Isamitsu Hamono is operated by Yuki Abe-san and Gaku Kanatsu-san, former apprentices of a legendary blacksmith near Sakuragawa. Abe-san, head of Isamitsu, possessed a great interest in knives since his youth and eventually knocked on the door of a certain legendary blacksmith to seek out an apprenticeship. After 15 years of apprenticeship and learning, Abe-san and his colleague Kanatsu-san started Isamitsu Hamono in 2022.

As knife makers, they constantly reflect on their past mistakes, never resting on their laurels, always striving to craft better knives and improve their methods. It’s a philosophy that chefs are familiar with, and it suits knife-making well. They hope their apprentices will one day outdo them and reach even higher heights. This attitude leads a person to create some of the best knives in the world, and it marks a promising future for Isamitsu Hamono.

About the Shape - A Nakiri is a vegetable knife. Under utilized in the Western kitchen, the Nakiri’s flat blade is meant for the push/pull chopping of vegetables. Since the entire flat edge of the knife kisses the cutting board at once, you wont be turning the vegetable into an accordion. Accordion vegetables are still connected like a paper doll after you're “done” cutting them. To truly understand the awesomeness of a Nakiri we recommend making onion soup your first night with the knife. The ease of chopping will blow you away.