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FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING FROM JAPAN
FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING FROM JAPAN

Minomo Blacksmith Santoku Knife 165mm

Original price $252.99 - Original price $263.99
Original price
$252.99
$252.99 - $263.99
Current price $252.99

Custom engraved knives may take several months to ship.

Style: Without Name Engraved
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Made in Japan

All products are crafted by real Japanese craftsmen with years of experience, as featured in our +1.8 million-subscriber YouTube Channel documentaries.

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Free Whetstone

It includes a FREE Amakusa Red Whetstone for sharpening, as recommended by the artisan.

The Minomo Blacksmith Santoku Knife 165mm is crafted by Minomo Blacksmith in Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto, where three generations of blacksmiths preserve blade making techniques passed down since 1796. Each knife is individually forged, hammered, heat-treated, hardened and hand-honed from Aogami No.2 steel, known for excellent edge retention and superior sharpness.

About the Blade Shape: A well-balanced, all-purpose kitchen knife, Santoku knives are designed for versatility across meat, fish, and vegetables. The moderately flat edge supports efficient chopping and slicing, while the compact blade length offers excellent control for everyday prep. Typically double-edged and measuring between 165mm and 180mm, the santoku is a reliable choice for both home cooks and professional kitchens.

Blade Shape Santoku Handle Length 130mm
Blade Material Aogami No.2 Handle Material Magnolia Wood
Blade HRC 61-63 Handle Shape Oval
Blade Finish Kurouchi Total Length 305mm
Blade Length 165mm Weight 120g
Spine Thickness at Heel 2.3mm Usage Multi-purpose
Edge Double-edge (50/50) Origin Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto, Japan
Handedness Right hand, Left hand

 

Specifications
Blade Shape Santoku Handle Length 130mm
Blade Material Aogami No.2 Handle Material Magnolia Wood
Blade HRC 61-63 Handle Shape Oval
Blade Finish Kurouchi Total Length 305mm
Blade Length 165mm Weight 120g
Spine Thickness at Heel 2.3mm Usage Multi-purpose
Edge Double-edge (50/50) Origin Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto, Japan
Handedness Right hand, Left hand

Free Whetstone Details
  • Amakusa Red Sharpening Stone (natural stone)
  • Grit: #500-#800
  • Size: 150 x 45 x 30mm*
  • Weight: 525 gr*

*This is a natural stone that comes directly from a quarry, so the size and weight of each stone may slightly vary.

Product Care Instructions

HOW TO USE?

  • Only cut food you can bite and chew with this knife since hard foods can chip the blade. Do not cut olive pits, bones, lobster shells, wood pieces or frozen food, which are especially bad  due to the cold making hard steel more brittle.
  • Do not use the knife in twisting motions.
  • Use wood or plastic cutting boards to avoid dull knives. Do not use glass,  granite or bamboo surfaces.

HOW TO CLEAN?

  • After each use, hand wash the knife with mild detergent and a soft sponge, rinse with hot water and dry by hand immediately. Do not use the dishwasher.
  • Wood handles may dry out over time and exposure to water. To prevent this, use some food safe mineral oil or beeswax.  

HOW TO SHARPEN?

  • Use the FREE WHETSONE included with the knife for sharpening. It is recommended by the manufacturer.
  • Remember to sharpen both sides evenly as this is a double-bevel knife.

HOW TO STORE?

  • Wrap the blade in newspaper to reduce direct exposure to the air and prevent rusting if you keep knives in a drawer or travel case
  • If you are hanging the knife or using a knife stand, remember that the blade should point downwards.
  • If you are storing them in a drawer, keep the edge from touching anything else.
Shipping + Return Policy
Shipping Policy

All products are crafted, inspected, and shipped directly from Japan.

Please allow up to 5 business days for order processing before dispatch.

Click here for more info on our shipping policy.


Return Policy

We have a 30-day return policy, which means you have 30 days after receiving your item to request a return.

Please note: Made-to-order items, such as Bizen Osafune Swordsmith and Shirou Kunimitsu Tamahagane knives, as well as custom-engraved knives are non-refundable. All sales are final.

