Hocho Knife (Japanese Chef knife) Official Blog

Sakai Takayuki SPG2 Damascus Hammered Chef’s Knives with Desert Ironwood Handle

IMPORT JAPAN.COM, INC. Hocho-Knife Sales Team — Wed, 08 Oct 2025 20:32:23 +0000

We’re pleased to introduce Sakai Takayuki has sucessfully released the SPG2 Damascus Knife Series with

The blades are crafted out of a core of SG2 (Super Gold 2 or R2) Micro Carbide Powder Stainless Steel for professional with a hardness of approx. 63 HRC, which provides excellent rust resistance and a long-lasting edge. The surface of the blade is unique-hammer-finished to highlight the Damascus texture for more elegance.

Sakai Takayuki Knives has been cultivated through a long 600-year history. Each knife is hand sharpened to ensure maximum sharpness out of the box.
We highly recommend you to once experience the excellent performance and beautility of the Damascus knives.

>> Check the details

If you have any question, please feel free to contact us anytime.

Thank you for reading and best regards!

All the Hocho-Knife staff
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“Hocho” represents Made-in-Japan (Sushi / Sashimi) Kitchen Knives,
that is the soul of the cook!
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The post Sakai Takayuki SPG2 Damascus Hammered Chef’s Knives with Desert Ironwood Handle first appeared on Hocho Knife (Japanese Chef knife) Official Blog.

Satoshi Nakagawa SAKACHOJI-HAMON Honyaki Chef’s Knives

IMPORT JAPAN.COM, INC. Hocho-Knife Sales Team — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 22:47:35 +0000

The SAKACHOJI-HAMON Honyaki knife by Satoshi Nakagawa is one of the hard-to-get and hard-to-make items. Please be noted that the leadtime is very unpredictable if the current stock is sold out.

The blacksmith, Satoshi Nakagawa, is known the top in Sakai to forge honyaki (water-quenched) knives. And the “SAKACHOJI-HAMON” is a rare reverse wave pattern unique to the backsmith.

This ambitious design incorporates the distinctive wave pattern of Japanese swords into a kitchen knife. Produced in limited quantities each year, these knives are rare and not widely available on the market.

If you have any question, please feel free to contact us anytime.

Thank you for reading and best regards!

The post Satoshi Nakagawa SAKACHOJI-HAMON Honyaki Chef’s Knives first appeared on Hocho Knife (Japanese Chef knife) Official Blog.

Sakai Takayuki Damascus Utility Steak Petty Knife Series with Unique Handles

IMPORT JAPAN.COM, INC. Hocho-Knife Sales Team — Sat, 03 May 2025 09:13:31 +0000

We’re pleased to introduce Sakai Takayuki 33 Layered DamascusUtility Steak Knives with futuristic & unique handles.

The blades are crafted out of a 33 layer VG10 damascus steel. These knives have a seriously sharp edge, extremely hard (hardness : 60-61 HRC), excellent edge retention and a light center balanced feel.

The handles on these knives are Stabilized Hybrid Wood or High-grade Wood with metal rings for lxurious food experience.

Thank you for reading and best regards!

The post Sakai Takayuki Damascus Utility Steak Petty Knife Series with Unique Handles first appeared on Hocho Knife (Japanese Chef knife) Official Blog.

Yoshimi Kato Aogami Super Kurouchi Chef’s Knives with Unique Hammered Pattern

IMPORT JAPAN.COM, INC. Hocho-Knife Sales Team — Sat, 29 Mar 2025 01:27:55 +0000

Yoshimi Kato Aogami Super KUROUCHI Hammered series feature beautiful Black finished & Hammered texture with a core of Blue Paper Super (Aogami Super) Steel with a better hardness of approx.65 HRC, which provides excellent edge retention.

Especially their hammerd patterns are unique — V pattern like bamboo, Square pattern called ICHIMATSU.
The edge is specially formed like a clam (or HAMAGURI in Japanese), which shape helps release foods and cut smoothly.

The edge is specially formed like a clam (or HAMAGURI in Japanese), which shape helps release foods and cut smoothly.

Mr. Yoshimi Kato, one of the most promising blacksmiths, received the certification of the traditional craftsmen on February 2008 and took over his father’s company as KATO UCHI HAMONO (KATO Knife Manufacturing Inc.) at Takefu city, Fukui.

If you have any question, please feel free to contact us anytime.

Thank you for reading and best regards!

The post Yoshimi Kato Aogami Super Kurouchi Chef’s Knives with Unique Hammered Pattern first appeared on Hocho Knife (Japanese Chef knife) Official Blog.

