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Japanese knife makers & brands

62 entries: 20 in Tsubame-Sanjo (our home region, documented in person — "Seen in person" = we photographed the maker's showcase or products on site on 2026-09-14), plus 42 of the most-searched makers from Sakai, Seki, Echizen, Tokyo, Kyoto and Kyushu, documented from their own websites. Forges, factories and wholesalers are listed separately because a wholesaler's brand can be forged by a different company — the page tells you which.

Tsubame-Sanjo, Niigata

Forges (hand-forged)

吉兼作 / 吉兼久作

Yoshikane Hamono

Sanjo, Niigata · SKD, Shirogami #2

Seen in person

司作 / 日野浦司

Hinoura Hamono Kobo

Sanjo, Niigata · Aogami #2, Shirogami #2, Aogami Super

Documented

タダフサ / 忠房

Tadafusa (Hocho Kobo Tadafusa)

Sanjo, Niigata · SLD, Shirogami #2, Aogami #2

Seen in person

金次郎 / 涌井

Wakui Bar Hamono (forges Kinjiro)

Sanjo, Niigata · Shirogami #2

Seen in person

重房

Shigefusa (Kairo Iizuka)

Sanjo, Niigata · Shirogami #2

Documented

Factories

藤次郎 / TOJIRO

Tojiro

Tsubame, Niigata · VG10, Shirogami #2

Seen in person

GLOBAL / GLOBAL-IST

Yoshida Metal Industry (GLOBAL)

Tsubame, Niigata · CROMOVA 18

Seen in person

Brieto / ブライト

Kataoka Seisakusho (Brieto / TAMAHAGANE)

Tsubame, Niigata · Molybdenum-vanadium stainless, SG2 / R2

Seen in person

下村 / ヴェルダン

Shimomura Kogyo

Tsubame, Niigata · Molybdenum-vanadium stainless, VG10

Seen in person

哲弘 / 桐生

Kiryu Kogyo (Tetsuhiro)

Sanjo, Niigata · Aogami Super, Aogami #2, VG10, SG2 / R2

Seen in person

左藤蔵 / セキカワ

Sekikawa (Hidari Tozo)

Tsubame, Niigata · —

Seen in person

鋼典

Igarashi Hamono Kogyo (Kanenori)

Sanjo, Niigata · —

Seen in person

Muthos Homura

Kobayashi Kogu (Muthos Homura)

Sanjo, Niigata · —

Seen in person

Wholesalers with own brands

定明作 / 定明

Nakagawa Shokai (Sadaaki 定明)

Tsubame, Niigata · Aogami #2, VG10

Seen in person

株式会社中條金物

Nakajo Kanamono (wholesaler)

Sanjo, Niigata · —

Seen in person

BABACHO / 長三郎

Babacho Kanamono (BABACHO · Chozaburo)

Sanjo, Niigata · Shirogami #2

Seen in person

切れるよろこび

Babacho Co. (Kireru Yorokobi)

Mitsuke (next to Sanjo), Niigata · Shirogami #2, Aogami #2, Aogami Super

Seen in person

六四郎 / ROKUSHIRO

Yajimaya (ROKUSHIRO)

Tsubame, Niigata · AUS10, VG10

Seen in person

Brand companies

山人 / 剛剣

Wakui Co. (Kinjiro · Yamabito)

Sanjo, Niigata · Shirogami #2

Seen in person

剣謙心

Tsurugi Kenshin

Sanjo, Niigata · Shirogami #2, Aogami #2, SLD, SK carbon steel, VG10

Seen in person

Other regions (documented from official sources)

Jump: Sakai · Tokyo · Kyoto · Nara · Seki · Echizen (Takefu) · Kumamoto · Miki (Banshu) · Hyogo (brand) · Tsugaru (Aomori) · Nagasaki

Sakai (Osaka) · 11

堺孝行 / 孝行

Sakai Takayuki (Aoki Hamono)

Sakai, Osaka · Shirogami #2, Aogami #2, VG10, Molybdenum-vanadium stainless

Documented

實光

Jikko Cutlery

Sakai, Osaka · Shirogami #2, Aogami #2, Molybdenum-vanadium stainless

Documented

酔心

Suisin

Sakai, Osaka · Shirogami #2, Aogami #2, Molybdenum-vanadium stainless

Documented

水野鍛錬所 / 水野

Mizuno Tanrenjo

Sakai, Osaka · Shirogami #1, Shirogami #2, Aogami #2

Documented

芦 / 銀河

Ashi Hamono (Ginga)

Sakai, Osaka · Shirogami #2, Molybdenum-vanadium stainless

Documented

堺一文字光秀 / 一文字光秀

Sakai Ichimonji Mitsuhide

Osaka (Namba) · Shirogami #2, Aogami #2, Molybdenum-vanadium stainless

Documented

堺菊守 / 菊守

Sakai Kikumori (Kawamura Hamono)

Sakai, Osaka · Shirogami #2, Aogami #2, Molybdenum-vanadium stainless

Documented

景清

Baba Hamono (Kagekiyo)

Sakai, Osaka · SG2 / R2, Aogami #1, Ginsan, VG10

Documented

高田の刃物

Takada no Hamono

Sakai, Osaka · Shirogami #2, Aogami #2, Ginsan

Documented

KONOSUKE / 藤山

Konosuke

Sakai, Osaka · Shirogami #1, Aogami #2, Ginsan, VG10, SG2 / R2

Documented

義弘 / 郷右馬允義弘

Yamawaki Hamono (Gou Umanosuke Yoshihiro)