Click here for more info on our return policy.

Customs Fees & Other Taxes

Import duties, VAT, or local customs taxes may apply once your order reaches your country.

These are set by your local customs authority and are not included in our product prices or free shipping. We suggest contacting the responsible institutions to find more information.

These fees are the customer's responsibility and thus must be paid upon delivery.

FOR U.S. CUSTOMERS: As of May 8, 2026, all U.S. orders are shipped DDP (Delivered Duties Paid). Customs duties and import taxes are included for US customers in the final price shown at checkout.

EU GPSR & Safety Information

Manufacturer Information:

  • Company Name: Teuchi Hamono Minomo Kajiya
  • Address: 1596-3 Shimosatsumazemachi Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto 868-0014

EU Responsible Person:

  • Company Name: TerrainQ Solutions UG
  • Address: Franz-Ehrlich-Straße 12 12489 Berlin, Germany
  • Phone: +4917643242825
  • Email: info@cert-rep.com

Product Information:

  • Product Type: Japanese Kitchen Knife
  • Intended Use: Food preparation and kitchen use only
  • Country of Origin: Japan

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Extremely sharp blade. Handle with care. Keep out of reach of children at all times. Do not use if the blade is chipped or the handle is cracked or loose. Inspect before use. Hand wash only — do not place in dishwasher. Use only on appropriate cutting surfaces. When sharpening, place on a stable surface atop a damp mat or cloth to prevent slippage and resulting injury during sharpening. Wash hands after sharpening.

About this artisan

Minomo Blacksmith 9th generation artisan, dad Minoru san, polishing a knife

Minomo Blacksmith

Minomo Blacksmith was founded 1796, in the small village of Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto prefecture. The workshop itself has been destroyed several times (by floods and fires) but the traditions were kept alive through the efforts of this family of craftsmen. Their passion for the craft has kept burning for over 200 years.

Currently, three generations of blacksmiths are working in the smithy: The granddad (8th generation blacksmith) Yutaka-san, the dad (9th generation blacksmith) Minoru-san, and his son (10th generation blacksmith) Isamu-san.

The three of them work in the workshop every day, hammering, sharpening, and putting their hearts and souls into each and every blade.

They create timeless products that can be used for decades. The legacy of their ancestors can be felt in every swing of their hammers. A craft kept alive for over 200 years.

Today, they keep swinging their hammers to keep the tradition alive for future generations.

Learn more

Minomo Blacksmith: Three Generations Upholding 200 Years of Craft in Kumamoto

Poster of the three artisans (grandfather, father and son) running Minomo Blacksmith

Why buy from us?

Japanese Food Craftsman focus on introducing and supporting Japanese artisans, helping them continue their craft and preserve traditional culture for future generations.

When you purchase through us, your support goes to the maker behind the knifenot to mass production or anonymous distribution.

Through our global +1.8 million YouTube communitywe share the stories, techniques, and philosophy of these craftsmen with viewers around the world.

The knives we offer are selected through direct relationships and transparent storytelling, not catalogs. Choosing this knife means supporting real people, real skills, and craftsmanship meant to last.

As featured in Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seBTCidOjSU

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Minomo Blacksmith knives dishwasher safe?

No, Minomo Blacksmith knives should not be washed in the dishwasher due to their artisanal crafting process. To prevent damage to your knife and ensure it lasts you for years to come, please wash the knife by hand with a mild detergent and gentle sponge.

How should I care for my Minomo Blacksmith knife?

After each use, be sure to wash the knife by hand using a mild detergent and gentle sponge. Rinse clean and wipe with a soft dish towel until completely dry. Store in a dry place.

Will my Minomo Blacksmith knife rust?

Minomo Blacksmith knives are made of Aogami No.2 (Blue Steel #2), a type of carbon steel. Thus, they are prone to rust, so be sure to dry your knife completely before putting it away and to store in a dry place to prevent corrosion.

How much will shipping cost?