HIGONOKAMI VG10 Damascus Kurouchi Traditional Raden-Makie-Art Folding Kritsuke-Petty Knives

IMPORT JAPAN.COM, INC. Hocho-Knife Sales Team — Thu, 13 Mar 2025 12:12:45 +0000

The Higonokami Radem-Makie series feature Damascus-patterned & Hammered Kurouchi blades with a core of VG-10 stainless steel & decorative Maki-e artwork on Urushi lacquered handles.

The surface of the blade is black-finished to highlight the Damascus texture for more elegance. On the beautifully Japanese lacquered (Urushi-nuri) handle, the traditional decorative Maki-e artwork is carefully hand-drawn by a master craftsperson. It is so easy to grip and it’s weight is very well balanced. And easy to fold it in one hand.

The folding handle is also made of Nickel Damascus-patterned stainless steel as its blade. It is so easy to grip and it’s weight is very well balanced. And easy to fold it in one hand.

[about Nagao Kanekoma Factory Co., Ltd. (authentic HIGONOKAMI brand holder)]
Over a century ago in 1894, the first-generation of Nagao Kanekoma Seisakusho, Komataro, began manufacturing as Hirata Knives in the future Miki city. Through five generations of succession, their Higonokami products have remained uniquely and exclusively passed down just by them within the lineage of Higonokami artisans. So that their knives are the one and only authentic Higonokami.

If you have any question, please feel free to contact us anytime.

Thank you for reading and best regards!

The post HIGONOKAMI VG10 Damascus Kurouchi Traditional Raden-Makie-Art Folding Kritsuke-Petty Knives first appeared on Hocho Knife (Japanese Chef knife) Official Blog.

Takeshi Saji MURASAKI SHIKIBU 1000th Anniversary Makie VG10W Colored Damascus Chef Knives

IMPORT JAPAN.COM, INC. Hocho-Knife Sales Team — Mon, 30 Dec 2024 12:34:37 +0000

“Murasaki Shikibu” was a Japanese female novelist who wrote “The Tale of Genji” or “Genji Monogatari (in Japanese)”, which is considered to be the world’s oldest novel, about 1,000 years ago. It has been reproduced in a limited edition as a maki-e knife series, transcending the passage of a thousand years.

Takeshi Saji Rainbow-colored VG10-W Damascus Nashiji Makie-Art series feature special blades with a core of VG-10-W stainless steel cladded with multiple layers of rust-resistant stainless steel, brass and copper, which provides a long-lasting edge as well as its beautifulness and unique multi-metal-colored texture with custom-made feeling.

On the beautifully Japanese lacquered (Urushi-nuri) saya sheath and handle, the traditional decorative Maki-e artwork of “FUJIN RAIJIN (the Wind and Thunder Gods)” is carefully hand-drawn by Master Kouichiro Tsukada. The collaboration by the master blacksmith Takeshi Saji and the Maki-e master Kouichiro Tsukada is very unique to bring the masterpiece into creation successfully.

Please be noted that these Murasaki Shikibu knives are very popular and extremely limited in stock.

[about Takeshi Saji]
Takeshi Saji is the leading blacksmith in Echizen. Saji was born in Takefu in 1948 in a family of second-generation smith. In 1992, he was officially certified as a “Traditional Master Craftsman” by the Japanese “Ministry of International Trade & Industry”.

If you have any question, please feel free to contact us anytime.

Thank you for reading and best regards!

The post Takeshi Saji MURASAKI SHIKIBU 1000th Anniversary Makie VG10W Colored Damascus Chef Knives first appeared on Hocho Knife (Japanese Chef knife) Official Blog.

Daisuke Nishida White Paper #1 Damascus Kiritsuke Knives with Stylish Custom Handle

IMPORT JAPAN.COM, INC. Hocho-Knife Sales Team — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 11:31:25 +0000

We’re pleased to announce to you Daisuke’s Damascus Stylish Kiritsuke Knives with special handles which are made with an inner core of Yasuki’s traditional Hagane — Shiroko / White Paper No.1 Hard Steel — supportedly by a layer of softer persistent steel for an exceptionally sharp and smooth cutting experience.

Of particular note is that he definitely applies “Warikomi” process to make any blade. The Warikomi is an ancient Japanese manufacturing process, (1)split the heated soft steel with a wedge, (2)insert the hagane steel into the soft steel bar, (3)hammer the merged steel bar to form it into a three-layered construction of steel sandwiched by the soft steel.

The stylish handle is made of Stabilized Karelian Birch Resin for beauty and durability.

