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The neighbourhood in Sakai where the Aoki Hamono (Sakai Takayuki) workshops are located is called Sanpou. It is a Buddhist name meaning ‘three treasures’. The three treasures of Buddhism are the Buddha, his teachings and his followers. Blacksmiths, too, have their own three treasures: iron (Tetsu), water (Mizu) and fire (Hi). It was here that the idea arose to create the Sanpou series, comprising the three treasures of blacksmithing in the form of hand-forged collections: Mizu, Tetsu and Hi.
Water plays a vital role in blacksmithing. Although water quenching is the most demanding method, it produces the hardest material. That is why it rightly ranks among the three treasures of blacksmithing. So let’s take a look at this gem, which has arrived at the Nippon Knives shop.
The master craftsmen at Aoki Hamono specialise in Awase-style blades (Ni Mai and San Mai). In this case, it is a hand-forged, three-layer San Mai blade. The core is forged from ‘white’ Shirogami 2 steel, which, thanks to its hardness, holds its edge beautifully. It is a very pure steel, and to minimise the maintenance required for the knife, the outer layers are made of a corrosion-resistant material. This means that only the cutting edge itself needs to be treated with oil. It is symmetrical in shape, forming a wide ‘V’ with a convex tip. The upper section (Hira) features a Kurouchi finish with hand-hammered Tsuchime. The Kireha is matt sandblasted, and its interface with the polished core resembles Hamon. However, as this is an Awase-type blade, the more accurate term is ‘clad line’ (the interface between the layers). A blade like this would not be complete without kanji markings. On the right-hand side is a stamped circle representing the Tsuba, with the character for ‘Mizu’ inside it. This is followed by the Sakai Takayuki mark. On the left-hand side is the name of the core material – White 2 Steel (Shirogami 2).
The knife is beautifully complemented by its olive wood handle. As well as its attractive colour and grain, its shape is particularly striking. It is square in cross-section, tapering smoothly into a curve at the bottom. It provides a comfortable and secure grip. The Sakai masters’ attention to detail is evident in the woodcarving of the kanji character ‘Mizu’ on the end of the handle. We welcome the absence of a ferrule.
Alongside the Homura Guren, the Sanpou – Mizu is one of Sakai Takayuki’s top-of-the-range Awase knives. We are already looking forward to more treasures from the blacksmith’s forge.
©2026 Copyright Roman Ulík, Nippon Knives, www.japonskenoze.sk all rights reserved.
The photographs and texts are protected by copyright law and may not be used without the author’s consent.
About producer
Sword – a symbol of ancient Japan. It is no coincidence that it forms one of the imperial insignia. It is a Kusanagi sword and its core was also created by multiple folding and forging of the highest quality steel. Thanks to many generations of talented craftsmen, this proven method of producing hard and tough material has been preserved to this day. This is how knives were created that have no parallel in the world.
Sakai, or the city of knives, is today a western suburb of Osaka. The city experienced its greatest development in the 16th century, when it was one of the busiest commercial centers. The latest technologies from all over the world as well as different cultures met here. This helped the development of blacksmithing techniques, which had already reached a high level thanks to the production of traditional swords. The Portuguese brought the first rifles to the area and Sakai blacksmiths changed the production program. But since it was a period of peace, they mainly produced decorative rifles. With the boom in tobacco, they smoothly transitioned to the production of knives for cutting tobacco, but the mechanization of its processing resulted in another production change. Blacksmiths began to specialize in the production of kitchen knives. It was also influenced by the proximity of another important city - Kyoto. It is characterized by its culinary art, and the preparation of individual dishes requires special knives. Today, the majority of Japanese chefs use knives made in the city of Sakai.
Sakai has a slightly shorter history compared to Seki, but nowadays it is their meaning comparable. The difference is mainly in the production program. In Seki, the production of Western-style Japanese knives prevails, with a strong emphasis on export. Manufacturers in Sakai, on the other hand, specialize mainly in traditional Eastern-type knives. Their clientele consists mainly of Japanese professional chefs.
Mr. Takayuki became famous for consolidating the Sakai blacksmiths in 1946. He provided them with production facilities and tools and thus founded the Sakai Takayuki brand. It is currently being looked after by the 3rd generation of this family. The brand is owned by Aoki Hamono, which in 2006 won the prestigious Sakai Wazashu award for the skill of local manufacturers.
The potential of the Aoki Hamono company lies in key personnel positions, which are blacksmith and grinder. Masters with high awards and with experience exceeding 50 years in some cases work here.
Keijiro Doi - blacksmith
At the age of 19, he took the place of his father, a prominent blacksmith, in the workshop. In 1987, he was certified by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry as a Blacksmith Master. In 1997, he received the Green Paulownia Leaves award.
Yukinori Oda – grinder
He is a holder of the Sacred Treasure order, Silver Rays. Already at the age of 20, he became a master. He sticks to his motto: "The sharpness of a good knife is 100%." However, the role of the grinder is to increase it to 120%."
Suogo Yamatsuka - blacksmith
He constantly pushes the boundaries of perfection. He specializes in Gingami 3 anti-corrosion steel.
Hirotsugu Tosa – grinder
He was born in 1948 and trained as a grinder at the age of 18. In 1991 he achieved the title Sharpener Master. He knows no compromises in his work because he is constantly thinking about the users of his knives.
Itso Doi - Blacksmith
Son of Master Keijiro. It represents the third generation of the clan. He is best placed to preserve this championship for generations to come.
Mitsuo Yamatsuka – grinder
In 1999, he received the Japanese Traditional Craftmanship certificate. It is a guarantee that a traditionally forged knife will acquire "Sakai" sharpness.
Due to the handmade production and the huge interest among professionals in Sakai knives, it is quite difficult to obtain at least a few pieces. Our efforts and patience finally brought us the honor of introducing you to products in which the soul of their makers resides. Welcome to Sakai!
Video from the workshop
©2019 Copyright Roman Ulík, Nippon Knives, www.japonskenoze.sk all rights reserved.
Photos and texts are protected by copyright law and their use without the author's consent is not possible.
