Before starting his apprenticeship with his late master, Nobuya-sensei had a strong interest in foreign countries and cultures. This led him to travel to New Zealand, where he learned to speak English and explored the country's natural beauty by motorcycle.

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Upon returning to Japan, he began searching for a place that offered the same natural appeal as the places he had visited in New Zealand. This search led him to the southern tip of Kochi prefecture on Shikoku Island, where he met a local blacksmith who took him on as an apprentice. After a rigorous ten-year apprenticeship, Nobuya Hayashi took over what is now known as Workshop Kurogane.

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Nobuya Hayashi has been running the business since 2011. With fluent English and 24 years of experience, he has welcomed the outside world into his workshop and strives to share his love for traditional Japanese knife-making.

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Since 2021, Nobuya-sensei has taken on his own apprentice, Jesse from Canada, to assist in providing even more support in his English-led workshops.