Foreigners Are Crazy About the Sharpness Inspired by Japanese Swords…! Behind the Flying Sales of Japanese Kitchen Knives Priced in the Tens of Thousands of Yen, Are “Artisans on the Brink of Extinction”?

Foreigners Are Snapping Them Up! The Mystery Behind the Popularity of Japanese Kitchen Knives  

“Japanese kitchen knives,” which trace their origins to the craft of Japanese sword-making, are highly regarded not only domestically but also by culinary professionals overseas, such as Michelin-starred chefs, for their exceptional sharpness. The growing number of foreign visitors to Japan also appears to be driving an expansion in demand.

Kappabashi Kitchenware Street, a district specializing in cooking utensils, is located between Ueno and Asakusa in Tokyo. In the past, it was rare to see foreigners there, but recently, foreign visitors carrying travel bags have been striding about everywhere. There are also specialty knife shops, and the stores are packed with foreign customers.

Japanese Knives Booming Amid Inbound Tourism Fueled by a Weak Yen  

The industry that manufactures these kitchen knives is currently booming.Research firm Tokyo Shoko Research (TSR) examined the latest financial results of 38 companies for which performance comparisons were available over five consecutive fiscal periods, finding total sales of 16.733 billion yen (up 2.5% from the previous period) and profits of 623 million yen (up 44.5% from the previous period).

Regarding the reason for the sharp increase in profits despite the slight rise in sales, Yudai Kobayashi of TSR’s Information Department points out that the impact of one company achieving a significant profit increase and returning to profitability was a major factor. In addition, since the weak yen makes products more affordable for foreign visitors, high-end knives are likely selling more easily due to inbound tourism demand.

Furthermore, increased demand for reevaluating household needs due to stay-at-home trends during the COVID-19 crisis, as well as the inclusion of knives as “hometown tax” return gifts in their regions of origin, have also bolstered the industry’s boom. Mr. Kobayashi analyzes the situation as follows:  

“It’s becoming increasingly common for consumers—including inbound tourists—to visit retail stores to check the feel and design of knives and test their sharpness before making a purchase.It seems they are boosting sales by establishing various sales channels—such as selling at electronics retailers in downtown areas popular with visitors to Japan, setting up shops within seafood markets, and encouraging purchases through cooking demonstrations.”

High-end Japanese kitchen knives costing tens of thousands of yen are flying off the shelves!  

In the kitchen knife industry, which consists largely of small businesses, Kai Corporation (Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo) stands out as a major player actively expanding overseas.Looking at the knives on its online store, the company’s flagship “Seki Magoroku” series ranges from several thousand yen to just over 10,000 yen, while its high-end “Shun” series typically costs between 20,000 and 30,000 yen, with some models exceeding 70,000 yen.

Sales of the “Shun” series began in Europe and the U.S. in 2000, and overseas sales—primarily in the U.S.—now account for about 90% of total revenue. The series has earned high acclaim internationally, having won the U.S. knife industry’s top honor, “Kitchen Knife of the Year,” 12 times.

Sakai City in Osaka Prefecture is one of Japan’s six major knife-making regions. A representative from the Sakai Tradition Museum had this to say about kitchen knives:

“We display and sell products from over 20 companies, so visitors can compare them before making a purchase. Since these aren’t cheap items, people can see them in person, hold them, and then decide whether to buy.”

Although the number of visitors, including foreign tourists, plummeted during the COVID-19 crisis, a focus on social media outreach helped revive the popularity of these knives. Currently, knives priced around 20,000 to 30,000 yen are reportedly selling well to foreign visitors to Japan.

A representative from the Sakai Tourism and Convention Association (Sakai City) also notes a definite positive response.

“There’s a global trend toward authenticity. People are coming from overseas in search of high-quality knives.”  

According to the association’s website, cutlery is divided into “hand-forged” items crafted by artisans and machine-produced items stamped out using molds; Sakai specializes in hand-forged cutlery.Hand-forged knives are crafts born of fire, iron, and water, and the manufacturing process is divided into “forging,” “sharpening (edging),” and “handle attachment.”A layer of blade steel is layered onto a base metal (mild iron) heated to approximately 1,000°C, and the two are hammered together and stretched to form the knife’s prototype. The website reports that these Sakai knives have earned the overwhelming trust of professional chefs, particularly those specializing in Japanese cuisine, and are also attracting attention from chefs around the world.

