November 8 — The Day to Honor the Blade

  • November 6, 2025

  • When gratitude sharpens life itself.

    On November 8, Japan celebrates a quiet but powerful tradition known as the Day of the Blade.
    The numbers “11 (ii)” and “8 (ha)” form the phrase “ii ha” — good blade.


    But this day is more than a clever play on words.
    It traces back to the Fuyigo Festival, when blacksmiths and swordsmiths across Japan gave thanks for their bellows — the tool that breathes life into fire.
    It was a day to pause, to reflect, and to honor the unseen hands that shape steel, and the unseen spirit that lives within it.

  • A Day of Reflection and Renewal

    Across Japan, temples and shrines hold Knife Memorial Ceremonies.
    Worn blades are wrapped, blessed, and returned to the earth — not as waste, but with gratitude.

    Some are melted down to create new knives, others are repurposed for relief efforts.
    Even in transformation, there is respect — a belief that every object, like every life, has meaning.

    For many chefs, this day is a quiet reminder:
    Tools are not just tools. They are partners that grow with us, record our effort, and reflect our spirit.

  • What This Means for Us — Wherever We Are

    You don’t need to live in Japan to feel this.
    Each time you hold a Japanese knife, you hold a story — of patience, precision, and care.
    It’s a small ritual that can change how you cook, how you see, even how you live.

    When you wipe your blade after use, you’re not just maintaining steel —
    you’re taking a moment to breathe, to be present, to show gratitude.

    Over time, that habit becomes something deeper.
    Your kitchen becomes calmer.
    Your food becomes more intentional.
    And your daily life, somehow, feels more grounded.

    That is the quiet power of Japanese culture — it transforms the ordinary into something mindful.

  • Why It Matters

    In a world that moves too fast, the idea of stopping to thank a knife may seem unusual.
    But perhaps that’s exactly why it matters.


    It reminds us that craftsmanship, gratitude, and respect still have a place in modern life.
    That caring for what we use — and the people who make it — can give us a deeper sense of connection.


    Learning about the Day of the Blade isn’t just discovering Japanese tradition.
    It’s rediscovering a truth we all share:
    to cherish what we use, to live with awareness, and to let appreciation shape our lives.

  • From KIREAJI to You

    At KIREAJI, our hope is simple.
    That through Japanese knives, people around the world will find new ways to connect —
    to their craft, to their food, and to the quiet beauty of everyday life.


    If this story moved you, tell someone about it.
    Share the spirit behind November 8 —
    because when gratitude spreads, harmony (wa) grows.

    And that harmony — more than anything — is what keeps both the blade and the heart shining.

  • Before you close this page, ask yourself — and someone close to you —:

    “Do you know what day November 8 is?”
    Then share the story of why Japan calls it the Day of the Blade.
    When stories like this are shared, something beautiful begins to spread.

The Soul of the Blade: Japan’s Culture of Gratitude

  • Japan’s knife tradition teaches that a blade is more than a tool—it is a partner in daily life.
    Honoring it with gratitude and mindful care transforms cooking into a peaceful ritual and deepens our connection to the tools that shape our lives.

Knife Memorial Service

  • When a Blade’s Life Ends, Gratitude Begins

    In Japan, even the most ordinary tool can be seen as carrying a spirit. A kitchen knife is more than steel—it holds the memory of countless meals and the care of its owner. When its life ends, it is not simply thrown away, but honored with respect.

    This tradition is known as Hocho Kuyō, the knife memorial service. It reflects the belief that cherished objects acquire a soul over time. By giving thanks to a worn-out knife, people express gratitude for the craftsmanship that created it and the devotion with which it was used.

    Every year on November 8, Knife Day is celebrated across Japan. The date comes from a playful word association: “11” for ii (good) and “8” for ha (blade). In Sakai, Seki, Sanjo, and other knife-making towns, people bring their old knives to shrines, where they are respectfully laid to rest—not as waste, but as honored companions.

    The knife memorial service is more than a ritual. It is a cultural lesson in treasuring objects, respecting artisans, and pausing to value what we use. To honor a knife is to honor the spirit of craftsmanship itself, ensuring that respect and gratitude are passed on to future generations.

The Soul of Craftsmanship

  • Honoring the Blade — November 8, The Day of Gratitude and Renewal

    In Sakai, where the rhythm of hammer and whetstone still echoes, we craftsmen pause each year on November 8.
    It is a day we call “Ha no Hi” — The Day of the Blade.

    The numbers themselves, 11 (ii) and 8 (ha), form the phrase “ii ha,” meaning a good blade.
    But for us, this day is not about wordplay — it is about remembrance.
    It traces back to the old “Fuyigo Festival,” when blacksmiths across Japan gave thanks for their bellows, the breath of the forge. Without that air, no fire lives. Without that fire, no steel awakens.

  • In my workshop, I light the forge before sunrise.
    The moment the fire catches, I bow. It is an instinct more than a ritual — a quiet thanks to the tools that allow me to create.
    The hammer, the whetstone, the fuigo, and the knife itself — each has a spirit, a rhythm, a patience.
    When I shape steel, I am not only forming a blade. I am continuing a conversation that began centuries ago.

    On November 8, temples and shrines hold Blade Memorial Ceremonies.
    Old knives are wrapped and offered, not discarded but honored — as if returning a soul to rest.
    Even metal deserves gratitude. That belief, I think, is what makes Japanese craftsmanship human.

  • To those who use our knives — chefs, home cooks, and collectors around the world — this day is also yours.
    When you wipe your blade after use, you are part of this tradition.
    When you care for it, sharpen it, or simply pause to admire its reflection, you keep alive the same spirit that guides our hands in Sakai.

    A blade is born from fire and hammer, but its true life begins when it enters your kitchen.
    How you treat it, how you use it — that becomes part of its story.

    So on November 8, take a moment.
    Hold your knife. Feel its balance, its quiet presence.
    Remember that behind it lies not only skill, but gratitude — for the earth, the fire, and the hands that shaped it.

    That is the soul of craftsmanship.
    And that is why, even today, we bow before the blade.

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.