Media Japan trip knife pics - the big and the strange

[bishamon]

Here are some pictures of various knives I saw while in Japan. The first set come from Tsukiji fish market. You can really tell how much some of the magurokiri and oroshi hocho have been used by the concave grinds, haha. That place was busy, and I wonder if sometimes the workers don't want to use them on the tourists...

At the Aritsugu storefront, really big ~690mm yanagi.

You can see the tsukebocho, or fish paste shaping knives, on the top row next to the sushikiri. Oddball knive with no edge.

Real tuna knives...the broad ones on the right are for sectioning tuna into big steaks with dorsal to ventral cuts.

 

[bishamon]

Here's some more from Sakai at the Hamono museum.

Various stages of knife completion.

Giant magurokiri (nonflexible blade)

Big enough deba...

 

[bishamon]

More Sakai.

Various odd knives. That center one is type of kujira hocho (whale knife). The one to the left of it is a knife for cutting mulberry leaves.

Candy knife

kiridashi

letter openers

Cimeter

 

[kalaeb]

Thank you for posting the pics.

 

[bishamon]

I have a bunch more from Sakai, but they haven't uploaded here yet.

 

[MadMel]

That's an arsenal for a medieval army...

 

[Tandrup]

I saw your thread and I was wondering if you checked prices when you were in Japan? Is there anything saved by buying knives in Japan with the current USD/JPY exchange rate? I am going to Tokyo and Kyoto in July and I am planning on buying some new knives - but I am unsure if it's really cheaper.

Thanks,
Lars

 

[bishamon]

It depends where you go, but not much cheaper. Sometimes you might find some good deals, though. Some stuff at the Ichimonji storefront in Osaka looked cheaper (especially a weird old tuna knife I got), and some stuff at Aritsugu (Tsukiji) was a little less than we pay. The prices we get here are basically converted from yen though. Depending how you get them back, you may not have to pay shipping is the only thing.

In Kyoto there aren't quite as many knife shops as Tokyo and Osaka from what I saw. Still, there are a couple to look at in Kyoto, mostly near Sanjo dori/Teramachi dori area. Kikuichimonji is on Sanjo dori, just east of Teramachi dori, and Kyoto Hamono Aritsugu is in the Nishiki Ichiba covered market street (runs perpendicular to Teramachi dori between shijo and sanjo dori).

 

[JMJones]

Very cool, Thanks

 

[maxim]

Drolll

 

[ecchef]

I like pic #3...the guy having intercourse with a fish head.

I remember those long-ass knives at Aritsugo. I absolutely loved Tsukiji. Next time I'll make it to Sakai City.

Keep them pictures coming!

 

[bieniek]

Amazing photos.
Could wathc them endlessly. I dont think would go myself so thanks a lot for bringing it out

 

[maddog]

thanks for the pics
neat to see all the variety