This splendid stainless steel Gyuto (Utility knife) is ideal for slicing roast beef, turkey, ham, and vegetables. Not only handy for the holidays, this is a knife that simplifies kitchen tasks all year round. It is also one of the sharpest knives in our collection. It cuts through food like butter.

This kitchen knife was produced by Kirin Hamono exclusively for Unique Japan. Kirin Hamono has been crafting quality kitchen knives in Japan for more than 130 years – having established their guild just after the Meiji Restoration in 1868. This is a significant time in Japanese history as it marked the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate, and with it Japanese swords (katana) were no longer permitted to be worn in public by Samurai.

These knives are born by swordsmiths who simply channeled their katana expertise towards cutlery production to meet a new set of timely demands. Craftsmen working at Kirin Hamono STILL USE sword-making techniques to this day to forge kitchen knives, and are one of the last remaining workshops in Japan proudly doing so.

Kirin knives have been used by many top chefs in Japan that include Nobuo Murakami, the former head chef at Tokyo’s Imperial Hotel and Komei Nakamura who was a champion Iron Chef. A “Kirin” is Japan’s most powerful fire-breathing mythical creature that is said to bring a good omen.

Your kitchen will in turn be filled with the human energy that went into crafting each and every knife. We absolutely promise you’ll feel the difference. Not only is it safer to use a sharp knife, your food will taste better. And most importantly, you’ll be noticeably inspired to eat healthy and enjoy the foods of life!

The beautiful and distinctive “Damascus” textured pattern formed on the blade distinguishes this knife from any other. A cross section of the blade reveals a total of 33 layers of interlocking hard and soft stainless steels. As with Japanese swords, this forging technique makes the knife unbelievably hard to break or bend thus providing lifelong durability. Carbon trace elements in the blade naturally form the stunning wood-grain swirls appearance.

The core of this Shikibu Damascus Gyuto knife, commonly referred to in Japan as the Hagane is made of VG-10 Stainless Steel.

It is important to remember that the Hagane does all the cutting. This is what truly matters. And this Hagane is of world-class quality.

Each piece is a true work of art, each with its own unique character. The knife is engraved with the kanji characters “Shikibu Atsurai”, which is a tribute to Murasaki Shikibu. Lady Murasaki as she is often known in English, was a Japanese novelist, poet, and a maid of honor of the imperial court during the Heian period (794-1185 AD). She is best known as the author of The Tale of Genji, written in Japanese between about 1000 and 1008, one of the earliest novels in human history.

Murasaki Shikibu spent one year of her life in Takefu in Echizen, and there is now a beautiful park built in her honor. Her father, Fujiwara Tametoki, was appointed provincial overseer of Echizen Province and Lady Murasaki came with him. Her experiences in Echizen are said to have had a major influence on her writing The Tale of Genji, and many place names from Echizen appear in the story.

The UJ stamp below the characters gives the owner confidence in knowing that this knife is a genuine handcrafted product of Japan and meets the highest standards.

This knife features a lightweight and easy-to-clean stainless steel dimple-grip handle with well-balanced bolster that’s watertight and hygienic. It is comfortable and natural to hold and work with for right-handed or left-handed individuals.

Hand-forged kitchen knives created in the ancient city of Takefu represent Japanese craftsmanship at its very finest. Dating back almost seven centuries to 1337, master swordsmith Chiyozuru Kuniyasu traveled from Kyoto to the Fukui prefecture looking for water most suitable to forge his samurai swords. His search ended in Koshinokuni, which later grew to be Takefu city.

• Blade length: 180mm (7.1in)
• Handcrafted in Takefu using traditional Japanese sword-making techniques (watch video)
• Fabulously sharp and lightweight
• 33-layer construction (Hagane = Powdered steel core) is wrapped by 30 layers of alternating hard and soft stainless steels with two additional decarbonization prevention layers
• The VG-10 Hagane contains high levels of Carbon (1.0%) for outstanding strength and Chromium (15%) that gives it excellent stain resistance. Other elements in this unique steel fomulation include Vanadium, Molybdenum and Cobalt.
• Hardened to HRC 60-61 (Rockwell Scale)
• Lightweight and easy-to-clean stainless steel dimple-grip handle. It is comfortable and natural to hold and work with for right-handed or left-handed individuals.
• Unique personalized engraving services are available on the blade of this knife (we will phonetically translate the desired name into Japanese characters)
• Each knife has its own unique character that is strikingly evident – no two knives are alike.
• Each knife holds the soul and energy of the men and women who personally handcrafted it.

• Genuine Handcrafted Shikibu Damascus Gyuto from Takefu, Japan
• A Durable Plastic Sheath is Included to Protect and Safeguard the Knife
• Securely Packaged in Box with an Elegant Painting of Murasaki Shikibu Printed on Cover
• Printed Knife Care Instructions Included
• Comprehensive Product Description (text that appears on this page)

• Limited Lifetime Warranty
• 110% Money Back Guarantee
• Payments: Fully Secure through PayPal (accepting all major credit cards and debit cards)
• Deliveries within Japan: Absolutely free. Shipments generally arrive within 1-2 days once dispatched.
• International Express Delivery: Shipment is sent via EMS (Express Mail Service) for only $19.99 from Japan. Normally arrives within 4 days once dispatched. Track and trace code provided.
• Authenticity: Guaranteed. A knife purchased from Unique Japan is a genuine Japanese master craftsmanship investment.