Sakai, Osaka · Shirogami #2, Aogami #2, Ginsan, Molybdenum-vanadium stainless

Documented

Tokyo (Tokyo) · 8

正本

Masamoto Sohonten

Tokyo · Shirogami #2, Aogami #2, Molybdenum-vanadium stainless

Documented

築地正本

Tsukiji Masamoto

Tokyo (Tsukiji) · Shirogami #2, Molybdenum-vanadium stainless

Documented

杉本

Sugimoto

Tokyo (Tsukiji) · SK carbon steel, Molybdenum-vanadium stainless, Shirogami #2

Documented

子の日

Nenohi / Nenox

Tokyo · Shirogami #2, Molybdenum-vanadium stainless

Documented

照康 / 藤原照康

Fujiwara Teruyasu

Tokyo · Shirogami #1, Aogami Super

Documented

つば屋

Tsubaya (Kappabashi shop brand)

Tokyo (Kappabashi) · Shirogami #2, Aogami #2, Molybdenum-vanadium stainless

Documented

かまた

Kamata Hakensha (Kappabashi shop)

Tokyo (Kappabashi) · Shirogami #2, Aogami #2, VG10, Molybdenum-vanadium stainless

Documented

HITOHIRA

Hitohira

Tokyo · Shirogami #1, Shirogami #2, Aogami #2, Ginsan, SG2 / R2

Documented

Kyoto (Kyoto) · 1

有次

Aritsugu (Kyoto)

Kyoto · Shirogami #2, Molybdenum-vanadium stainless

Documented

Nara (Nara) · 1

菊一

Kikuichi (Kikuichimonji Shiro Kanenaga)

Nara · Shirogami #2, VG10, Molybdenum-vanadium stainless

Documented

Seki (Gifu) · 11

関孫六 / 孫六

Kai Corporation (Seki Magoroku, Shun)

Seki, Gifu · VG10, Molybdenum-vanadium stainless, AUS10

Documented

正広

Masahiro

Seki, Gifu · Molybdenum-vanadium stainless, VG10, Shirogami #2

Documented

MISONO

Misono Cutlery

Seki, Gifu · Molybdenum-vanadium stainless, VG10

Documented

兼房 / 藤原兼房

Fujiwara Kanefusa

Seki, Gifu · VG10, Molybdenum-vanadium stainless, Aogami #2

Documented

関兼常 / 兼常

Kanetsune (Kitasho)

Seki, Gifu · Aogami #2, Shirogami #2, VG10, Molybdenum-vanadium stainless

Documented

兼秀

Kanehide

Seki, Gifu · Aogami Super, Shirogami #2, Molybdenum-vanadium stainless

Documented

関兼次 / 兼次

Seki Kanetsugu

Seki, Gifu · VG10, Molybdenum-vanadium stainless, AUS10

Documented

YAXELL

Yaxell

Seki, Gifu · VG10, SG2 / R2

Documented

MAC

MAC Knife

Seki, Gifu · Molybdenum-vanadium stainless

Documented

仙蔵 / SUNCRAFT

Suncraft

Seki, Gifu · VG10, AUS10, Molybdenum-vanadium stainless

Documented

雅 / MIYABI

Miyabi (Zwilling J.A. Henckels, Seki factory)

Seki, Gifu · VG10, SG2 / R2, Molybdenum-vanadium stainless

Documented

Echizen (Takefu) (Fukui) · 5

高村

Takamura Hamono

Echizen, Fukui · SG2 / R2, VG10

Documented

黒崎優 / 優作

Kurosaki Yu (Kurosaki Uchihamono)

Echizen, Fukui · Aogami Super, SG2 / R2, VG10

Documented

義実

Kato Yoshimi (Kanehiro Hamono)

Echizen, Fukui · Aogami Super, SG2 / R2, VG10

Documented

安立

Anryu Katsushige

Echizen, Fukui · Aogami #2, Aogami Super

Documented

龍泉

Ryusen Hamono

Echizen, Fukui · VG10, SG2 / R2

Documented

Kumamoto (Kumamoto) · 1

盛高

Moritaka Hamono

Yatsushiro, Kumamoto · Aogami Super, Aogami #2

Documented

Miki (Banshu) (Hyogo) · 1

誠貴作 / 田中誠貴

Tanaka Shigeki (Tanaka Kazuyuki Hamono)

Miki, Hyogo · Aogami #2, SG2 / R2, Ginsan, VG10

Documented

Hyogo (brand) (Hyogo) · 1

初心 / 銀嶺

Hatsukokoro

Amagasaki, Hyogo · Ginsan, Aogami #2, Aogami Super, SG2 / R2, VG10, Shirogami #2

Documented

Tsugaru (Aomori) (Aomori) · 1

二唐 / 暗紋

Nigara Hamono

Hirosaki, Aomori · Aogami Super, SG2 / R2, VG10

Documented

Nagasaki (Nagasaki) · 1

松原

Matsubara (Tanaka Kama Kogyo)

Omura, Nagasaki · Aogami #2, Ginsan, Shirogami #2

Documented