Japanese knives are favored by professional chefs all over the world for their quality, sharpness, and durability. Those made for home use are admired by all, Japanese and internationals alike. Among travelers, they are popular as souvenirs perhaps because of their association with Japanese sword tradition. Unsurprisingly, the number of knife stores in Japan appears to be increasing due to their growing popularity. Whether you live in Japan or are visiting, if you are considering the purchase of one, make sure you visit a well-established, traditional store where professionals can guide you through the shopping experience, lest you get duped. Hey, it happens. One of the stores we hope will be on your list is Kamata Hakensha on Kappabashi Street in Asakusa, Tokyo.
The origins of this street (known as Kappabashi Dōgugai in Japanese) date back to the end of the Meiji era (1868–1912), and the street is known to all involved in the Japanese food and beverage industry. From cooking utensils to that realistic replica food that is in so many restaurant storefronts, everything related to preparing cuisine can be found in the shops lining the streets here. The area is only ten minutes from Sensō-ji Temple’s famous Kaminari-mon gate in Asakusa; it’s thus popular among tourists, not to mention easily accessible.
Let me turn now to a brief history of knife culture in Japan. The oldest surviving kitchen knives in Japan are thought to have been made in the Nara era (710–784). They are characterized by a long, thin blade and lengthy handle, resembling a short katana. Those knives were mostly used to cut fish until the middle of the Edo period (1603–1868). As Japan’s food culture flourished and expanded, incorporating influences from other countries, knives also evolved. Western knives are generally made by sharpening one plate of steel and sandwiching it in a two-piece handle with rivets. Conversely, Japanese knives traditionally have a single-segment wooden handle and the blades are made by combining two different types of metal: hagane (hard steel) and jigane (soft iron).
There are several places known for knife production in Japan. Western-style knives are produced in great quantities in cities like Seki in Gifu and Tsubame Sanjō in Niigata. The vast majority of authentic Japanese knife craftsmen, however, operate in Sakai, Osaka. In the mid-1500s when tobacco was introduced to Japan by the Portuguese, the city became a hub for producing knives originally used to cut tobacco leaves. The city became so skilled at the art of producing sharp, quality knives that the Tokugawa Shōgunate designated the area as its sole supplier, thus elevating it to elite status nationwide. That tradition continues to the present.
Honyaki knives, a Sakai specialty, are the most expensive type of the knives, as they are painstakingly made with a single plate of high-carbon steel, just like Japanese swords. They are less prone to changes in form, even over a long period of time. On the other hand, knives made with a combination of steel and iron have a tendency to bend, as steel shrinks disproportionately over time. However, they are much easier to maintain since they are softer and easy to sharpen.
Kamata Hakensha was established in 1923 and has been in the business of knives for more than a century. Founder Kosuke Kamata decided to start the business in order to survive in Tokyo after the Great Kantō Earthquake (September 1, 1923) leveled much of the city. He started by visiting residences and asking if they needed their household knives sharpened. When Kosuke’s son, Masaru, took over the business, he expanded it to include selling knives, transforming the business into the entity it is today. From that period on, Kamata sold both Western and Japanese knives, and quickly became popular among industry professionals and the average amateur cooking at home. The draw for customers was that they could receive advice from a knife professional to purchase a blade that best suited their needs. They also received the added benefit of maintenance services after purchase.
Third-generation company owner Seiichi Kamata began assisting his father at the age of 19, while he was still a college student. When he started, it was only he and his father running the company. He recalls that his father always grew angry at him for not following what he had been instructed to do. It seems Seiichi had a penchant for doing things in his own way–so goes the personality of an artisan. He took over the business from his father when he was 42 and is now teaching his own son the ropes.
According to Seiichi, apprentices usually require about three years to learn the skills needed to correctly sharpen standard knives. However, the knives that are brought to Kamata vary widely in type, shape, and condition, so it requires more than a decade to be able to handle everything proficiently, says Seiichi. Under his father’s tutelage and through his decades of experience, he has developed the know-how to deal with pretty much any knife brought to him. Even knives supplied to him for retail at his store are carefully checked and, if necessary, sharpened before they end up on his shelves. All are ready for immediate use.
