Metalwork & Blades
Cast-iron kettles, mirror-polished cutlery and the blades professional chefs swear by — Japan's metalworking towns forge some of the world's most respected steel and ironware.
Nambu Ironware
Iwate cast ironware: Morioka's tea-kettle tradition from Kyoto masters and Mizusawa's older temple-casting, united as one brand in 1959. The pebbled 'arare' iron kettle, lacquer-finished against rust, is austere, sturdy and made to last generations.
Tsubame-Sanjō Metalwork
Japan's metalworking capital, which began with farmers forging nails as an Edo off-season trade, then hammered copperware and pipes, then Western cutlery. Today its twin towns pool forging, pressing and mirror-polishing behind knives and tableware known worldwide.
Sakai Blades
The blades professional chefs swear by. After tobacco arrived in the 1500s, Sakai smiths forged tobacco knives so sharp the shogunate stamped them 'Sakai kiwami.' Made by divided specialists and usually single-bevelled, Sakai knives dominate Japanese professional kitchens.
Takaoka Copperware
Toyama's cast metalwork, founded in 1611 when the Kaga lord invited seven casters to build the town. From iron pots it turned to fine copper art — altar fittings, vases, temple bells — and now makes most of Japan's copperware, richly patinated and inlaid.
Seki Blades
The sword capital of medieval Japan, whose 'Mino-den' was one of the five great sword traditions and whose blades were 'unbreakable, unbendable, sharp.' Seki turned 700 years of blade-craft into the world's finest kitchen and pocket knives.
Tokyo Silver
Edo silverware, refined from the mid-Edo period when 'shirogane-shi' silversmiths served the city's merchants and samurai. Raised and chased entirely by hand into cups, vessels and tableware, its restrained brilliance won admiration at the 1867 Paris Exposition. A national Traditional Craft since 1979.