Yoshikazu Tanaka

Working alongside his two sons, Yoshikazu Tanaka meticulously oversees the production of each blade, ensuring they uphold his standards of excellence. Collaborating with premier sharpeners in Sakai, Tanaka guarantees that every knife achieves superior sharpness and precision, cementing his reputation for crafting exceptional blades.

Tanaka's expertise lies in crafting blades exclusively from Shirogami steel and Aogami carbon steel. With over fifty years of experience in knife-making, he relies on his intuition and honed skills rather than modern tools. For instance, he gauges the steel's temperature by observing its color, eschewing the use of a thermometer. Despite his traditional approach, Tanaka continuously seeks refinement, incorporating conventional tools in his knife-making process.

Utilizing pine charcoal, straw ash, and a temperature-controlled kiln, Tanaka meticulously heat-treats and forges his knives to perfection.