Honyaki translates as true forged and is the purest reflection of the traditional art of Japanese sword making. Our master craftsmen use the same methods and techniques that the ancient swordsmith handed down from generation to generation to produce knives of the highest caliber. Hand forging these knives from a single piece of high carbon steel require extraordinary skill to withstand temperatures that reach into the thousands within a burning furnace.

Our handmade Yoshihiro Honyaki knives are handcrafted with extraordinary skill, forged of the highest quality steel according to the traditional methods used in ancient Japanese sword making by our master artisans of incomparable skill, some of which have over 50 years of experience. Honyaki means true forged and represents the highest level in Japanese knives, requiring experienced master knife smiths, versed in the traditional art of sword making. A single piece of White Steel #2 with a hardness on the Rockwell scale of 65, is heated in hearths that reach temperatures in the thousands, quenched in cool water for hardness, and polished with a brilliant mirror finish creating knives of the highest caliber, blending aesthetics and performance.

Our Yoshihiro Honyaki knives are complimented with a traditional Japanese style handcrafted premium Ebony wood handle of the highest quality affixed with a Water Buffalo horn bolster, and a protective wooden sheath called a Saya is included, which protects the knife and adds to its appearance when not in use.

The Yanagi is a long slicing knife that was designed to slice thin slices of fish for sushi and Sashimi, and is one of the most essential of traditional Japanese knives and is a powerful component in the repertoire of many chefs. The beauty of its elegant thin blade is its ability to slice through an ingredient in long uninterrupted strokes, preserving its integrity and freshness. The Yanagi is slightly heavier with a with a blade that is wider and a spine that is thicker.