>> Check the details

About Daisuke Nishida
Daisuke Nishida is based in Kumamoto, Southwest Japan. He became a disciple to another blacksmith when he was 19 and after 9 years of training. In 2006, he went on his own way and set up his workshop.He has stuck to using an ancient Japanese manufacturing process “Warikomi” to forge blade at any cost. He is said only the best blacksmiths to rightly forge White Paper No.1 Hard Steel.We recommend you to enjoy his ancient-processed & classical piece of work, different from general knives by other blacksmith.

If you have any question, please feel free to contact us anytime.

Thank you for reading and best regards!

The post Daisuke Nishida White Paper #1 Damascus Kiritsuke Knives with Stylish Custom Handle first appeared on Hocho Knife (Japanese Chef knife) Official Blog.

Sakai Takayuki Supreme Tuna-Kiri Knives

IMPORT JAPAN.COM, INC. Hocho-Knife Sales Team — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 12:15:05 +0000

The Tokujyo Supreme Tuna-Kiri or Maguro Bocho by Sakai Takayuki is made to put soft kitchen knife iron on Yasuki’s traditional Nihonko or Hagane — Shiroko / White Paper No.2 Steel — which has been widely used for a very long time in Japan. The material makes extreme sharpness, very good edge holding and high working hardness.

The handles on these knives are Half Rounded Octagonal Wenge Wood with Double Buffalo Horn Ferrule for Top Professional Use.

The below is a ho-wood (magnolia) version with water buffalo bolsters, easy to grip and are comfortable in the hand.

If you have any question, please feel free to contact us anytime.

Thank you for reading and best regards!

The post Sakai Takayuki Supreme Tuna-Kiri Knives first appeared on Hocho Knife (Japanese Chef knife) Official Blog.

Satoshi Nakagawa Aogami#1 Damascus Kurouchi Kiritsuke-Gyuto & Slicer Blue Turquoise-Ebony Handle

IMPORT JAPAN.COM, INC. Hocho-Knife Sales Team — Sat, 07 Dec 2024 15:13:51 +0000

Satoshi Nakagawa Aogami No.1 Damascus series feature Unique Kurouchi Suminagashi Damascus-patterned blades with a core of Blue Paper (Aogami or Aoko) No.1 Steel, which is “Aoko” or Blue Paper (Aogami) No.1 Steel Knife, made from famous Yasugi steel, known as prime high carbon steel, specifically developed for tools and knives.

The handles on these knives are Half Rounded Octagonal Ebony with Double Blue Turquoise & Metal Rings.

If you have any question, please feel free to contact us anytime.

Thank you for reading and best regards!

The post Satoshi Nakagawa Aogami#1 Damascus Kurouchi Kiritsuke-Gyuto & Slicer Blue Turquoise-Ebony Handle first appeared on Hocho Knife (Japanese Chef knife) Official Blog.

Satoshi Nakagawa Aogami Kurouchi Chef’s Knives

IMPORT JAPAN.COM, INC. Hocho-Knife Sales Team — Sat, 07 Dec 2024 12:12:30 +0000

Satoshi Nakagawa Aogami No.2 Kurouchi series feature beautiful KUROUCHI(Black finished) texture with a core of Blue Paper (Aogami or Aoko) No.2 Steel,
which is “Aoko” or Blue Paper (Aogami) No.2 Steel Knife, made from famous Yasugi steel, known as prime high carbon steel, specifically developed for tools and knives.

This material has highest wear resistance and toughness because of special hardness (hardness of 61-62 HRC). Very good choice for high end Japanese kitchen knives. The blade is particularly suitable for the gentle preparation of foods though you need to treat the blade to prevent from rust.

The handles on these knives are Half Rounded Octagonal Oak wood dyed Japanese Lacquered (Urushi) and Magnolia Wood with Buffalo Tsuba Ferrule.

If you have any question, please feel free to contact us anytime.

Thank you for reading and best regards!

The post Satoshi Nakagawa Aogami Kurouchi Chef’s Knives first appeared on Hocho Knife (Japanese Chef knife) Official Blog.

Sakai Takayuki Gold-Engraving Art Chef’s Knives

IMPORT JAPAN.COM, INC. Hocho-Knife Sales Team — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 12:58:21 +0000

The beautiful Japanese traditional pictures on the blade are carefully hand-engraved & GOLD-plated by the skilled craftsperson who is one of the few art-engraviners with high-quality in Japan.

The blade is made to put soft kitchen knife iron on Yasuki’s traditional Nihonko or Hagane — Shiroko / White Paper Steel — which has been widely used for a very long time in Japan. The material makes extreme sharpness, very good edge holding and high working hardness.

Speaking to the Ebony Wood handle, the Japanese-Style Octagonal figure fits better comfortably to your hand. The Buffalo Tsuba equipped to the handle represents high-quality and excellent durability, that means made for professional originally.

