The Nakiri-bocho (literal translation: knife for cutting greens) with its thin straight blade is an excellent tool to chop vegetables. 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.

This knife is created with handcrafted construction techniques used when forging a traditional Japanese samurai sword (katana). The blade is hand-forged of both high-carbon and low-carbon steel. The result is an impeccably sharp and lightweight knife that performs its intended purpose with incredible precision.

There is no need to sharpen the knife for the first 6 months of regular usage. It stays VERY sharp. Eventually it will need to be sharpened and we recommend using the Suehiro Roll Sharpener that can sharpen all types of kitchen knives safely and without damage.

The knives in our Unsui collection feature a unique hammertone pattern, designed to allow cut food to slide easily from the knife’s surface. The pattern is inspired in part by the exquisite beauty of Echizen Japanese washi paper. In addition, the hammering process allows the molecule mixture to become more compact at the microscopic level, giving the knife its strength, sharpness and longevity. Each knife is a true work of art, with no two knives the same. The superior quality and craftsmanship is strikingly evident.

The Japanese kanji stamped on the knife reads Unsui, which means “flowing clouds and water”. This is a term to describe the dedicated spiritual training of Zen Buddhist monks who have achieved enlightenment after an initial period of training under their first master, take to the road in search of other masters. This is a knife meant for someone who is devoted to perfecting his or her craft. The UJ stamp gives the owner confidence in knowing that this knife is a genuine handcrafted product of Japan and meets the highest standards.

The sakura (Japanese cherry tree) handle is extremely comfortable and natural to hold and work with for left or right-handed individuals. For an extra $20, this handle can be substituted for a Rosewood handle (as seen on the Kuromori Nakiri-bocho).

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: 175mm (6.9in)
• Handcrafted in Takefu using traditional Japanese sword-making techniques (watch video)
• Extremely sharp and lightweight
• Produced from extremely high quality V-1 stainless steel
• Blade contains high levels of Carbon (1%) for strength and Chromium (5%) that gives it adequate stain resistance (must keep dry after use). Other elements in this unique steel fomulation include Vanadium, Molybdenum and Cobalt.
• Hardened to HRC 60-61 (Rockwell Scale)
• Traditional oval-shaped sakura (Japanese cherry tree) handle allows the knife to chop at any angle required. 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

• Genuine Handcrafted Unsui 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.