Denis’s Story: A Journey with Japanese Knives from Switzerland to Sakai

  • For Denis, a KIREAJI customer from Switzerland, Japanese knives are far more than cooking tools.

    They are objects of beauty, precision, memory, and spirit.

    His journey with Japanese knives began many years ago, when he first saw one as a young man. He was immediately struck by its beauty.

    “I thought it was absolutely beautiful,” he recalls. “I told myself that one day I’d buy one of those knives.”

    At the time, however, the Japanese knives he could find in Europe did not meet the level of quality he was searching for. So he waited. He told himself that when he finally found a truly high-quality Japanese knife, he would buy it.

    That moment eventually came in Geneva.

    One day, in a store selling Japanese goods, Denis found a display case filled with magnificent Japanese knives. He left the store with a handmade Tojiro Santoku — a VG10 kurouchi Damascus knife.

    When he returned home, he tested it on dried meat, something he knew very well. What happened next changed the way he thought about knives.

    The dried bacon did not taste the same as usual.

    The cut was so delicate that the texture itself became noticeably better.

    That was the moment he understood that a knife could change the experience of food.

    For Denis, this was not simply the purchase of a knife. It was the beginning of a long journey.

    From that point on, he felt that he would eventually need to replace his entire collection of knives.

    His second Japanese knife was a Honezuki made by the Echizen blacksmith Hiroshi Kato. When he received it, he felt something he had never felt before.

    “This knife had a soul,” Denis says.

    That feeling sparked a deep passion for Japanese knives.

  • Discovering Japanese Cuisine, and the Need for the Right Knives

    Denis’s connection with Japanese knives grew stronger through food.

    One year, on his birthday, his wife took him to the best Japanese restaurant in town. The experience opened an entirely new world of flavors to him.

    It was, in his words, a revelation.

    After that meal, he realized that if he wanted to prepare this kind of food at home, he would need the right knives.

    He discovered a website selling Japanese knives and purchased his first set of traditional Japanese single-bevel knives: Deba, Usuba, Takohiki, and others.

    They were traditional knives from Sakai.

    These knives were much sharper than the Western knives he had been used to. They were also more difficult to use.

    But that difficulty was part of the attraction.

    Japanese knives asked for attention, care, and respect. They required the user to grow together with the tool.

  • Finding KIREAJI

    While browsing online stores that offered Japanese knives, Denis discovered KIREAJI.

    What caught his attention was not only the selection of knives, but also the way KIREAJI introduced the craftsmen behind them.

    KIREAJI does not simply present knives as products. We believe it is important to share the names, hands, and traditions behind each blade.

    For Denis, this mattered.

    “It lets us know the names of the blacksmiths,” he says. “That is important to me.”

    A knife is not only steel, shape, and sharpness.

    Behind every blade, there is a craftsman.

    And for Denis, the skill of the blacksmith is the most important element when choosing a knife.

    “He is the one who put the soul in the blade.”

  • The Meaning of Yuzan’s Knives

  • Among the knives Denis has purchased from KIREAJI, the ones that hold the deepest meaning for him are Yuzan’s knives.

    Yuzan, the late father of Shogo Yamatsuka, was a traditional Sakai craftsman whose honyaki knives are now extremely rare. His work carries a quiet strength, a sense of depth, and a presence that cannot be easily explained.

    For Denis, using a knife forged by Yuzan brought back the same feeling he had experienced with his Honezuki.

    A feeling that the knife had a spirit.

    “Thanks to the knife forged by Yuzan, I’ve rediscovered the same feeling I had with my Honezuki — a spirit that speaks to me,” Denis says. “I can’t explain why or how, but using these knives is an immense pleasure.”

    This is one of the most beautiful parts of Denis’s story.

    Because it shows that a Japanese knife is not only judged by performance.

    Sharpness matters. Balance matters. Steel matters.

    But sometimes, a knife reaches the person using it in a deeper way.

    It becomes something that speaks quietly through the hand.

  • Joy, Happiness, and Better Cooking

  • When asked what kind of feeling these knives give him, Denis answered simply:

    “Joy and happiness.”

    His words are short, but they say a great deal.

    Using Japanese knives has changed the way he prepares food. His cuts have become more precise and more refined. His cooking has improved.

    This is one of the quiet powers of a good knife.

    It does not only cut ingredients.

    It changes how the cook pays attention.

    It changes how the cook moves.

    It changes how the cook sees food.

    For Denis, Japanese knives have made cooking more precise, more delicate, and more joyful.

  • From Knife to Table

  • The final destination of a Japanese knife is not the display case.

    It is the kitchen.

    It is the cutting board.

    It is the meal placed on the table.

    Denis’s photos show not only beautiful knives, but also the life around them — salmon being prepared, finely cut ingredients, and a meal served at home.

    This is exactly what KIREAJI hopes to preserve and share.

    Japanese knives are born from the hands of craftsmen in Japan, but their stories continue in kitchens around the world.

    In Switzerland, in Denis’s home, these knives are not just collected.

    They are used.

    They are appreciated.

    They become part of daily life.

  • A Message to the Craftsmen of Sakai

    When asked if he would like to say anything to the craftsmen in Sakai who made these knives, Denis’s answer was deeply sincere:

    “Thank you very, very much from the deep of my heart for your incredible work.”

    For KIREAJI, this message carries great meaning.

    Our mission is not only to deliver Japanese knives to customers around the world.

    It is also to connect people like Denis with the craftsmen, culture, and spirit behind each knife.

    A knife travels from Sakai to Switzerland.

    But the respect, gratitude, and emotion travel back.

  • To Those Interested in Japanese Knives

    Finally, Denis has a simple message for people around the world who are interested in Japanese knives:

    “Go for it. They are the best knives in the world.”

    His journey began with beauty.

    It deepened through food.

    It grew through craftsmanship.

    And it found something rare in Yuzan’s knives — a soul that speaks to him.

    This is why KIREAJI shares Customer Stories.

    Because a knife is never only a knife.

    In the hands of someone who truly values it, a Japanese knife becomes a connection — between craftsman and user, between tradition and daily life, between Japan and the world.

About Denis

Denis is a home cook and Japanese knife enthusiast from Switzerland.

For him, Japanese knives are not only tools for cooking, but also objects of craftsmanship, beauty, and spirit. Through his journey with Sakai knives and Yuzan’s rare honyaki blades, Denis has come to see Japanese knives as something that connects the hands of the craftsman with the daily life of the person who uses them.

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