Sakai Traditional Crafts Museum

(Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture)

【Hochou（包丁）】refers to a kitchen knife used for cutting ingredients in cooking. Kitchen knives have evolved uniquely in Japan, with a variety of specialize knives developed for different types of ingredients, such as vegetable, fish and meat. When cutting fish, there are specific knives for tuna, horse mackerel, clams, salmon, octopus, eel, crab, pike conger, and more.

There are three major cities in Japan known for producing kitchen knives. One of them is Sakai City in Osaka Prefecture. The history of knife production in this area dates back to around the 16th century, during Europe’s Age of Discovery. Sakai flourished as a trading port where cultures from around the world converged. The town’s merchants and skilled craftsmen eagerly embraced new cultures and trends. A Portuguese missionary described it as “the Venice of Japan” due to its autonomy and the moats that surrounded it.

During this period, tobacco was introduced to Japan from Europe. The custom of smoking with a Japanese kiseru (smoking pipe) spread across the country. People finely shredded tobacco leaves and packed them into the tip of the long, slender pipes to smoke. The blacksmiths of Sakai recognized this new custom and began manufacturing specialized knives for cutting tobacco leaves. These knives were exceptionally sharp and soon established the Sakai brand as a mark of quality. As time goes on, the craftsmen began to manufacture kitchen knives as well leveraging their skillful techniques.

2025.02

The Art of Sakai Kitchen Knives Loved by Chefs