Asaoya Yaichi

タグ: Expensive Japanese Knife

  • Authentic Japanese Knives — Why True Craftsmanship Deserves Fair Value

    Authentic Japanese Knives — Why True Craftsmanship Deserves Fair Value

    Ishizuchi Kanamono Manufactory

    Authentic Japanese Knives are often discussed in terms of sharpness, steel, performance and craftsmanship. But behind every genuine handmade knife is something that is much harder to see: the years of knowledge, experience and dedication required to make it.

    Price matters. I understand that completely. A more affordable knife can make Japanese knives accessible to more people, especially those buying their first serious kitchen knife. There is nothing wrong with offering good value, and there is nothing wrong with occasional sales or promotions.

    But I believe there is an important difference between making a good knife more accessible and allowing genuine craftsmanship to become a permanent race toward the lowest possible price.

    At Asaoya Yaichi, that distinction matters to me.

    👉 Visit our online store:
    https://asaoyayaichi.com.au

    Authentic Japanese Knives Are More Than Products


    180mm Santoku VG10N 33 Layer Damascus Green Marble Handle Rainbow Spacer Orange

    When we pick up a handmade Japanese knife, we see the finished blade. We do not immediately see the years it took the craftsman to develop the skills required to make it.

    Forging, heat treatment, grinding, sharpening and finishing all require experience. The final knife represents not only materials and labour, but knowledge passed down and refined over generations.

    That is why I believe Authentic Japanese Knives should be valued for more than their specifications.

    👉 INTERNAL LINK: “Hand-Forged vs Machine-Made Japanese Knives”

    This does not mean that an expensive knife is automatically a better knife. I have worked in professional kitchens for more than 25 years, and I know very well that price alone does not determine how useful a knife will be.

    👉 INTERNAL LINK: “Is an Expensive Japanese Knife Really Worth It?”

    But there is a difference between questioning whether a knife is worth its price and expecting genuine craftsmanship to continually become cheaper.

    Fair Value Does Not Mean Never Having a Sale


    210mm Sujihiki Aogami #2 Kurouchi Magnolia Handle

    I think this distinction is important.

    A seasonal promotion, special offer or occasional discount can help someone experience a good Japanese knife for the first time. A retailer may choose to reduce its own margin for many different reasons.

    That does not change the underlying value of the craftsmanship.

    What concerns me is not discounting itself. It is the idea that authentic handmade products should always compete by becoming cheaper than the next seller.

    If price becomes the main battlefield, eventually someone in the chain has to absorb that pressure.

    And I do not want that pressure to continually move towards the people actually making the knives.

    Authentic Japanese Knives Exist Because Craftsmen Still Make Them


    180mm Santoku Aogami #2 Green Micarta Handle with Turquoise Spacer

    Today, Japanese-style knives are produced around the world. Many are affordable, and some are perfectly good kitchen tools.

    There is room for them.

    But genuine Japanese craftsmanship exists because there are still people willing to spend years learning how to forge, heat treat, grind and finish blades.

    👉 INTERNAL LINK: “Tosa Knives and Kurouchi — Why the Black Finish Became So Common”

    Traditional craftsmanship cannot survive on admiration alone.

    People can tell craftsmen that their work is beautiful, important and culturally valuable. But if the profession cannot provide a sustainable future, eventually fewer people may be willing to dedicate their lives to learning it.

    The Future of Authentic Japanese Knives Depends on the Next Generation


    180mm Kiritsuke Aogami #2 Kurouchi Walnut Octagonal Handle

    This is where the subject becomes much bigger than the price of one knife.

    Preserving Japanese knife making is not simply about keeping old techniques alive today. Someone has to learn those techniques tomorrow.

    👉 INTERNAL LINK: 流通 | Tosa Knife History: 5 Surprising Ways Tosa Blades Spread Across Japan

    I want young people to be able to look at a respected blacksmith and think:

    “I want to become like that person.”

    For that to happen, craftsmanship must offer more than respect. It must also offer the possibility of building a meaningful and sustainable career.

    If a young apprentice can see that an exceptional craftsman is recognised around the world, that their knives are valued, and that their name itself carries meaning, becoming a blacksmith can become something to aspire to.

    That matters because without a next generation, even centuries of tradition can eventually stop.

    I also believe that achieving this future is not the responsibility of blacksmiths alone. Those of us who sell Japanese knives have a role to play as well.

