

The scratch pattern is like a misty mirror, a perfect pre-polish for further refinement if you desire to polish your knives to a high degree.

It will serve to keep all knives, scissors, razors, chisels, plane blades and more sharp in the household. It is a joy to hone on, a very tactile, quiet and minimal-mud stone. If you love freehand sharpening, this is for you!

I imported this a few months ago and have been enjoying it so far. It needs a new home, as I am making space for more whetstones to feed my hobby.

If you have any questions, concerns or would like to chat about your whetstone needs, don't hesitate to drop a comment I'll get back to you.