All prices include FREE international shipping. Please allow up to 5 weeks for shipping, depending on your country of residence. Please see our Shipping Policy for details.

Please note: Our products ship directly from Japan to you. You may be required to pay customs duties and/or customs clearance fees upon delivery (if applicable in your country).

FOR U.S. CUSTOMERSAs of May 8, 2026, all U.S. orders are shipped DDP (Delivered Duties Paid).Customs duties and import taxes are included for US customers in the final price shown at checkout.

How do you sharpen a Minomo Blacksmith knife?

Check out the video below for more information on how Minomo Blacksmith artisans sharpen their baldes with a sharpening stone, and how to store it safely.

KnifeKnivesMinomoCraftsmanshipBlacksmithFamilyPackagingQualityShippingHandling
  • 5 stars: 36 (88%)
  • 4 stars: 3 (7%)
  • 3 stars: 0 (0%)
  • 2 stars: 1 (2%)
  • 1 star: 1 (2%)
J
Jo 27 (Germany)
traditional knife

A traditional knife. I always wanted a traditional knife from a blacksmith where you get a familiar tool. I always preferred Japanese knives; they were global knives. These are industrially manufactured, but they are also very good. But what you get here is a knife with a soul, and that's something very special.

Dear Jo 27,

Thank you so much for your purchase and for your kind review! We are so happy to hear that you are pleased with your knife and appreciate the tradition and craftsmanship that go into a handcrafted Japanese knife! Thank you once again for supporting Japanese craftsmen!

Greetings from Japan,
The Japanese Food Craftsman Team

A
Arthur Woods (United States)
Without Name Engraved
Great Knife!

What a great knife! It’s extremely sharp and a little smaller than the utility knife I’m used to using, but it feels comfortable in the hand and makes slicing food much easier. I love the craftsmanship and knowing that this was made by a family of blacksmiths whose business has been making knives since the Edo Period, makes it even more special.

Dear Arthur Woods,

It has been a while since your purchase and review, but we just wanted to take the time to say thank you so much for your positive review and for supporting Japanese craftsmen! We hope you are still enjoying your knife!

Greetings from Japan, The Japanese Food Craftsman Team

C
Chin chia Hsu (Taiwan)
What a great Knife!!!

I initially discovered the stories behind these handcrafted knives through a YouTube program. After actually receiving them yesterday, I felt even more deeply that the process from raw materials to the finished knife embodies a wealth of technical expertise, craftsmanship, and dedication to forging! I hope that purchasing these knives will greatly support the knifemakers! I will definitely continue to buy from them in the future!

Hi Chin chia Hsu,

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're so glad you are happy with your Minomo Blacksmith Santoku knife as well! We look forward to serving you again!

Greetings from Japan,
The Japanese Food Craftsman Team

G
Gabriel Voicila (Romania)
Without Name Engraved
Wonderful

Wonderful knife!

Hi Gabriel, we're thrilled to hear you love the Minomo Blacksmith Santoku Knife! Thank you for your kind words.

Greetings from Japan, The Japanese Food Craftsman Team

J
Jean-Francois Faye (France)
Without Name Engraved
My knife from Minomo Blacksmith

Hello everybody. I received my knife 3 days ago, and it has been a pleasure to use it. Both sharpness and ligthness are amazing ! Thanks to Yutaka, Minoru and Isamu !

Dear Jean-Francois Faye,

Thank you so much for your kind review and for supporting Minomo Blacksmith with your order. We will be sure to send your positive feedback over to the smithy. Thanks once again and greetings from Japan! The Japanese Food Craftsman Team

C
Christopher F Thomas (Panama)
With Custom Engraving
Knife for my wife

My wife loves the knife! Excellent work!
Thank you.

Dear Christopher F Thomas,

Thank you so much for your purchase and for supporting Minomo Blacksmith! We are glad to hear that your wife is happy with her knife!

