KIREAJI Blog About Japanese Knives

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

Breathing Life into Tradition: Challenges and E...

Sakai City, renowned for its world-class forged blades, faces growing challenges such as declining demand, an aging artisan population, and a lack of successors. This article explores how the city...

Breathing Life into Tradition: Challenges and E...

Sakai City, renowned for its world-class forged blades, faces growing challenges such as declining demand, an aging artisan population, and a lack of successors. This article explores how the city...

Choosing to Inherit the Craft: A Story of Two Brothers Breathing Life into Sakai Blades

Choosing to Inherit the Craft: A Story of Two B...

In the heart of Sakai, two young blacksmiths follow their father's path—not just to forge knives, but to shape a meaningful life rooted in craft and community. Amid a national...

Choosing to Inherit the Craft: A Story of Two B...

In the heart of Sakai, two young blacksmiths follow their father's path—not just to forge knives, but to shape a meaningful life rooted in craft and community. Amid a national...

A New Chapter at KIREAJI: The Birth of Japanese Knife Academy

A New Chapter at KIREAJI: The Birth of Japanese...

The Japanese Knife Academy is now live — a new KIREAJI initiative dedicated to sharing the soul of Japanese knives with the world.From the roots of samurai swordsmithing to the...

A New Chapter at KIREAJI: The Birth of Japanese...

The Japanese Knife Academy is now live — a new KIREAJI initiative dedicated to sharing the soul of Japanese knives with the world.From the roots of samurai swordsmithing to the...

Is the Global Popularity of Japanese Knives Real? 2024 Export Trends and What’s Next

Is the Global Popularity of Japanese Knives Rea...

Japanese kitchen knives—renowned for their precision, sharpness, and craftsmanship—are gaining attention around the world. But is this just a temporary trend, or a sign of long-term global growth? In this...

Is the Global Popularity of Japanese Knives Rea...

Japanese kitchen knives—renowned for their precision, sharpness, and craftsmanship—are gaining attention around the world. But is this just a temporary trend, or a sign of long-term global growth? In this...

The Timeless Art of Sakai Forged Blades: Embracing Tradition and Innovation for the Future

The Timeless Art of Sakai Forged Blades: Embrac...

Sakai, Japan has long been home to some of the world’s finest forged blades, revered by professional chefs and artisans alike. But beyond their exquisite sharpness lies a deeper story—one...

The Timeless Art of Sakai Forged Blades: Embrac...

Sakai, Japan has long been home to some of the world’s finest forged blades, revered by professional chefs and artisans alike. But beyond their exquisite sharpness lies a deeper story—one...

How Sakai’s Subsidy Program is Forging a New Generation of Knife Makers

How Sakai’s Subsidy Program is Forging a New Ge...

Sakai, the historic hub of Japanese knife-making, is facing a generational shift. With fewer young people entering the trade, the city launched a bold initiative: the Subsidy Program for Successor...

How Sakai’s Subsidy Program is Forging a New Ge...

Sakai, the historic hub of Japanese knife-making, is facing a generational shift. With fewer young people entering the trade, the city launched a bold initiative: the Subsidy Program for Successor...

The Soul of Craftsmanship

  • The Essence of Knife Making: Crafting a Story Through Material and Shape

    Knife making is not merely the act of producing a tool—it is the art of weaving a story through steel. Every piece of raw material is heated, hammered, and drawn out, gradually transforming from unshaped metal into a blade that feels alive in the hand of its user. The moment when steel responds to the rhythm of the hammer, as if infused with spirit, is where the true joy of the craft lies.

  • What we pursue is not only sharpness, but the “perfect strike” that connects seamlessly with its user. A knife becomes complete only when it carries the story of its making into the kitchen, continuing its journey through the meals and memories it helps create.

  • Each blade, therefore, is more than a tool—it is a story waiting to unfold in your hands.
Sakai Traditional Craftsmen Collection

Our Story

  • Tradition of Sakai, in Your Hands

    "Where can I find a truly great knife?"
    We started KIREAJI to answer that question. While the number of skilled craftsmen is declining in Japan, many people overseas are seeking authentic blades. With that in mind, we carefully deliver each knife—bridging tradition and kitchens around the world.
Our Story