Yoshisada hamono (kitchen knife shop) — Local services in Kyoto

My first purchase was at another store in Kyoto years ago. Still have the knife but I need different knife style. Other stores I visited in the past in Kyoto either had the traditional handle (not comfortable to use), blade length too long.

After doing some research online this shop came highly recommended.

I was able to purchase 2 kitchen knives at affordable price (approx 180CAD for both). They have wide range of knives with different pricing. I went for household style. The grip has comfortable handles and I deliberately chose the short length blade as it is easier for me to use.

I told the lady at the shop I wanted 2 knifes one for fruits and general all purpose knife.

No problem with communicating in English.

Update after 4 months:

No rusting and very sharp. Have not sharpen knife yet with wet stones.

Purchased 2 cutting boards from Nitori as seen in pic. Magical cutting board (grey) . 3 months use no scratches.

2nd one cypress wood one.

Recommend you visit nitori store as...

Small shop, outstanding quality.

I purchased just one stainless steel knife from this shop. Initially, I was skeptical—when I asked what kind of steel it was made from, the woman helping me (who spoke limited English) simply said it was “special steel.” That’s not the kind of answer you'd expect from a typical knife shop, especially with Japanese knives, where specific steel types are usually highlighted.

Still, I chose to trust their reputation—and I’m glad I did. The knife turned out to be excellent in quality and surprisingly easy to sharpen. Unlike some high Rockwell knives that are sharp but a pain to maintain, this one strikes a great balance. I truly believed the knife master has thoughtfully designed this knife. You can really feel the thought and intention behind its design—clearly the work of a skilled knife master. I live in the U.S., and my only regret is not...

Visited this great little shop and was pleased with the selection considering the shop size. This was my last ditch effort to purchase a Japanese knife on my last day in japan. It was located 5min from the Kyoto train station which was convenient since I had no time to waste. Was in japan for 12 days and could not find knives that was in my price range and the look I was trying to find (Damascus). Was greeted by a nice lady and she helped be decide. I ended up purchasing 4 knives :) Price was very good considering the great quality of the knives. Got to use them as soon as I got home from japan and the blades are top quality! If I ever make my way back to Japan I will definitely shop...