Top 7 Japanese Kitchen Knife Brands

Ryusen Hamono is a classic family business that is traditional in Japan. Its development began in 1953 and continues to the present. The brand relies on exclusive quality. Super Gold II VG-10 steel with a hardening of 60-63 HRC is used for the central part of the blade, and several more layers of softer metal are applied on top to protect it. After several stages of grinding, the pattern characteristic of Damascus steel becomes noticeable. Knives of this brand from Japan cannot be called popular in Russia. Produced using predominantly manual labor, they are not aimed at the mass consumer, they are above average. This manufacturer does not have budget models, so not everyone can afford to buy such a knife for the home.

Hiroo Itou is a name that has become a brand and is known worldwide. Japanese craftsman Hiro Itu manually creates knives of unsurpassed style and quality that many would like to see in their kitchen. The master searched for a suitable metal for a long time, used different combinations, until, together with the Kobe Steel Company, he created a unique recipe for R2 powder steel, the composition of which is still kept secret. It is from it that the ideal cutting blade is obtained, which is not afraid of corrosion, retains its sharpness for a long time and is durable. Hiroo Itou knife handles are made only from natural materials. Products of this brand are not sold in all stores, they are expensive. There are opinions that the price is largely due to the popularity of the brand and the manual labor of the manufacturer, and not quality.

The Masahiro brand originated in Japan almost a hundred years ago in 1927, but the family business actually has a much more impressive lifespan.Now every year the company produces about half a million knives, which are in the kitchens of 4 out of 5 Japanese households. In the world, including in Russia, the brand's products are also popular, but they are inferior in recognition to a number of other manufacturers from Japan. For the manufacture of knife blades, high-carbon molybdenum-vanadium steel MBS-26 is used, which makes them more durable and wear-resistant. The hardness of the metal is much higher than that of European manufacturers and is at the level of 60–64 HRC. Sharpening is both single-sided, traditional for Japan, and double-sided according to the European type.

The Hattori brand was named after its founder, master Ichiro Hattori, whose ancestors also devoted their lives to making knives. It is believed that he was one of the first to use Damascus steel for a practical purpose, and not just to give the knife blade a decorative appearance. Products from Hattori are examples of style and quality, as well as practicality and versatility. So, in the collection of the master there are unique models with a blade thickness of only 3 mm, which allows you to get perfect cuts. Among Hattori kitchen knives, the KD series models are considered the most popular and best in the world.They are made of Cowry X high carbon steel with a hardness of 63-67 HRC, have an impressive design and an equally impressive cost, which reaches half a million rubles.

Yaxell knives are well known not only in Japan but all over the world. Their production began in 1932, although many centuries before that, the ancestors of those who stood at the origins of the founding of the brand were engaged in the manufacture of blades and swords. Now the company is betting on preserving traditions, but adjusting them as much as possible to modern requirements and trends. She offers knives in several lines, each of which has its own characteristics. Yaxell uses only the highest quality materials, including Damascus steel. The brand's knives are not cheap, although you can find options with different prices in the assortment. There are not too many reviews about them, but they are and sound mostly positive.

Representatives of the Japanese brand Kanetsugu claim that the first blades with this name appeared at the end of the 14th century. Centuries-old family traditions received their modern continuation in 1918 with the advent of the Seki Kenzi Cutlery company, which registered the brand now known all over the world. The manufacturer strives to take the best from the centuries-old traditions of the ancestors, further improve their experience and at the same time try to keep the cost of knives within the range affordable for every kitchen. Kanetsugu knives are distinguished by an unsurpassed blade section profile, thanks to which they perfectly cope with cutting any products. The company does not strive to use high-hardness steel, so sharpening knives is not difficult, and often ordinary musat is enough to restore sharpness. You can see different reviews about knives, often they contain opinions about overpriced and overpaid for the brand.

The main slogan of the Japanese knife brand TOJIRO is “More than just sharpness”. The company, which released its first knife in 1955, tries to take into account tradition and modern innovations to produce products that meet all the requirements of a modern person. Products are made of multi-layer clad steel - hard on the inside and softer on the outside. The brand is completely confident in the quality of the products and gives a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects. But this does not mean that you should not take into account the recommendations on the use of knives, do not sharpen them and other maintenance. Knives of the Japanese brand TOJIRO are one of the most popular in Russia. The proposed models cannot be called cheap, but many of them can afford many. Reviews about them are only positive.