# Yanagi Petty Kanji ID



## cotedupy (Oct 13, 2021)

I’m re-handling a knife for a friend today, which I think he bought in Japan, but doesn’t know the maker. Wondering if anyone could help out?

It’s rather a cute 150mm single bevel, and seems pretty well made. Might have some polishing fun later .

As ever - many thanks!


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## Qapla' (Oct 13, 2021)

菊一 is Kikuichi, but I can't read the first one/pair.


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## spaceconvoy (Oct 13, 2021)

鎌倉 - Kamakura

Made by Kikuichi Togi (菊一伊助) in Kamakura. Here's an old thread with photos of two other knives with this kanji and a link to the store's webpage. A little confusing though, because one member misreads Togi as Isuke, which is the more common reading of 伊助






Another Kanji ID Needed


Calling on the wealth of the Kanji KKF brain!! I just picked up this vintage piece out of an estate sale on the bay and was trying to figure out - who, what, when where or how about it. I wasn't familiar with it, but for some reason had to take it. Any thoughts / translations deeply...




www.kitchenknifeforums.com





But the reading is definitely Togi. They even spell it out in Hiragana on their entrance curtain, probably because it's often misread


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## cotedupy (Oct 13, 2021)

Many thanks both! I'll have a read up, so I can tell him a bit about it tomorrow .

Handle came out really nicely; my friend is a winemaker and wanted a simple one-piece handle from an old oak barrel he'd cut up. The wine doesn't stain very far into the wood, but if you work it cleverly you can keep some of the colour along the sides, in a kinda gradation with the taper...


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## KenHash (Oct 13, 2021)

spaceconvoy said:


> 鎌倉 - Kamakura
> 
> Made by Kikuichi Togi (菊一伊助) in Kamakura. Here's an old thread with photos of two other knives with this kanji and a link to the store's webpage. A little confusing though, because one member misreads Togi as Isuke, which is the more common reading of 伊助
> 
> ...



I am afraid that is incorrect. 伊助 can only be read Isuke. The Togi とぎon the noren in the photo is Togi 研ぎ as in sharpening. Kikuichi Isuke Shouten is known as a Togi Senmonten 研ぎ専門店、Sharpening Specialty Shop.

菊一伊助商店 – 鎌倉ツリープ オンラインストア (treep.jp)


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## Luftmensch (Oct 13, 2021)

cotedupy said:


> seems pretty well made



I am not an expert in this field... but the kanji seems nicely carved? 

Probably completely irrational... but it makes me think: if somebody took the care to nicely carve kanji into a blade, the rest would be a matching quality.


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## spaceconvoy (Oct 13, 2021)

KenHash said:


> I am afraid that is incorrect. 伊助 can only be read Isuke. The Togi とぎon the noren in the photo is Togi 研ぎ as in sharpening. Kikuichi Isuke Shouten is known as a Togi Senmonten 研ぎ専門店、Sharpening Specialty Shop.
> 
> 菊一伊助商店 – 鎌倉ツリープ オンラインストア (treep.jp)


Aaah, thanks for the correction. Google has it listed as Kikuichi Togi, on their maps too. I should know better than to trust Google...


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## cotedupy (Oct 13, 2021)

Luftmensch said:


> I am not an expert in this field... but the kanji seems nicely carved?
> 
> Probably completely irrational... but it makes me think: if somebody took the care to nicely carve kanji into a blade, the rest would be a matching quality.



It does seem to be a very nice knife, and as you say - very swish hand-carved kanji. I'm looking forward to giving it a polish and sharpen this eve / tomorrow


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## KenHash (Oct 13, 2021)

spaceconvoy said:


> Aaah, thanks for the correction. Google has it listed as Kikuichi Togi, on their maps too. I should know better than to trust Google...



I see. Google is showing the location as the Kikuichi Sharpening Store.


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