    Rather than seeing each other only as competitors, perhaps knife retailers can collectively help raise the appreciation and value of genuine Japanese craftsmanship. We may run different businesses, carry different knives and approach the market in different ways, but ultimately, a stronger appreciation for authentic Japanese knives can help support the craftsmen and the tradition we all depend on.

    I Want Craftsmen’s Names to Carry Value


    165mm Usuba A8 Hammered Damascus Black & Red Octagonal Handle

    One of my hopes for Japanese knives is that the finest examples will increasingly be viewed in the same way we appreciate fine watches, jewellery and other forms of exceptional craftsmanship.

    Not because a kitchen knife should become something too precious to use.

    Quite the opposite. A great knife should be used.

    But we can use something every day while still respecting the person who created it.

    In the world of fine craftsmanship, the maker’s name can become part of the object’s value. I would like to see more Japanese blacksmiths receive that same recognition.

    I want people to say:

    “This knife was made by this craftsman.”

    And for that statement to mean something.

    👉 INTERNAL LINK: “Handmade Japanese Knives” / your existing article discussing handmade knives and long blacksmith waiting times

    Perhaps one day a young person will see a blacksmith whose knives are respected and valued around the world and think, “If I dedicate myself to this craft, maybe my name could mean something too.”

    That is how a tradition gains a future.

    Authentic Japanese Knives Should Carry Their True Value Forward


    180mm Santoku SG2 Rosewood Octagonal Handle

    At Asaoya Yaichi, I want customers to receive good value. There may be promotions, special offers and opportunities to purchase knives at reduced prices.

    But I do not want the long-term value of Authentic Japanese Knives to be determined simply by who can sell them for the lowest price.

    There is a difference between offering customers a good deal and undervaluing the craft itself.

    For me, respecting Japanese knife making means respecting the customer, the knife and the people who make it.

    I hope Japanese Knives in Australia continue to gain recognition not only for their sharpness and performance, but also for the craftsmen and traditions behind them.

    Because when craftsmen are properly valued, the profession itself has value.

    And when a profession has a future, a young person may dream of becoming part of it.

    A good knife can last for many years.

    A healthy tradition should last for generations.

    👉 Explore more:
    https://blog.asaoyayaichi.com.au

    👉 Visit our online store:
    https://asaoyayaichi.com.au

    Thank you for reading, and I hope to see you again in the next story.

  • Is an Expensive Japanese Knife Really Worth the Money?

    Is an Expensive Japanese Knife Really Worth the Money?

    Asaoya Yaichi

    Is an expensive Japanese knife really worth the money?

    If a $300 Japanese knife can be sharpened until it is extremely sharp, what exactly are you getting when you spend $500, $1,000, or even $2,000 on a knife?

    After more than 25 years working in professional kitchens, I still believe the most important thing about any knife is simple: it has to cut well. No matter how beautiful the handle is, how rare the steel may be, or whose name is engraved on the blade, a knife that does not cut well has missed its most basic purpose.

    But since starting Asaoya Yaichi and becoming involved in selling Japanese knives myself, the way I look at price has started to change.

    I still put cutting performance first. But I have also started to understand that when people spend more on a Japanese knife, they may not be paying only for sharpness.

    So what are they paying for?

    And at what point does an expensive Japanese knife actually become worth the money?

    An Expensive Japanese Knife Is Not Automatically Sharper

    Let’s get one thing out of the way first.

    A $500 knife is not automatically twice as sharp as a $250 knife. A properly sharpened, less expensive knife can easily feel sharper than an expensive knife that has been poorly maintained.

    That is something years in professional kitchens teaches you very quickly.

    The condition of the edge, sharpening technique, blade geometry and how the knife has been used all affect cutting performance.

    A new knife may feel incredibly sharp, but what interests me more is what happens after six months, a year or five years of use. Can I sharpen it and bring that cutting performance back?

    → INTERNAL LINK: Read “First Edge vs True Potential”

    I have also learned from my own sharpening mistakes that repeatedly using too steep an angle can gradually make the area behind the edge thicker. Even a great knife can lose some of the cutting feeling that originally made it special.

    → INTERNAL LINK: Read “Usuba 薄刃 | Thin Blades”

    Price alone cannot guarantee sharpness.

    Sharpness Still Comes First


    240mm Sujihiki VG10 Hammered 17 Layer Damascus Mahogany

    For me, a knife is first and foremost a cutting tool.

    I have spent most of my working life preparing food, including years of handling fish in professional kitchens. When you use knives every day, cutting performance is not just an HRC number or a steel specification on a website.

