Aiwatani (相岩谷) Natural Whetstone – Soft Finishing Stone

A classic Aiwatani (相岩谷) natural whetstone from the Kyoto region, renowned for its forgiving feel and its ability to produce a beautiful, even polish.
This is a softer stone, perfect for quick and easy kasumi. The kiridashi in the pictures has only 1 minute of polishing on this stone.

Origin: Aiwatani mine, Kyoto, Japan
Type: Awasedo (fine finishing natural stone)
Hardness: Soft–medium (easy to work with, produces slurry quickly)
Color: Creamy beige with natural variations
Size: 120 × 75 × 18 mm
Weight: 331 g
Use: Polishing, final finish, kasumi

The softer structure creates a quick and even slurry, helping you achieve a silky-matte, controlled surface with clear contrast between hard and soft steel.
Aiwatani stones offer a gentle bite but an exceptionally clean feel on the steel, making them ideal as a transition between medium-fine and high-finish polishing.

This stone is perfect for those seeking a forgiving natural whetstone that excels at producing a bright kasumi finish.