Sign in
Registration
Product detail
You’ll no doubt remember the Zanmai Hybrid Splash range of knives. In our opinion, they’re among the most beautiful knives in our range. A beautifully patterned Damascus steel blade with a matt guard and an elegant handle. Add to that high-quality materials, and you’d think there was simply no room for improvement. The master craftsmen at Marusho Industry had a different view.
In keeping with the Japanese approach, they have retained what has proven its worth and improved upon what could still be improved. The materials, the bolster and the sophisticated handle remain unchanged. Surprisingly, it is the blade that has been refined. A special etching process has given it a dark background, against which the intricate Damascus pattern stands out even more strikingly. By layering softer and harder corrosion-resistant steel around a core of hard VG10 cobalt steel, the metallurgists at Takefu Special Steel have created what is known as a ‘packet’. Multiple hot-rolling processes create the basic layered material (33 layers) for the knife manufacturer. The process of revealing the individual layers remains closely guarded know-how. And this is where Marusho Industry takes the lead. Just take a look at the Zanmai Ultimate Aranami blades or the newly launched Zanmai Splash III range. The imaginative combination of waves and circles gives your imagination boundless scope. The manufacturer has switched to monochrome branding, so you will no longer find the red logo on the blade.
The handles are the same as those on the original Hybrid Splash model, which we really appreciate. The hexagonal shape, which flows smoothly into a circle, fits comfortably in anyone’s hand. It is made from brown stabilised pakkawood. The decorative inlay, together with a narrow red stripe, enhances the overall aesthetic appeal. The same goes for the matt bolster made from a nickel and silver alloy.
The Zanmai Splash III knives raise the bar set by their predecessor – which was already set very high – even higher.
©2026 Copyright Roman Ulík, Nippon Knives, www.japonskenoze.sk all rights reserved.
The photographs and text are protected by copyright law and may not be used without the author’s consent.
About producer
Marusho Industry Inc. - a company producing refined Mcusta pocket knives, luxurious Zanmai kitchen knives and iconic Silky scissors - located in the center of Japanese cutlery, in the city of Seki. The city gained this status already in the middle of the 13th century thanks to sand with a rich content of iron ore, high-quality peat and water sources. These were the reasons why the renowned sword maker Motoshige relocated to this area from the island of Kyushu. During the Muromachi period (1338-1573), more than 300 blacksmiths worked in Seki. Among the most famous were Kanemoto Magoroku and Saburo Shizu. Seki swords quickly gained a reputation throughout Japan.
The Marusho company was founded in 1964. Today, it is run by the founder's grandson and his family. It operates one of the most advanced knife factories not only in the city of Seki, but in all of Japan. Thanks to advanced technologies (laser cutters, CNC mills, 3D CAD/CAM projection), the company produces products refined to the smallest detail. The best example is Zanmai brand kitchen knives. But without manual finalization by experienced craftsmen, the products would be far from perfect.
Zanmai means Luxury in Japanese. However, the word is actually derived from the Sanskrit "Samadhi", which is the term for the process of meditation leading to consciousness. It is not known how deeply the Hasegawa clan devotes itself to meditation, but this matter is more than clear. Their knives are consciously polished to the highest luxury.
©2010-2018 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.
