# Top Japanese ‘Smiths



## Karl Dial (Dec 16, 2021)

Rank your top 5. Some guesses would be Y Tanaka (Shigeki is pretty good too), Saji, Anryu, Togashi, Toyama, Yoshizawa, Fujiwara, Hinoura, Hattori. Pretty sure I am leaving some really good ones out. 
Also who are the best sharpeners?


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## preizzo (Dec 16, 2021)

Tatsuo ikeda ,Kenichi shiraki , yoshikazu ikeda ,genkai masakuni ,mazaki , yoshiaki Fujiwara


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## esoo (Dec 16, 2021)

Talking about a Y Tanaka without talking about the sharpener is meaningless. He may forge good steel, but someone else really makes the knife what it is.


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## Nemo (Dec 16, 2021)

What type of steel are we talking about?


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## Qapla' (Dec 16, 2021)

And what kind of knife are we talking about?


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## IsoJ (Dec 16, 2021)

TFTFTFTFTF


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## M1k3 (Dec 17, 2021)

Nakaya Mazakanabeoyamakaine.


EDIT: Missed it was Top 5, not Top 3.


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## Luftmensch (Dec 17, 2021)

M1k3 said:


> Mazakanabeoyamakaine



_hon_mazakanabeoyamakaine...


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## refcast (Dec 17, 2021)

Kameo Ikeda / Masahisa 正久


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## jedy617 (Dec 17, 2021)

me


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## M1k3 (Dec 17, 2021)

Luftmensch said:


> _hon_mazakanabeoyamakaine...


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## new2brew (Dec 18, 2021)

Takeda, Toyoma, Y Tanaka, Yosikane, Wakui


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## RockyBasel (Dec 19, 2021)

Y Tanaka
Toyama
Togashi
Shig
Kato

There are many others - S Tanaka, Ikeda (could be above) TF, Yoshikane, T Hinoura, Etc. that are amazing if not better performers at times. 

But I am thinking less about looks, price, or point in time performance, and more about consistency, quality, reputation, and performance over sustained, long period of time


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## Moooza (Dec 20, 2021)

Smiths or knifemakers specifically?


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## Karl Dial (Dec 21, 2021)

knifesmiths, the forgers


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## NotAddictedYet (Dec 29, 2021)

Toyanabe
Watayama 
Mazanabe
Toyazaki
Watazaki


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