It's Knife Week! Learn About Japanese Knives and How to Keep Them Sharp

We're excited to get some new knives into our collection by a reputable blade maker in Japan. Shimomura Kogyou in Niigata prefecture has been making knives since 1957. They are known to produce knives that are durable, precise, and economical. They also make our popular Speedy Peeler!

Use this versatile banno knife for for cutting fish, meat, and vegetables. It is a great substitute for your everyday chef's knife. The 6.5" blade is comprised of yasuki carbon steel on the outer edges and a soft iron core – which results in a gradation of colors on the blade itself. This forging method produces a blade that is both durable and easy to sharpen. 

Cut greens and tomatoes like a ninja with this nakiri knife. Nakiri knives are specifically designed to cut greens and other delicate vegetables. Thanks to its thin blade, nakiris will slice right through vegetables and meet your cutting board without horizontal the push and pull that can make veggies raggedy or smushed. 

The sturdy magnolia handle ensures stability when slicing and dicing.

It's important to have a good kitchen knife, but even more essential is to keep them sharp. A dull knife is a dangerous knife. We like to sharpen knives with whetstones (aka sharpening stones) - it is a simple process that can take as little as 10 minutes from start to finish. Yoko wrote about how to sharpen knives years ago but it remains a classic on our blog. Bookmark it!

Along with the two new knives above, we've brought in a whetstone that we love by King. This classic Japanese combination knife sharpening stone features two grits of stone, one for reprofiling your knife, and the other for refinishing.

This stone is essential for any Japanese knife owner. It works on santoku, banno, nakiri, yanagi, cleavers, and paring knives that are made of the most common types of steels (including stainless and carbon steel).