Hand-forged in Hirosaki, this 210mm gyuto pairs a razor-hard Aogami Super core with Nigara’s elegant Migaki Tsuchime finish. The matte-polished blade face is punctuated by hammered dimples that cut drag and let food fall away, while the thin 2.2mm spine glides through proteins and produce alike. A stainless San Mai jacket shields the carbon core from corrosion, and an octagonal bubinga handle capped with black buffalo horn offers confident, ambidextrous control.

Migaki Tsuchime by Nigara Hamono blends centuries-old swordsmithing with modern metallurgy. Each blade is forged, heat-treated, ground and hand-sharpened in-house, achieving 63–64 HRC for exceptional edge life without sacrificing toughness. The result is a workhorse chef’s knife that stays screaming sharp service after service yet re-hones with ease.

Nigara Hamono 二唐刃物 has crafted blades for over 350 years, evolving from samurai swords for the Tsugaru clan during the early Edo period to world-class kitchen knives today. Now in its eighth generation, the workshop's "insatiable spirit" drives continuous experimentation with state-of-the-art powder steels, ever-evolving Damascus patterns, and innovative heat treatments while preserving traditional Uchihamono forging techniques that have earned global acclaim among chefs and collectors.

Go Yoshizawa 吉澤 剛 and his brother Shu Yoshizawa 吉澤 周 spearhead Nigara's new era as the next generation of craftsmen. Go's forging mastery and Shu's precision sharpening bring flawless geometry, clean grinds, and daring Damascus and tsuchime patterns to every knife that bears the Nigara crest.

Gyuto 牛刀 or "cow sword" is Japan's answer to the Western chef's knife. Its gently curved belly excels at rocking cuts through herbs, while the flat section near the heel handles push-cutting proteins and vegetables with precision. This all-purpose profile makes it the most versatile blade in any kitchen, equally capable of slicing roasts, dicing vegetables, and mincing aromatics.

San Mai 三枚 means "three layers" — a hard cutting core sandwiched between two softer outer layers. This traditional construction protects the delicate edge from shock while adding toughness and simplifying maintenance, so you can enjoy the performance of high-carbon steel worry-free.

Aogami Super (AS/S) 青紙スーパー (Super Blue Paper) takes the recipe for Aogami #1 or #2 and tweaks it to create something really special. With more carbon (1.4 – 1.5%) plus silicon (0.1 – 0.2%), manganese (0.2 – 0.3%), chromium (0.3 – 0.5%), tungsten (2 – 2.5%), and vanadium (0.3 – 0.5%), this Hitachi flagship gets harder and stays sharp longer. Extra chromium slows rusting while vanadium increases toughness and reduces chipping.