Greetings from Japan,
The Japanese Food Craftsman Team

F
Friedrich Koopmann (Germany)
With Custom Engraving

The knife dont cut Tomatoes

Dear Friedrich Koopmann,

Thank you for your review and for supporting Minomo Blacksmith with your order! If your knife's blade is starting to feel a bit dull, please watch our video on how to sharpen your knife with the included sharpening stone: https://youtu.be/t-OzjOaqMPM?si=2A3aX6XIOHmlO2KW If this does not help and you still have questions about your knife, feel free to contact us any time via email at japanesefoodcraftsmanshop@gmail.com

Thank you once again for your support!
Greetings from Japan,
The Japanese Food Craftsman Team

l
lyubomir siderov (Canada)
Without Name Engraved
Mr.

Thank you. Wonderful work and perfect sharpening. Beautiful knife. ありがとう。

Dear lyubomir siderov,

Thanks so much for the review, and happy to hear you are enjoying your knife!! We will let Minomo Blacksmith know you are happy with your order, and we hope you'll have many chances to create delicious dishes with it.

Greetings from Japan,
The Japanese Food Craftsman Team

D
Dairo Ballate (United States)
With Custom Engraving
Premium Quality

I received the knife and started to use it right away. Very well balanced and It stays sharp longer than any of my other knives

Dear Dairo Ballate,

Thank you for your purchase and for your review! We are thrilled to hear that you are enjoying your knife. Thanks once again for supporting Japanese craftsmen.

Greetings from Japan,
The Japanese Food Craftsman Team

N
Neil Hegarty (Ireland)
Without Name Engraved
Beautiful Kitchen Life

I received the knife. I am very very happy with such a beautiful family created product! I love the fact that it was wrapped in local newspaper and that the box was wrapped with a nice hand written ‘Thank you’. Very happy and thank the family for me ! NEIL HEGARTY Ireland

Dear Neil Hegarty,

Thank you so much for your kind words and for supporting Japanese craftsmen. They will be glad to hear that you are happy with their work.

Greetings from Japan,
The Japanese Food Craftsman Team

T
Thorsten Wilfing (Germany)
With Custom Engraving
Messer

Das Messer habe ich erhalten und bin damit sehr zufrieden.
Die Qualität ist ausgezeichnet und optisch eine Aufwertung jeder Küche.
Freunde und Bekannte sind vom Auftreten des Messer begeistert.
Danke für den reibungslosen Ablauf.
Mfg Thorsten Wilfing

Vielen Dank für Ihren Kauf und für Ihre nette Bewertung! Es freut uns zu hören, dass Sie damit zufrieden sind!

Viele Grüße aus Japan
Das Team von Japanese Food Craftsman

W
WILLIAM

Great seller

S
Steve V
With Custom Engraving
My Favorite New Knife

The craftsmanship and old style ways make this Minomo blacksmiths knife very special and very SHARP! Also to watch a video of this very family shop extra special to me. I’ve purchased several Japanese knives over the years and spent 3 times + for some of them, I put this knife above a few of them.
Thank you to the family for sharing your craft.

Dear Steve V,

Thank you for you purchase and for your review! We are thrilled to hear that you are happy with your knife and hope that you have plenty of opportunities to make great food with it! Thanks once again for supporting Japanese craftsmen!

Greetings from Japan,
The Japanese Food Craftsman Team

N
N (United Kingdom)
Without Name Engraved
Minomo Blacksmith Santoku - From Japan to Wales

Amazing service from Japanese Food Craftsman. The item has been shipped from one side of the world to the other in a very effective time frame. Packaging was beautiful with some very kind and thoughtful messages within. The knife is flawless and makes a superb highlight to my kitchen tools. Could not recommend enough. Thank you Japanese Food Craftsman and most importantly thank you Minomo Blacksmith for your amazing skills and craftsmanship.
Diolch yn fawr iawn From Wales!

Dear N,

Thanks so much for the review, and happy to hear you are enjoying your knife! We hope you'll have many chances to create delicious dishes with it. Thanks once again for supporting Minomo Blacksmith.

