# Top Japanese Makers/blacksmiths



## bear1889 (Jan 15, 2014)

I apologize ahead of time if this thread has been started before but I can't find one. Based upon personal opinion, who are the top 5 or 6 Japanese makers/smiths that are readily available in the US?

I have seen a thread on western knives but not one on Japanese gyutos.


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## bkultra (Jan 15, 2014)

The Japanese knife industry works very different form the western world. It would be much harder to name the "top" blacksmiths due to this.


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## chefcomesback (Jan 15, 2014)

Very subjective , especially if you throw in "readily available" criteria . If you look from craftsmanship side I am sure there are plenty great blacksmiths out there , even if I knew all of them one by one I wouldn't do a top 5 or 10 list.


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## bear1889 (Jan 15, 2014)

Ok let's do it this way, in your opinion and personal ownership, who do you like? Is this possible to answer?


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## Lefty (Jan 15, 2014)

Impossible to say the top makers, but it's fair to say really good makers/brands. My list includes:

Shigefusa, Itinomonn, Konosuke Fujiyama, (based on reviews) Heiji, and for pure value Yamawaku.


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## chefcomesback (Jan 15, 2014)

When you mention value Lefty, it would be lot more complicated , lot of the big names had started as good value like Takeda , Watanabe or even Carter.If you were to paying $250 on Yamawaku I dont think it would be on the list though , hence I believe it is the reason you mention Itinomonn since it is a good value.
I agree on Shigefusa deserving a spot there


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## tkern (Jan 15, 2014)

Shiraki comes to mind


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## Canadian (Jan 15, 2014)

bear1889 said:


> Ok let's do it this way, in your opinion and personal ownership, who do you like? Is this possible to answer?



Shigefusa.


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## bear1889 (Jan 15, 2014)

I can always count on Lefty to start things off. Thanks for your answers guys. This gives me some avenues to research.


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## mpukas (Jan 15, 2014)

In no particular order, disregarding cost and availability, and by no means a complete list; 

Shigefusa, Yoshikane, Heiji, Yoshiaki Fujiwara Kato, Hide, Shiraki-san, Yusuke, Konosuke


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## brainsausage (Jan 15, 2014)

I'll third Shigefusa, and second Kato.


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## Mrmnms (Jan 15, 2014)

mpukas said:


> In no particular order, disregarding cost and availability, and by no means a complete list;
> 
> Shigefusa, Yoshikane, Heiji, Yoshiaki Fujiwara Kato, Hide, Shiraki-san, Yusuke, Konosuke



I would add Teruyasu Fujiwara


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## Hbeernink (Jan 15, 2014)

bear1889 said:


> I apologize ahead of time if this thread has been started before but I can't find one. Based upon personal opinion, who are the top 5 or 6 Japanese makers/smiths that are readily available in the US?
> 
> I have seen a thread on western knives but not one on Japanese gyutos.



as others have mentioned, it's a bit more complicated. You'd need to categorize the top smiths (and probably for a particular steel...), and then categorize the top sharpeners/polishers.

the lists that are getting put up include a combination of smiths, sharpeners, and single makers who do both. Very difficult.


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## Lefty (Jan 15, 2014)

I think we're just trying to throw out some reliably good places for high-end knives, out of Japan. 

I would like to add the Zensho knives to my list, Alec.


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## Von blewitt (Jan 15, 2014)

Mizuno probably rates a mention, my honyaki is a pretty amazing knife, although F&F for the price is a little off.


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## bahamaroot (Jan 15, 2014)

Tanaka, Masakage, Kikuichi, Masamoto


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## JKerr (Jan 15, 2014)

Surprised no one has mentioned Keijiro Doi. Although he has retired I suppose.


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## chefcomesback (Jan 15, 2014)

Hinoura with sumingashi, Hattori with his KD line , I am sure Jin deserves a spot for his single bevels


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## bkultra (Jan 15, 2014)

Shigefusa, Heiji, Masamoto, Mizuno Tanrenjo, Yoshiaki Fujiwara (Kato)


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## ThEoRy (Jan 16, 2014)

What are the top 3 colors of all time as well?


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## eshua (Jan 16, 2014)

I sometimes wonder if the growing but small NA variety in selection leads to a sort of circle jerk. I'm really thankful for vendors and makers who have expanded outside Japan, but what percentage of quality production are we seeing?

My Doi yanagi's are fast and pleasant to sharpen, give a good looking contrast, and balance bite and precision... Compared to others that I over polished or just didn't get. But I've used maybe 5-6 brands of single bevel knife ever so that's for what its worth.


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## Yamabushi (Jan 16, 2014)

ThEoRy said:


> What are the top 3 colors of all time as well?


Easy... the primary colors! 

Regarding knives, while there are many skilled craftsman, Heiji and Kato (Fujiwara Yoshiaki) top my list. It's their unique geometry and top notch heat treatment that does it for me! I've got two Heiji's, a gyuto and petty, slated to arrive in 3-5 weeks, and am planning on getting a Kato in the spring.


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## mdoublestack (Jan 16, 2014)

My two favorite gyuto makers after trying many... Mizuno Tanrejo and Shigefusa.


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## erikz (Jan 16, 2014)

Pretty much the stuff Maksim sells and add to that Takeda and for value for money I'd add Masakage.


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## Salty dog (Jan 16, 2014)

Little surprised Nenohi wasn't mentioned.


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## XooMG (Jan 16, 2014)

Don't forget Richmond... :tease: *ducks*


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## Ruso (Jan 16, 2014)

I never had/used it, but I thought Suisin was well regarded.