An overwhelming sharpness that captivates the world  

Seki City, Gifu Prefecture, one of Japan’s six major cutlery-producing regions. Regarding the background behind the global recognition of Japanese kitchen knives, a representative from the Gifu Prefecture Seki Cutlery Industry Association offered this perspective: “I believe it’s because Japanese culinary culture was recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, and kitchen knives came to be recognized as the tools used in that culture.”

Furthermore, the representative explained the difference in sharpness as follows:

“I think Japanese knives gained a reputation somewhere for cutting exceptionally well. Overseas, the cutting style tends to be more of a ‘chopping’ motion rather than a smooth slice. Japanese knives are constructed with a firmly bonded blade core, so they can cut simply by pulling the knife back.”

In fact, when preparing dishes like sashimi, a Japanese knife can slice through the ingredients with just a light pull.  

The “Shortage of Successors” Lurking Behind the Explosive Sales  

However, hidden beneath the knife industry’s boom lie causes for concern. Mr. Kobayashi of TSR sounds the alarm as follows:  

“There are many long-established, small-scale businesses, and as business owners and artisans age, finding successors has become a major challenge.”

In fact, of the 38 companies analyzed by TSR, 13 have fewer than five employees, and that number rises to 25 when expanded to include companies with fewer than 10 employees. Regarding the industry’s aging population and the shortage of successors, a representative from the Sakai Tourism and Convention Association also points out the difficulty of training new talent.

“It takes 10 years for an artisan to become fully competent, but even after 10 years, there’s no guarantee they’ll succeed.”

A representative from the Sakai Heritage Museum also shed light on the current situation.

“There are quite a few people over 80 who are still active in the field. The number of businesses is on the decline.”

It’s easy to assume that if Japanese kitchen knives become popular overseas, we should simply export them—but it’s not that simple. According to the same representative, many businesses are small, individually owned operations with only a limited number of people, such as craftsmen, and they lack the manpower to handle tasks like developing sales channels and handling customs procedures. The reality is that exporting is difficult unless you’re a major company.

The Collapse of the Division of Labor? The Crisis Facing Japanese Kitchen Knives  

Adding to the pressure is the looming collapse of the “division of labor.” According to the Sakai Tourism and Convention Association’s website, a key characteristic of Japanese knife-making is its division of labor, with each step handled by a different artisan.

A representative from the Gifu Prefecture Seki Cutlery Industry Federation also describes the dire reality facing the region.

“Seki City has many small-scale businesses operating under a division-of-labor system. As each business loses its successor and closes down, the workload becomes concentrated on the remaining businesses.”

As the limited number of skilled artisans retire due to old age and other factors, the remaining artisans have no choice but to manage the workload among themselves; if this continues, the industry will gradually dwindle. The barriers to capital investment are also extremely high.

“Amid a labor shortage, how much can micro-businesses afford to pay in wages? Even if there is demand for kitchen knives, expanding factories or investing in new machinery carries risks, so we have no choice but to operate within our existing capacity.”

Regarding Japanese kitchen knives, Mr. Kobayashi of TSR highly values their potential, stating, “They are one of Japan’s sources of pride. It is an industry with plenty of room for growth.”According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the number of Japanese restaurants overseas has risen from approximately 89,000 in 2015 to an estimated 181,000 in 2025, indicating the strength of underlying demand.

On the other hand, Mr. Kobayashi also raises the issue of retaining staff.

“Looking at metalworking companies, even when they hire young people, they sometimes quit right away, so it’s crucial to figure out how to retain them.”  

Beyond kitchen knives, Japan’s traditional crafts—which the country takes pride in showcasing to the world—face the dilemma of dwindling due to an aging workforce and a shortage of successors. Unless we pay closer attention to these traditional industries and ensure that skills are passed down, these traditions will eventually die out.