Blacksmith Kenji Togashi

Who am I?

My name is Kenji Togashi and I make handcrafted Japanese knives. I'm a blacksmith in the town of Sakai, the cradle of Japanese cutlery.

I've been passionately practicing my craft in Japan since the late 60s. Sakai has been renowned for centuries as the birthplace of many forges. In those days, forged blades were mainly used to make katanas for the samurai, warriors in the service of a great Japanese lord. With the modernization of Japan in the 1870s, the samurai gradually disappeared, which is why blades have evolved.

Japanese craftsmanship turned to the manufacture of blades for various tools adapted to different trades, such as sickles or machetes for agriculture, but also Japanese kitchen knives.

To preserve the heritage of katana forging, the ancestral Honyaki blade technique has been applied to handcrafted knives for a performance worthy of the famous Japanese swords. In this way, the skills of the blacksmiths of yesteryear have been passed down through the generations to the present day.

I began my career as a blacksmith in 1966, acquiring a wealth of skills and authentic know-how inherited from the smiths of yesteryear. I use ancestral methods and am one of the few craftsmen to master the Honyaki technique. Thanks to this, I have been honored with several awards, including the title of Dento-Kureishi in the 90s, awarded by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, which officially certifies me as a Master Traditional Craftsman.

In the course of my career, I have forged many handcrafted Japanese knives for well-known brands such as Sakai Takayuki, which offers quality Japanese knives. I also have my own workshop with my sons, to whom I pass on all my knowledge.

My work

I perpetuate the Japanese tradition by using ancestral forging techniques to offer you exceptional handcrafted knives.

My specialty is Honyaki knives, the method used to make katanas: a blade is forged from a single piece of high-quality steel using a highly precise, multi-stage tempering process that only an experienced blacksmith can carry out.

Incidentally, I usually work with Japanese Shirogami steel, which has a "pure" micro-structure and is similar to the Tamahagane steel used for katanas.

Our favorite knife

Our team's favorite knife is the Sakimaru Takohiki Japanese Knife 30cm Sakai Takayuki Byakko!

Its blade is crafted using a typically Japanese technique: San Mai. The core of the blade is made of Shirogami #1 steel, then coated with a layer of steel to protect it and make it more supple. As a result, this blade achieves a hardness of 62HRC Rockwell for a high-performance, long-lasting cutting edge.

This handcrafted knife features an ergonomic ebony wood handle for all hands and a black buffalo horn bolster.

For optimum protection, this handcrafted Japanese knife comes with a protective saya: a sheath for your blade, in the style of Japanese swords!

Find exceptional Japanese knives on KnifeLeader.eu!