Japan’s essential tool for the preparation of vegetables

The Nakiri-bocho (literal translation: knife for cutting greens) with its thin straight blade is an excellent tool to chop vegetables – lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, you name it, this is the knife. Fast, rythmic and full chopping strokes right down to the board are possible thanks to its lightweight and wide blade design. The Nakiri-bocho is Japan’s oldest knife and a must have in any kitchen worldwide. Several centuries of experience and how-how have gone into perfecting this knife’s design.

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 name Kuromori means “Black Forest” and was inspired by the classic samurai code of ethics and conduct known as Hagakure – which translates to “Hidden among the Leaves”. This knife is created with handcrafted construction techniques similar to those used when forging a traditional Japanese samurai sword (katana). The result is an impeccably sharp and lightweight knife that performs its intended purpose with passion and vigor.

The Japanese kanji characters engraved on the knife spell out the name of Ohyama Eiju, a masterclass craftsman who lived in Koshinokuni. Each knife pays homage to the pioneers of supreme samurai-sword making craftsmanship. 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.

The teardrop-shaped rosewood handle has a well-defined ridge along its side that fits perfectly in hand, as well stabilizes the blade, preventing it from turning and twisting mid-stroke. It is extremely comfortable and natural to hold and work with for right-handed individuals. For left-handed users, we’ll place a left-handed version of the handle at no additional cost (select the “left-handed” option box below).

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: 165mm (6.5in)
• Blade width: 52mm (2.0in)
• Knife weight: 143g (5.0oz)
• Handcrafted in Takefu using traditional Japanese sword-making techniques (watch video)
• Extremely sharp and lightweight
• Produced from extremely high quality VG-10 stainless steel
• Blade contains high levels of Carbon (1%) for 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)
• Japanese shitan (rosewood) handle with its teardrop-shape and distinct ridge makes it very comfortable to hold (right-handed only). For left-handed users, please check the box below and we’ll place a left-handed version of the handle at no additional cost.
• Unique personalized engraving services are available on the blade of this knife (we will phonetically translate the desired name into Japanese characters). Just $10 per knife!
• 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 UJ Kuromori Nakiri-bocho from Takefu, Japan
• Securely Packaged in Box with Printed Japanese Caligraphy 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.