Breathing Life into Tradition: Challenges and Efforts in Preserving Sakai’s Blade Industry

  • September 12, 2025.

  • Sakai City in Osaka Prefecture, praised as the "Venice of the East" by the 16th-century missionary Gaspar Vilela, is a historic trade hub with a rich cultural heritage. Among its time-honored industries, Sakai Forged Blades stand as a symbol of exceptional craftsmanship, celebrated globally for their sharpness and precision. These blades have earned the official designation of "Traditional Craft" by Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry.

  • Sakai’s geographical and historical backdrop has fostered six recognized traditional industries—blades, incense, dyed cotton, kelp, bicycles, and tatami mats. Among these, Sakai blades hold a unique position, exemplifying the city’s dedication to excellence.

  • Current Challenges Facing the Industry

    Despite their legacy, Sakai Forged Blades face significant challenges:

    • Shifting lifestyles and the rise of modern, convenient products have reduced demand.
    • Intense price competition from cheaper, mass-produced goods.
    • An aging artisan workforce and a shortage of successors.
    • Limited domestic and international recognition of traditional crafts.

  • These challenges threaten the transmission of essential skills and knowledge to the next generation. The prolonged training periods, declining demand, and financial pressures discourage potential successors from joining the trade.

  • Initiatives to Foster Successors

    To secure the future of its blade industry, Sakai City has implemented diverse strategies for training the next generation of artisans. In 2015, in collaboration with the Sakai Blade Manufacturers’ Association, the city established the Sakai Blade Artisan Training Center. Aspiring craftsmen receive intensive one-year training, covering foundational to advanced techniques. Graduates from this program have begun making significant contributions to the local industry.

  • Moreover, Sakai City collaborated with local manufacturers to establish the Sakai Blade Artisan Training Center, where trainees develop fundamental skills before joining workshops to refine their expertise. Younger artisans have also formed a group called Wakaba-kai to promote Sakai blades through social media and engage with craftsmen from other regions. This modern outreach broadens the appeal of Sakai’s traditional crafts, fostering greater interest among the younger generation.

  • Preserving and Evolving Techniques

    Sakai City is not only preserving its traditions but also embracing innovative approaches to create new value. For example, the city initiated the Artisan Skill Succession Project in 2016, leveraging 3D scanners to digitize and document techniques such as blade sharpening, buff polishing, and distortion correction. By analyzing and quantifying these skills, the project ensures efficient transmission of expertise to future generations.

  • Efforts to promote Sakai blades domestically and internationally are also underway through the Sakai Traditional Crafts Center. These activities aim to position Sakai blades not merely as tools but as a cultural symbol recognized worldwide.

  • Looking Ahead

    The dedication and creativity of Sakai City’s craftsmen inspire people globally. By balancing the preservation of tradition with modern innovation, Sakai offers a model for sustainable industries and cultural heritage. The sharpness of Sakai blades is more than a testament to their craftsmanship; it represents the passion and skills of artisans. Through these efforts, Sakai’s legacy continues to thrive, breathing life into tradition for generations to come.

Forging a Future: The Revival of Sakai Blades

  • Sakai’s revival is driven by new artisans, digital preservation, and a growing global community that values true craftsmanship.
    Choosing a Sakai blade directly sustains this living tradition.

Why Do 98% of Japan’s Chefs Trust Sakai Knives?

For over 600 years, Sakai has perfected a unique craft where each stage—forge, sharpen, finish—is mastered by specialists. This tradition makes Sakai the birthplace of Japan’s most trusted knives.

Why Do 98% of Japan’s Chefs Trust Sakai Knives?

The 98% Statistic: More Than a Number

According to the Sakai Tourism Bureau, “98% of Japanese chefs use Sakai knives.” This figure isn’t just a claim—it reflects the deep trust chefs place in Sakai’s centuries-old craftsmanship.

Sakai City Official English Site

The Master Craftsmen of Sakai Uchihamono

In Sakai, centuries-old techniques are carried forward by government-certified Traditional Craftsmen. Each knife is not just a tool but a living symbol of tradition, precision, and spirit—kept alive through their hands.

Sakai’s Traditional Craftsmen

Sakai Uchihamono: 600 Years of Sharpness and Mastery

From forging to sharpening to handle making, every step in Sakai Uchihamono reflects a tradition perfected over six centuries—crafting blades renowned for their ultimate sharpness and artistry.

Sakai Uchihamono

Sakai’s Dwindling Masters: A Legacy at Risk

Once the heart of Japan’s finest cutlery, Sakai now has only a handful of blacksmiths left. With rising competition and fading interest among the young, new markets and fresh apprentices are vital to survival. Supporting these craftsmen means safeguarding a 600-year cultural legacy.

Sakai's Declining Japanese Knife Craftsmen

The Soul of Craftsmanship

  • Sharpness in Form — The Beauty and Function of the Tapered Blade

    A knife isn’t just a piece of steel with an edge. What we craftsmen have studied with our eyes and hands over the years is the functional beauty hidden in form. And nothing represents that better than the tapered structure.

  • Tapering refers to the gradual thinning of the blade—from heel to tip, and from spine to edge. Thanks to this design, the blade enters food effortlessly and releases it just as smoothly. It turns the simple act of cutting into a continuous, fluid motion.

  • From a craftsman’s perspective, getting the taper right demands extreme precision. Too thick, and it won’t glide. Too thin, and it loses strength. That fine balance—often measured in microns—is born from years of experience and intimate dialogue with the material. It’s here that the essence of traditional craftsmanship resides.

  • Interestingly, this tapered structure echoes the construction of ancient Japanese swords. Those blades had to be razor-sharp yet unbreakable. While knives and swords served different roles—one in war, the other in the kitchen—the performance demands were strikingly similar. That’s why I say Japanese kitchen knives aren’t just tools. They are the culmination of centuries of refined skill.

  • Young chefs who visit my workshop often remark, “This knife is so beautiful.” And I always respond, “Beauty is proof of proper function.” It’s sharp because it’s beautiful, and beautiful because it’s sharp. That is the real power of tapering.

  • Next time you pick up a Japanese knife, take a moment to look at the subtle flow from spine to edge. That gentle slope carries not just geometry, but the maker’s intent and care for the user.

    A good tool speaks for itself. Touch it, and you’ll understand. Use it, and you’ll never forget.

KIREAJI's Three Promises to You

  • japanese_knife_made_in_Sakai

    1. Forged in the Legacy of Sakai

    From Sakai City—Japan’s renowned birthplace of professional kitchen knives—each blade is crafted by master artisans with over six centuries of tradition. Perfectly balanced, enduringly sharp, and exquisitely finished, every cut carries the soul of true craftsmanship.

  • 2. Thoughtful Care for Everyday Use

    Every knife includes a hand-fitted magnolia saya for safe storage. Upon request, we offer a complimentary Honbazuke final hand sharpening—giving you a precise, ready-to-use edge from day one.

  • 3. A Partnership for a Lifetime

    A KIREAJI knife is more than a tool—it is a lifelong companion. With our bespoke paid aftercare services, we preserve its edge and beauty, ensuring it remains as precise and dependable as the day it first met your hand.