We recommend this high-class kitchen knife series for professional chefs to enhance their art of cooking as well as for Perfect Gift.

If you have any question, please feel free to contact us anytime.

Thank you for reading and best regards!

The post Sakai Takayuki Gold-Engraving Art Chef’s Knives first appeared on Hocho Knife (Japanese Chef knife) Official Blog.

Yu Kurosaki FUJIN Storm-textured Chef Knives with Stylish Turquoise & Rosewood Handle

IMPORT JAPAN.COM, INC. Hocho-Knife Sales Team — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 07:14:06 +0000

Yu Kurosaki FUJIN SG2 Turquoise & Rosewood new version has been released!
The blade has unique storm-hammered texture which causes an image of a Japanese god believed to control the wind.

The blade material is SG2 (Super Gold 2) micro carbide powder stainless steel for professional, one of the hardest blade steel in the world, which provides excellent rust resistance and a long-lasting edge as well as its beautifulness.

The handle is made of Octagonal-shaped Rosewood with Stylish Turquoise Ferrule for beauty and durability.

If you have any question, please feel free to contact us anytime.

Thank you for reading and best regards!

The post Yu Kurosaki FUJIN Storm-textured Chef Knives with Stylish Turquoise & Rosewood Handle first appeared on Hocho Knife (Japanese Chef knife) Official Blog.

Tamahagane Damascus Steak Knife and Fork SET

IMPORT JAPAN.COM, INC. Hocho-Knife Sales Team — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 12:20:45 +0000

Tamahagane Damascus Stainless Knife series are quite high quality, extremely sharp, hard, and durable for professional use. The Multi Layers Damascus and it’s beautiful figure must impress you by the details of it’s well calculated, meticulous design.

The handle is so easy to grip and it’s weight is very well balanced. It is made of 18-8 (SUS304) Stainless Steel, an odorless, enormously durable material made of resin and linen that will last decades. The end of the handle is stainless steel with a cavity structure, which gives the knife both outstanding stability and lighter weight.

[about Tamahagane]
Tamahagane knife series are manufactured by KATAOKA & Co.,Ltd. in Niigata, Japan.
The word tamahagane means precious steel. Historically, it has been known as a particular, very pure and high quality steel produced using traditional Japanese techniques.Today, Kataoka uses Tamahagane as the brand name for the exceptional knives it makes from similar quality steels produced using modern techniques.

If you have any question, please feel free to contact us anytime.

Thank you for reading and best regards!

The post Tamahagane Damascus Steak Knife and Fork SET first appeared on Hocho Knife (Japanese Chef knife) Official Blog.

Sakai Takayuki SPG2 Damascus Hammered Chef’s Kengata-Gyuto Knife

IMPORT JAPAN.COM, INC. Hocho-Knife Sales Team — Sun, 24 Nov 2024 10:37:50 +0000

We’re pleased to introduce Sakai Takayuki has sucessfully released the SPG2 Damascus Knife Series.

Thank you for reading and best regards!

The post Sakai Takayuki SPG2 Damascus Hammered Chef’s Kengata-Gyuto Knife first appeared on Hocho Knife (Japanese Chef knife) Official Blog.

Shigeki Tanaka VG10 Damascus Sashimi Knives SENKO

IMPORT JAPAN.COM, INC. Hocho-Knife Sales Team — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 05:24:05 +0000

The Shigeki Tanaka’s VG10 Chef Knife series “SENKO” feature beautiful Damascus-patterned blades, best choise for sashimi making.

The VG10 Damascus series feature multi layers of Nickel Damascus-patterned blades with a core of VG-10 stainless steel for professional, which provides excellent rust resistance and a long-lasting edge as well as its beautifulness.

These masterpieces with 330mm blade length are carefully forged & finished by the blacksmith Shigeki Tanaka with his own hands for their top-rate cutting performance.

Premium Paulownia Box

The beautiful Paulownia Wood Box adds a touch of premium accents for the best present.

About Shigeki Tanaka
Shigeki Tanaka, well known as an outstanding master blacksmith at Miki in Japan, is turning out excellent knives with unsurpassed Japanese blade knowledge and expertise handed down from generation to generation for centuries.

Some Michelin 3-star chefs in Europe gave a high marks to the Tanaka knives, and we recommend this premium kitchen knife series for professional chefs to enhance their art of cooking as well as for Perfect Gift.

The stock is extremely limited. Very sorry for the inconvenience.

If you have any question, please feel free to contact us anytime.

Thank you for reading and best regards!

The post Shigeki Tanaka VG10 Damascus Sashimi Knives SENKO first appeared on Hocho Knife (Japanese Chef knife) Official Blog.