How to Read the Kanji on a Japanese Knife
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Quick answer: Kanji on a Japanese knife usually tells you the maker, the town, the steel or the knife type. Read it from top to bottom, and match it with what the seller says.
I live in Japan and read Japanese. These are the words you are most likely to see on a blade or box.
Knife types
| Kanji | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 牛刀 | gyūtō | Chef's knife |
| 三徳 | santoku | All-purpose knife |
| 菜切 | nakiri | Vegetable knife |
| 出刃 | deba | Fish butchering knife |
| 柳刃 | yanagiba | Long sashimi knife |
| 筋引 | sujihiki | Slicing knife |
Steel and construction
| Kanji | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 鋼 | hagane | Carbon steel |
| 青紙 | aogami | Blue paper steel |
| 白紙 | shirogami | White paper steel |
| 本焼 | honyaki | Forged from one steel |
| 霞 | kasumi | Two steels forged together |
| 両刃 | ryōba | Sharpened on both sides |
| 片刃 | kataba | Sharpened on one side |
Origin and maker marks
| Kanji | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 日本製 | nihon-sei | Made in Japan |
| 堺 | sakai | Sakai, Osaka |
| 関 | seki | Seki, Gifu |
| 三条 | sanjō | Sanjo, Niigata |
| 越前 | echizen | Echizen, Fukui |
| 土佐 | tosa | Tosa, Kochi |
| 作 | saku | Made by (follows a maker's name) |
Can kanji prove a knife is Japanese?
No. Anyone can stamp kanji on a blade. Use it together with the five checks before you buy.
Where to buy
A shop that names the maker, town and steel makes the kanji easier to check. One place to start is Hocho Knife. Check its shipping page for your country before you order.