Japanese Culture Shows In Its Cutlery ­ Kitchen Knives By: Japanny Kitchen For over one thousand years Japan has been at the forefront in the crafting of beautiful and breathtaking blades. Today, those ancient skills along with cutting­edge technology are used to create the world’s finest and most efficient knives. Traditional Japanese knives were originally derived from their craftsmanship on sword making which has fascinated people around the world. The techniques have been handed down from generation to generation and perfected over time.

A sharp blade slices through ingredients effortlessly, but a dull blade will damage the cell walls of ingredients, altering their texture and flavor. For example if one tries to chiffonade basil with a dull knife, it will turn black almost instantly. With a thin sharp knife, the same chiffonade will retain its vibrant green color for hours or even days. The single­edged blade is a unique feature of traditional Japanese knives, which is directly linked to Japanese cuisine and history. Traditional Japanese cuisine aims to preserve and accentuate the true flavors of fresh and seasonal ingredients, making a sharp knife essential to this process.

We could say that these knives go hand in hand with the development of a sophisticated and refined cuisine that has popular in the US, Europe, and many other places. Dishes such as sushi, tempura, and teriyaki are some of the foods that are commonly known. The Japanese diet consists principally of rice; fresh, lean seafood; and pickled or boiled vegetables. The healthy Japanese diet is often believed to be related to the longevity of Japanese people. As more and more people worldwide take to Japanese cuisine, the popularity of Japanese knives likewise grew.

There are two classes of Japanese knives based on the materials and methods used in their crafting. They are honyaki and kasumi both honyaki and kasumi knives can be made with either ao­ko or shiro­ko steels. Each classification has its own advantages as well as difficulties. Kasumi means “mist” which refers to the hazy appearance of the soft iron body of the blade, in contrast to the glossy appearance of the carbon steel. Craftsmen forge kasumi knives by joining a piece of soft iron with a piece of carbon steel. After forging, hammering, and shaping, the carbon steel becomes the blade’s edge. The soft iron portion becomes the body and spine of the blade. This reduced brittleness and makes sharpening easier. Kasumi knives are much easier to use and sharpen than honyaki knives, but their edge retention is shorter. Honyaki (or "true­forged") knives are constructed entirely out of one material. Honyaki knives have the greatest kirenaga, or edge retention within Japanese knives. But because the steel is so hard, honyaki knives are harder to sharpen and more prone to chipping, cracking, or breaking if used improperly. Craftsmen require a great amount of skill to forge honyaki knives, and chefs need a lot of experience to use and care for them. Japanny is an online shop where you can find authentic Japanese crafts 100 percent made in Japan. Kitchen knives, global knives, miyabi knives, sushi knife, miyako noze, takeshi saji, chef and kitchen knife sets. You name it. Japanny can get it for you.

The mission of Japanny is to promote and deliver authentic Japanese products worldwide, not just the products but also Japanese cultures and the beauty of the Land of the Rising Sun. By keeping a good relationship with customers Japanny hopes that it makes the world smaller and brings Japan closer to everyone. If you place an order for a specific Japanese knife, it will be processed in 3 to 5 business days if the item is on stock. If you have any inquiries or are having difficulty placing an order through our website, please let us know. The quickest way to reach us is through email. Please contact us at Japanny Online Store and we’ll be only too glad to answer any questions you might have for us.