Knife Making Regions of Japan

Sakai boasts an overwhelming share of the Japanese Knife market. In Sakai the handle fitting, blacksmithing and sharpening/polishing is divided amongst many craftsmen, where each is encouraged to improve their skills.

Seki City holds the largest share of domestic production in not just kitchen knives but also razors, scissors and other bladed tools. While highly efficient production by machine is used for the initial shaping and quenching of knives, sharpening, handle fitting and final finishing are done by hand. Seki is most known for producing western style knives.

In fact, as shown on the map, Tsubame and Sanjo have the same roots, and the regions are often mentioned together, but the character of their kitchen knives is quite different.

Tsubame is famous for sophisticated kitchen knives with stainless steel handles, such as Tojiro, GLOBAL, and Kataoka Seisakusho, coupled with silverware and polishing techniques.

On the other hand, Sanjo's kitchen knives, such as Tadafusa and Hinoura Knife Studio, which have inherited the roots of Japanese nails, have the charm of quality and sturdiness that only handmade knives can offer.

It dates back to the Nanbokucho period (1336-1644), when a Kyoto swordsmith, Chiyotsuru Kuniyasu, moved to this area. Originally, the sickles that Kuniyasu made for local farmers while he was working on his sword were well received and developed. Some manufacturers still make kitchen knives alongside high-quality sickles.

In modern times, Takefu Knife Village and other overseas operations are very active, and young craftsmen are creating numerous innovative and stylish kitchen knives.

Takefu is also the home of Takefu Special Steel, a steel manufacturer, which is actively developing new blade steels and conducting technical research with local craftsmen, which has also contributed to the development of the knife industry in this region.

It developed around the end of the 16th century when Motochika Nagasogabe allowed sword smiths to live in the area.
The town is steeped in the spirit of wild blacksmithing, as typified by rough blacksmithing and free forging.

There has been a long history of technical exchange with Sakai, producing inexpensive yet high quality Japanese knives.
While maintaining affordability, the town has produced many craftsmen and manufacturers as one of the leading cutlery production centers in Japan.

In recent years, the local government and companies have worked together to foster young craftsmen, including the founding of the Blacksmith Creation School.

The history of cutlery in Miki is long, and since ancient times, the area has been associated with the god of forging, Tenmoku Ikkoku-no-Mikoto, and Yamato forging flourished in the area.

In the 5th century, Korean blacksmiths came to Miki from Baekje and developed Miki's blacksmithing techniques. At the end of the 16th century, carpenters gathered in Miki to rebuild after the war, and Miki became the origin of the carpentry tool production area.

Higo-mori, a small sword that was said to have been in every child's pencil box until around the postwar period, is now made only in Miki.

High-grade razors are very popular among foreigners (many people have relatively thick beards and prefer hand-forged razors with a sharp edge) and wood planers, an important tool of carpentry, are often made in Miki.

The chart below gives a basic breakdown of the merits of each knifemaking region. These are general and of course there are many exceptions to the rule.