    You feel it.

    How easily does the edge enter the ingredient? How much resistance comes through your hand? How clean is the cut? How long does the edge remain useful? And when it finally becomes dull, how easily can you bring it back?

    Understanding what happens at the very edge is also why learning about the burr became important to me.

    → INTERNAL LINK: Read “Burr 刃返り | Why It Matters”

    A good Japanese knife should not only impress you when it comes out of the box. It should be a knife that you can maintain and continue enjoying for years.

    So Why Spend More on an Expensive Japanese Knife?


    Above: The knife on top is my colleague’s $2,500 Takohiki.

    This is where my thinking has changed.

    If all you want is something sharp enough to cut onions, meat or fish, you probably do not need an expensive Japanese knife.

    But what if you want more?

    Maybe you want a certain level of cutting performance, but you also want a knife that looks great in your hand. Maybe you appreciate a forged surface, a traditional Kurouchi finish, a beautiful handle or the small differences that come from handmade production.

    → INTERNAL LINK: Read “Handmade Japanese Knives | 7 Reasons No Two Are the Same”

    There is nothing wrong with wanting your knife to look good.

    We use these tools constantly. If picking up a beautiful knife makes cooking more enjoyable, I think that has value too.

    And then there is what happens after you buy it.

    You sharpen it. You maintain it. The blade slowly changes. It gets scratches. A carbon steel blade may develop a patina. The handle develops character.

    After years of use, it stops feeling like a knife you simply bought.

    It becomes your knife.

    For me, that is where spending more begins to make sense.

    Steel Matters — But It Is Not Everything

    Ishizuchi Kanamono Manufactory

    It is easy to become obsessed with steel names when looking at Japanese knives.

    VG10, Ginsan, Aogami #2, Aogami Super and SG2 all have different characteristics that can affect sharpening, edge retention and maintenance.

    I enjoy learning about those differences too.

    → INTERNAL LINK: Read “Ginsan 銀三 | Nashiji 210 Gyuto”

    But I would never choose an expensive Japanese knife from the steel name alone.

    Blade geometry, heat treatment, grinding, finishing, balance, handle construction and the skill of the people involved all contribute to the finished knife.

    A premium steel does not automatically create a premium knife.

    The knife has to work as a whole.

    I Have Never Bought a $2,000 or $3,000 Japanese Knife

    I think I should be honest about this.

    Despite spending more than 25 years working with knives professionally, I have never personally bought a $2,000 or $3,000 knife.

    So I am not going to pretend that I fully understand what it is like to own knives at that level.

    The knives I choose for Asaoya Yaichi are knives I believe in as working tools — knives I would be happy to use myself in a professional kitchen. Cutting performance matters, but so do craftsmanship, appearance and whether the price makes sense for the knife.

    Since starting this business, however, I have begun looking at knives differently.

    I am still a chef looking at a tool.

    But now I am also becoming fascinated by the people, techniques and traditions behind that tool.

    → INTERNAL LINK: Read “Japanese Knife Regions | Do Origins Matter?”

    And perhaps I understand a little better now why somebody might spend thousands of dollars on a single knife.

    Not because a $3,000 knife necessarily cuts ten times better than a $300 knife.

    But because at some point, a knife can become more than its basic function.

    The Expensive Japanese Knife I Haven’t Found Yet

    There is another kind of knife I have not found yet.

    Not a knife I need for work.

    Not a knife I need to stock for Asaoya Yaichi.

    Just one knife for me.

    I do not know who will make it. I do not know what steel it will use, what it will look like or how much it will cost.

    But since starting a Japanese knife business, I sometimes wonder whether one day I will come across a knife, pick it up and simply think:

    “This is the one.”

    And if that knife happens to cost $2,000 or $3,000?

    I think I would buy it.

    Maybe that is ultimately what an expensive Japanese knife is about.

    It is not about buying the most expensive knife you can afford. And it is certainly not about believing that a higher price automatically means a sharper blade.

    For me, sharpness still comes first.

    But if you want good cutting performance, craftsmanship, beauty, and a knife you can sharpen, use, care for and slowly make your own over many years, then yes — I think spending more on the right knife can be worth it.

    Perhaps the knife worth spending serious money on is simply the one that makes you stop thinking about the price.

    👉 Explore more:
    https://blog.asaoyayaichi.com.au

    👉 Visit our online store:
    https://asaoyayaichi.com.au

    Thank you for reading, and I hope to see you again in the next story.