Monitoring Desk
ISLAMABAD/SEKI, JAPAN: Japanese artisans sharpen and polish kitchen knives in several cities once known for producing samurai swords as the demand for their butchering tools has surged amidst the pandemic-induced home cooking boom worldwide.
But even operating at total capacity, their small business can’t meet the demand from around the world.
The export boom amidst the pandemic
In Japan, the exports of knives and other bladed instruments, such as scissors, reached a record high last year because of the rise in home cooking necessitated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Many aspiring and experienced chefs also switch to Japanese knives because they value their fine precision, sleek polish, and long lifespan.
The owner of Sumikama Cutlery in Seki, in the center of Japan, Katsumi Sumikama, attributes the success to “a blend of technology and traditional craftsmanship.” The business uses equipment that ensures accuracy to one-thousandth of a millimeter to generate the formidable sharp edge required to prepare exquisite sushi or cut exact slices of Wagyu beef; artisans then complete the task by hand. But Sumikama told AFP that even at total capacity, “we can’t keep up.”
In all countries, the demand is higher than before the outbreak.
Seki has long been known for its blade expertise, which dates back to the 14th century when the city’s rich natural setting helped it grow into a notable producer of swords.
He said, “The clean water, charcoal, and raw materials were ideal for sword-making.” High-quality iron was made from iron and was forged into a tough sword by folding red-hot metal multiple times and molded into a curved shape by plunging it into the chilled water.
The business suffered when samurai were told to put down their swords in 1876, but after World War II, the city started making pocket knives for export.
The business initially experienced a boom, and the fixed yen-to-dollar exchange rate favored large-scale exports to the United States.
However, when this policy was abandoned in the 1970s, and China started producing goods at lower prices, Japan lost its ability to compete.
Truly worldwide
There were hard times, Sumikama admitted. “The blade-makers in Seki felt they needed a new approach.” Luxury Japanese items were rare during the period, and German products—including knives from Zwilling—dominated the market for high-end knife ware.
Sumikama went all out in the 1990s, releasing a complete line of luxury kitchen knives with prices that might reach several hundred dollars each.
His company added a wavy two-tone finish to the metal that resembles the traditional appearance of samurai blades and a kanji-character mark to underline their made-in-Japan heritage.
Despite their classy appearance, Sumikara claimed he encountered resistance to his pricey blades from inside and outside the company.
He claimed people would only buy Japanese products if they were less expensive than German ones.
But the line proved successful, and the company now sells its luxury knives in over 50 countries. According to Japan Customs, the export value of kitchen-bladed tools hit a record 12 billion yen ($90 million) in 2021, 30 percent more than around nine billion yen the last year.
French chef Olivier Odds, whose Tokyo restaurant boasted a Michelin star between 2014 and 2021, has been a devotee for over two decades.
Japanese knives now have a “truly worldwide” reputation. “I know many French chefs who buy Japanese knives for themselves and their whole team whenever they come to Japan,” he told AFP in his restaurant’s tiny kitchen.
Essence of the knife
Oddos claims that the Japanese blades’ incredible sharpness makes all the difference. “It cuts flawlessly, and it has a clean cut. According to him, it “changes the cooking quality frequently “. Japanese knives require routine sharpening with stones, although Oddos claimed that “if you take excellent care of them, they have an amazing lifespan.”
Kama-Asa, a store run for more than a century on Tokyo’s renowned Kappabashi kitchenware strip, is owned by Daisuke Kumazawa. In the last ten years, he said, interest in Japanese food and swords has skyrocketed abroad, and he claimed that chefs seek high-quality blades for “delicate work.”
The products are so popular that he opened a Paris branch four years ago. But he has also noted a pandemic rise in interest. “Probably because they were at home more often, more people wanted to take time to cook and cook better,” he said.
At Kama-Asa, assistants explain dozens of knives to a steady stream of Japanese and foreign customers. Kumazawa wants buyers to consider Japanese knives more than simple kitchen tools. “We want them to know why they are good — the blade’s essence, the craft’s thoughts.