Greetings from Japan,
The Japanese Food Craftsman Team

T
Toby B. (Germany)
Without Name Engraved
I will order again

I ordered two knives, sadly I can only test one, the santoku I ordered is a gift. The nakiri from Nakamura is amazing and the best knife I have yet to own.
Shipping took less than a month from around the world and even the support was very helpful for correcting a mistake I made. Just a heads up: You probably will have to pay import taxes in your respective country but I can guarantee: It's worth it!

Many thanks once again!

A
Alexia

This was my boyfriend's Christmas gift. He was absolutely overjoyed when he received it. The quality and engraving are amazing. The packaging is beautiful and thoughtful. He felt bad tearing the pretty wrapping paper. I was happy it had Japanese newspaper as protection for the item. It also comes with instructions inside and cute cards. It took forever to arrive due to shipping issues once it arrived in the states, but the wait was worth it. He hasn't had a chance to use it yet, and he already said it might be a while until he does because it's so special to him. Thank you!!! ありがとうございます!!!

D
Don Saruwatari (United States)
With Custom Engraving
Beautiful workmanship

I really love this knife, very well balanced and it’s feels so light in my hand. I am very satisfied with the decision of purchasing this work of art.

Dear Don Saruwatari,

Thank you so much for your purchase and for your nice review! We are glad to hear that you are happy with your order and that you appreciate the craftsmanship and tradition that go into each and every piece. Thank you once again for supporting Japanese craftsmen!

Greetings from Japan,
The Japanese Food Craftsman Team

M
Michael Canale-Parola (United Kingdom)
With Custom Engraving
N%2FA

Paid for knife and postage. Now have to pay £50 to customs for handling which I will not be doing. Not going to shop here again as no mention of customs control was mentioned yet I buy knives from China without customs charging me ⁉%EF%B8%8F

匿名

Great

J
Jasen

Blade has multiple chips after literal 1 month of use, cutting vegetables…handle is incredibly cheap and an unfinished piece of wood. Not in a good way. Do not recommend.

B
Brock Pivirotto (United States)
Without Name Engraved
Great knife!

Knife is amazing, great craftsmanship!

Dear Brock,

Thank yout for your review and supporting Japanese craftsmanship!

Greetings from Japan,
The Japanese Food Craftsman Team

E
Erikk

Quality Craftsmanship, shipping was fast from Japan to the States. Will buy from Minomo again.

Thank you for your review and for your purchase!
Please enjoy cooking with the Minomo knife for a long time to come!

Greetings from Japan,
The Japanese Food Craftsman Team

J
James Runquist (United States)
Without Name Engraved
Fantastic!

I received the Minomo Santoku knife. It is a beautiful knife that arrive quite sharp. Highly recommended! I also order the Tokyo Rainbow Spice flavor box. Spices are fantastic. Also recommend this 100%. Also very happy with Mari and her help. Great experience all around.

Dear James,

Thank you for your review and for your purchase!
We are glad to hear you like both products.
Thank you for supporting craftsman and Japanese crafts in Japan!

Greetings from Japan,
The Japanese Food Craftsman Team

G
Gene Eleazar (United States)
Without Name Engraved

Minomo Blacksmith Pack (End of April shipment)

Thank you for your purchase!

B
BRUNO AGUIAR (Macao)
With Custom Engraving
Minomo Santoku

I've been anxious to receive the knife as soon as it shipped, and having it in my hands did not disappoint!
It is a beauty, both in form and function. Better than most other commercial chef's knifes out there and, honestly, the price is a steal.
I picked the engraved option. Seeing the care and attention put into each knife in the featured video, and now having a personalized piece of that magic is otherwordly.
I've only been using it for a week, so I can't be more in depth, however it has not disappointed. It is surprisingly light. It cuts well, dices well, chops well, even breaks down chickens well!
The wood feels quite porous and unvarnished, so make sure it's kept dry after washing!

Dear Bruno,

Thank you for your purchase and for your review!
We're glad to hear you got your knife and like it!
Please enjoy your cooking with the knife for a long time to come!
We will continue to create more craftsman videos, so please stay tuned!
Thank you again for your support!

Greetings from Japan,
The Japanese Food Craftsman Team

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