Kochi, Shikoku
Tosa
Tosa is today's Kochi prefecture on the island of Shikoku. Fishing and forestry gave the smiths work, and the knives from here are made to take use.
Axe before knife
From the nata to the kitchen knife
The smiths are spread along the coastal towns. The first thing they made was the nata, a Japanese axe, and it is still made. Tosa has long worked with the knife makers in Sakai.
Many people who use a knife from Tosa do not know it comes from here. It is also an old custom in the area to forge Damascus from reused steel, from rakes, spades and saw blades.
Where
Tosa, Kochi
Kochi is on the south side of Shikoku, facing the Pacific.
Tosa
The practical first
Three things you recognise on a knife from Tosa.
Free forging
The blades are forged freehand, and the practical comes before fine polishing.
Kurouchi
The black surface from the forge is left on the blade. In Tosa it is more even than on knives from Sanjo.
Funayuki
The boat knife for fishermen is common in Tosa and rare elsewhere. It resembles a santoku, but is thicker.
From Tosa in the shop
The brands from here
Kyohei
Tosa
Funayuki, nakiri and santoku in Aogami 2 with kurouchi.
See the knivesTosa Cutlery
Tosa
Knives from small and medium-sized workshops in Tosa.
See the knivesZakuri
Tosa
With us a nakiri in Aogami Super, with a chestnut handle.
See the knivesTetsujin Hamono
Tosa
Knives from Toru Tamura and Naohito Myojin in Kochi.
See the knivesTsunehisa
Sakai, Seki and Tosa
Gathers knives from three knife towns, in the steel each town uses.
See the knives
In stock
Knives from Tosa
