, ▁Am ata ▁was ▁awarded ▁an ▁official ▁sword sm ith ' s ▁lic ence ▁from ▁the ▁Cultural ▁Properties ▁Prote ction ▁Committee ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 4 ; ▁that ▁same ▁year ▁he ▁won ▁the ▁Y ush u - wo ▁prize ▁at ▁the ▁first ▁National ▁S word - F org ing ▁Compet ition . ▁ ▁An ▁ill ness ▁at ▁ 3 3 ▁rendered ▁Am ata ▁an ▁invalid ▁for ▁eight ▁years . ▁However , ▁after ▁his ▁recovery ▁he ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁Mas am une ▁Prize ▁( the ▁highest ▁acc ol ade ) ▁at ▁the ▁New ▁Kat ana ▁S word ▁Ex hib ition ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 8 ; ▁he ▁also ▁won ▁the ▁same ▁award ▁at ▁the ▁S word - F org ing ▁Compet ition ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 7 , ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁he ▁was ▁named ▁as ▁a ▁Living ▁National ▁Tre asure ▁of ▁Japan . ▁ ▁Am ata ▁was ▁the ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁All ▁Japan ▁S word sm ith ' s ▁Association ▁and ▁a ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁N ih on ▁Bij ut su ▁Token ▁H oz on ▁Ky ok ai . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Category : J apan ese ▁sword sm ith s ▁Category : 1 9 2 7 ▁birth s ▁Category : 2 0 1 3 ▁death s ▁Category : L iving ▁National ▁Tre asures ▁of ▁Japan <0x0A> </s> ▁Cl ube ▁Des port ivo ▁Fe ir ense , ▁commonly ▁known ▁as ▁CD ▁Fe ir