'Happa' Leaf Shaped All-Around Knife

At the edge of Gifu Prefecture, a master swordsmith known as Fusataro Asano carries forward the legacy of katana forging, not for battle, but for the kitchen. Asano Kajiya knives are born from the highest levels of traditional Japanese swordsmithing, reimagined for daily use.

Forged with pine charcoal and finished by hand, each knife offers a sharpness that elevates cooking into something precise and elegant. Behind every blade lies a wish: to serve at the home table, like the samurai once served their lords.

Fusataro Asano trained under the 25th-generation master Kanefusa Fujiwara, inheriting the precise forging and tempering techniques once used to craft Japanese swords. At his workshop in Gifu, these traditions are carried forward into kitchen knives, not for combat, but for everyday use.

Every blade begins with pine charcoal forging, shaped and tempered by hand, and finished with a refined edge. The result is a knife that holds the spirit of a katana: sharp, balanced, and crafted with dignity.

Each Asano kitchen knife is forged and hardened using traditional techniques, including pine charcoal firing and water tempering.

The result is a blade that glides through ingredients, preserving fibre, flavour, and presentation. The edge is so refined that it cuts not with force, but with gravity, as if drawn in by the food itself.

Inspired by the meaning of “samurai” one who serves, Asano’s work is rooted in everyday hospitality. His knives are made to enhance daily life: to elevate home-cooked meals, preserve ingredients’ integrity, and bring satisfaction to the hand that uses them.

Asano sees his craft not just as preservation of tradition, but as contribution to modern life, one dish at a time.

“The Japanese sword was always made with the hope for peace. We forge with that same spirit, to enrich daily life with sharpness, beauty, and care. I hope that every household who uses our knives feels that purpose in each cut.”

— Fusataro Asano, Master Swordsmith