History of the Japanese knife

History of the Japanese knife

Kitchen knives rooted in Japanese culture

Japanese sword making craftsmanship plays a very important role in the making of Japanese knives . If you didn't know, the difference between Japanese swords and foreign swords is also true in the world of kitchen knives.

Swords and sabers have been the source of various dramas in history, but they are very interesting tools that clearly show the Japanese national character coming from various elements such as religion.

Samurai sword and Viking sword

The characteristics of Japanese swords are their sharpness and hardness. In comparison, overseas swords are characterized by their toughness and flexibility. There is also research that this cultural difference in cutlery comes from the physical difference of the locals.

It is said that the Japanese tend to demand sharp blades due to their relatively small size. On the other hand, people from overseas who are supposedly stronger and have greater power tend to look for heavier but more malleable materials. They also look for tools that are highly resistant to rust so that they can be used for a long time.

Also, the difference in eating habits seems to be the basis for the creation of a unique cutlery culture in Japan. Since ancient times, the Japanese have mainly eaten fish and vegetables. Fish bones are softer than meat bones, but even so, the blade must be sharp. The harder the blade, the less likely it is to be chipped.

Japanese cuisine and the know-how in manufacturing the various cutting tools essential in the kitchen are now recognized throughout the world. Professionals intend to continue working to continue to transmit the excellent techniques and ideas of their predecessors to future generations and throughout the world.

The knife was Mr. Hotei's sword.

"Knife" is originally written as "Cultellus". The "庖" in this 庖子 refers to a cook. " Ding " is the name of a craftsman who served King Hui of Wei during the Warring States period of China in BC. " Knife » appeared in the ancient Chinese book “ Zhuang Zhou ” and is said to be a legendary cook who existed over 2,000 years ago.

The description of the sword states that it was very sharp, and that thousands of cows were handled without the need for sharpening. It is said that the preferred sword " OCuteau " was omitted and became " Couteau " .

Japanese kitchen knife originally developed

Originally, people began to use certain types of tools that gradually evolved into the knives we all know. Initially, stone tools had the same use as today's knives, but were much more difficult to use.

The oldest surviving form of kitchen knife is found at Nara Shosoin.

The oldest surviving knives in Japan are those from the Nara period, which are kept at Shosoin in Nara. Since the kitchen knife itself was a consumable that was re-sharpened and used, there were few of them. Legend has it that kitchen knives existed even before the Nara period. The shape of this oldest kitchen knife resembles a Japanese sword and the handle is very long.

Knives of this shape were used until the middle of the Edo period, and it is said that knives of the same shape as the Japanese Deba, Yanagi, and Nakiri knives seen today arrived in the middle of the second half of the Edo period. It can be said that during the Edo period, the world was stable and culture was highly developed. Along with this, various culinary cultures developed, and cooking tools evolved accordingly.

In the Meiji era, "Western" knives developed in Japan due to different cooking techniques. For example, in Japan, there was no custom of eating cows. Therefore, the necessary tools were not present in Japan. This is why "Western" knives came about, which are generally called " chef's knives ".

In the Showa era, cultural knives were developed. These include the Nakiri knife with a straight tip, and then the Santoku knife with a more rounded tip. They became essential at home.

Nowadays, this form of kitchen knife is considered a traditional Japanese form. It is called "Santoku" overseas and is widely used. In addition, with the export of sushi culture, Japanese knives have been exported overseas, and Yanagi-sashimi knives are called "Yanagi-Sashimi" and "Sashimi", and Nakiri knives are called "Nakiri". Unique kitchen knives are spreading overseas with the same name.

Since the 21st century, the performance of Japanese-made knives has been recognized worldwide. Many renowned chefs opt for professional knives designed by Japanese manufacturers.

At the same time as Japanese cuisine became world-renowned for its quality in terms of good food, it was also the time when the traditional technique of "kitchen knives" cultivated in Japan was recognized.

Hometown of kitchen knives

Japan is a country with a highly developed cutlery culture, represented by Japanese swords , and it is said that the first mark of Japanese craftsmanship was the sword.

The sword technique passed down from the Chinese mainland and the Korean Peninsula became a unique form of Japan, and it was from the early Heian period that Japanese swords as they are today were made. In the Momoyama period, they were mainly produced in five regions (Bizen = Okayama, Sagami = Kanagawa, Yamashiro = Kyoto, Yamato = Nara, Mino = Gifu) called Gokaden Forging Law. For the production of Japanese swords, the "tamahagane" method of making iron sand, which is to heat iron sand at a high temperature with charcoal and turn the iron into steel, is important, and this technique was passed down by swordsmiths.

After the Meiji era, only military swords were temporarily made due to the abolition of swords. However, due to the enactment of the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties after the war, they are now mainly made as arts and crafts that enthusiasts buy to order. Basically, Japanese swords can only be made by skilled swordsmiths.

The cutting tool is a manufacturing method in which steel or soft iron is heated to a high temperature in a kettle and then struck with a hammer to finish it into shape, and the technology of making Japanese swords is used.

Typical blade production areas are Echigo blades (Niigata Prefecture), Echizen blades (Fukui Prefecture), Sakai blades (Osaka Prefecture), Banshu Miki blades (Hyogo Prefecture), Tosa blades (Kochi Prefecture), etc.

In the second half of the Showa era, the stainless steel manufacturing technology was established, and the refining technology of "useful equipment" comparable to "tamahagane" was born. (Nukihamono) is now an established manufacturing method. Cheap, not easy to rust, and easy to handle kitchen knives are now on the market. Tsubame City, Niigata Prefecture, was originally a city famous for the production of Western tableware, and this Western tableware manufacturing technology was used in the production of blades.

The all-stainless steel integrated kitchen knife, which has become popular in recent years, was originally a technique of a swallow craftsman who was born through trial and error by incorporating the manufacturing technology of Western tableware such as table knives into the kitchen knife.

The rich and prestigious history of the Japanese knife has influenced various cultures and traditions around the world. Manufacturing techniques inherited for centuries have resulted in knives of unmatched quality, appreciated by professional chefs and passionate amateurs alike. At the same time, this artisanal ingenuity has also inspired the development of folding knives, offering uncompromising practicality and portability. These modern folding knives , often featuring sophisticated mechanisms and high-quality materials, combine the heritage of Japanese cutlery with contemporary design, offering a harmonious fusion of tradition and innovation.