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## ThEoRy (Jan 16, 2014)

Salty dog said:


> Little surprised Nenohi wasn't mentioned.



I don't have personal experience with nenohi but I've always admired their high end stuff. Very classy, especially the handles.


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## Canadian (Jan 16, 2014)

I might get crucified for saying this, but I place a higher value (subjective judgment) on knives that are forged vs stock removal.


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## labor of love (Jan 16, 2014)

watanabe should be included if he wasnt already.


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## seward (Jan 16, 2014)

Any place to buy a Doi, besides the one that apparently can't be mentioned?


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## Nmko (Jan 16, 2014)

Korin sells Doi's work, or at least they did last time i looked...


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## jimbob (Jan 16, 2014)

Doi made knives for Sakai Takayuki aswell... I got one off rakuten.


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## Hbeernink (Jan 17, 2014)

seward said:


> Any place to buy a Doi, besides the one that apparently can't be mentioned?



Suisin hayate line is made by Doi (available at korin)


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## berko (Jan 17, 2014)

to me, ashi deserves a place there.


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## XooMG (Jan 17, 2014)

Part of me thinks it's a little like Chinese/Taiwanese restaurants, where every shop and the one next to it is famous. I'm actually almost more curious which ones are _not_ famous or respected.


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## echerub (Jan 17, 2014)

There's a difference between someone calling themselves famous versus other people calling them famous


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## Yamabushi (Jan 17, 2014)

echerub said:


> There's a difference between someone calling themselves famous versus other people calling them famous


Haha! Yes indeed!


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## Hbeernink (Jan 17, 2014)

I definitely have my preferences on makers/brands that I trust will be stellar out of the box (note, not necessarily sharp, but well made with no 'problems'), but I wonder how much of that is really a reflection of the actual maker/sharpener, and how much is a reflection on the vendor who inspects and actually then sells the knife? 

no doubt it's a combination of both

I'm absolutely convinced that folks like Jon and Maksim are personally inspecting every blade as a last-step quality measure, and they catch the occasional overgrind or warpage/mismounted handle so they don't actually reach us as the consumer - I trust them fully, and I've not had a problem from either of those vendors - but I have seen real overgrinds and mis-mounted handles from other vendors, so would actually prefer to purchase knives from them in person where I can select my own. A quick trip to the shops in Japan will show that these problems are fairly common (although the stores in Japan that I've purchased from are very accommodating and will fix/exchange/select the best, etc, IME)

I suppose it still doesn't answer the question of who the top makers/smiths are... my votes go to Hideyaki Yamamoto, Tokifusa Iizuka, Kenichi Shiraki, and Kiyoshi Kato - folks already mentioned here. But to be honest, while these are among the most outstanding knives I own my opinion of them is formed by only a few examples of their work (in some cases just one!) and they're the ones most readily available in a fairly narrow price category. I'd love to hear a short list of the best smiths from a sharpener/polisher (and a short list of sharpeners from a smith...)

realistically, the best makers IMHO are the ones whose knives you're reaching for most often


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## JMJones (Jan 17, 2014)

Now are most of the names mentioned a single blacksmith that does all the work or is it a small shop with a few people or are they companies or brands that produce the knives.


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## GWalkaa (Jan 17, 2014)

Great thread!


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## Hbeernink (Jan 17, 2014)

JMJones said:


> Now are most of the names mentioned a single blacksmith that does all the work or is it a small shop with a few people or are they companies or brands that produce the knives.



it's a combination - big brands like masamoto, suisin, and konosuke use smiths and sharpeners from multiple places and shuffle materials around to get everything done in a consistent way (with some exceptions that have individual identifiable craftsmen in their lines), and are really mostly just brand houses with little craftsman individuality (exceptions noted). I think konosuke is better known as a different brand in japan (kaneshige). Takeda is a one stop shop, but I think employs several folks so even then you're not necessarily getting a single craftsman-made knife. But there are certainly the individual craftsmen that are both forging and sharpening, sometimes with their sons helping - Osamu Takeishi (Heiji), Kiyoshi Kato (Yoshiaki Fujiwara), and Tokifusa Iizuka (shigefusa) come to mind (although even these guys may be employing assistants, etc). 

And that's why it's so complicated to run a list of the "best knifemakers"...


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## Keith Sinclair (Jan 17, 2014)

Ruso said:


> I never had/used it, but I thought Suisin was well regarded.



I have two Suisin single bevels,excellent knives.


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## brainsausage (Jan 17, 2014)

My Suisin Hayate 300mm Sakimaru Takobiki by Master Doi is beyond reproach.


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## bkultra (Jan 17, 2014)

Hbeernink said:


> And that's why it's so complicated to run a list of the "best knifemakers"...



I quoted just the end of your post for simplicity, but this is what I was referring to in my initial post.


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## stevenn21 (Jan 27, 2014)

murrey carter is one of the best


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## Andrey V (Jan 28, 2014)

what about a Teruyasu Fujiwara? I like it a lot. Some Hattori's are not bad as well. 
Shigefusa- of course, he is on top..


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## nachuraru (Jan 28, 2014)

stevenn21 said:


> murrey carter is one of the best



Sounds very western.


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## bkultra (Jan 28, 2014)

nachuraru said:


> Sounds very western.



Here is some of his background. I would say its safe to refer to him as a Japanese bladesmith

Murray Carter, 17th generation Yoshimoto Bladesmith

http://www.cartercutlery.com/about-us/


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## shinyunggyun (Aug 14, 2021)

Yoshikazu Tanaka. The one who nobody considers the very best, and at the same time, the one who nobody can live without.


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