Kamata sells a wide variety of knives and it’s impressive to see all of them lined up on display in the store (except maybe during an earthquake). There are some truly dazzling ones featuring etched motifs like Mount Fuji, cherry blossoms, or dragons. Another thing that may catch your eye is the huge sharpening machine at the shop entrance. It’s in use virtually the entire length of business hours, humming away as dozens of knives are worked on daily.
Proper sharpening is crucial for maintaining Japanese knives. If they are sharpened regularly, they should last pretty much forever. Of course, the size and thickness of a knife will shrink over time as it’s sharpened, but sharpening professionals like Kamata will meticulously adjust the width, prolonging the knife’s use indefinitely. Though the longevity of a knife’s sharpness depends significantly on the materials used to make it, professional sharpening techniques can dramatically improve the sharpness. In the past, Seiichi was asked to demonstrate his sharpening techniques for a television program. On the show, they wanted to see if a ¥100 (less than $1US) knife sharpened by a professional could slice a tennis ball. Naturally, he was able to show that it could. Since the normal user is only cutting food, not foolishly shredding tennis balls, your knife will not need sharpening so often. Still, the impact on the cutting board does take its toll on the knife over time, and it will occasionally need the tender care of a professional.
Kamata currently occupies a spot on the main thoroughfare of Kappabashi Street, but its original location was on a narrow side street running off the main one (now known as a viewing spot for Tokyo Sky Tree). At that time, there was no other knife shop on the main street so neighboring stores always introduced Kamata to visitors looking for Japanese knives. For more visibility the Kamatas eventually decided to relocate to Kappabashi’s main street in 2004. Immediately thereafter, sales leapt.
Sadly, the pandemic impacted the food industry severely and, as it was heavily dependent on that sector, Kappabashi Street lost its luster for a few years. Kamata never expected to see the day when vacant shops were commonplace on his street, but the pandemic almost rendered it a relic of the past. After pandemic-related restrictions were lifted and the restaurant business rebounded, new stores began opening on the street, many of them knife shops. This was due to increasing demand for Japanese knives internationally and, as mentioned earlier, their popularity as souvenirs. Kamata doesn’t knock the new places riding on his coattails. He states simply yet confidently, “If you are only looking for knives with a design emphasizing Japanese character, those stores may be perfect for you. However, they usually don’t have sharpening machines, and so there’s no added service after your purchase. If your interest is in purchasing an authentic Japanese knife at a store that professionals trust, then you need to go to a place that has its own sharpening machines.”
One downside of Japanese knives is that they can be susceptible to rust and require more time investment to maintain them and prevent this. For example, a carbon steel Japanese knife needs to be wiped off with a dry towel and oiled after each use. If you lack such time or live abroad and don’t have the opportunity to take your knife somewhere for maintenance, Seiichi recommends purchasing stainless knives instead. A knife at Kamata will run anywhere from ¥10,000 to the ¥300,000 range (currently around $70 ~ $2000US). If needed, English-speaking staff are on hand for guidance. Although Seiichi himself has never studied abroad, he says he studied enough English with his university friends and listened to enough English education radio shows to get by. “My main focus was pronunciation, so people often think that I’m fluent even though I can only explain knives,” Seiichi lets on with a laugh.
Even for professional chefs, sharpening their own knives is a difficult and time-consuming task. Hence, they bring their knives to Kamata once every few years. Those that take the sharpening into their own hands for an extended period of time may need some extra repair work done, often requiring special machinery. Observing the way Kamata goes about sharpening knives, it quickly becomes evident that he’s a well-trained craftsman. The Japanese knives you find at his shop will be your cooking pals forever, given proper care. Not all knives are created equal, and the phrase, “You get what you pay for” surely rings true in this traditional craft.
Website: Kamata Knives
