Actually bought a santoku at Osaka tower knives, one of my favorite knives for the last five years. They were really helpful and let me use several knives. Going back to Japan in February, can't wait to buy some more knives.
We are excited for you to go back and buy more knives haha! Osaka Tower knives seriously has some of the best customer service and experience. Question for you.. What knife or knives are you planning on getting next?
@@AdventuresofCarlienne Having more experience now I definitely want to try a gyuto. As I am from the Netherlands, having a lot of fish available as well, I also want to have a deba and try the Japanese way of filleting fish contrary to our more traditional ways using more flexible fish knives. Any advise on the size of the deba to choose from?
@@huascarra5143 That’s awesome! Being that you already have a santoku knife maybe a longer gyuto might round out the collection like a 240 or 270 that would help with bigger items. As far as the Deba size goes it really depends on the size of fish you will break down. I break down whole salmon, sea bass, and tilapia and often times a case of each and find that my 155mm honesuki knife does really well with the tasks I need. It’s normally labeled for breaking down poultry but honestly does fish and some red meats well so that could be something to think about. Once I added a honesuki knife to the bag I rarely reached for my western boning knife. The deba is made for tasks you might need some extra force which is why it’s thicker than other Japanese knives. But for the tasks that need it like for chopping necks I use the butt of my gyuto and for fins I’ll use some good shears then switch back to my honesuki for filleting. I just think that knife is much more versatile than a deba. If you are set on getting one then something around the area of 165mm or 180mm could be good enough for most people or the home cook. I know some colleagues that go 195mm or 210mm Deba and have a smaller 150 for smaller fish but if you aren’t breaking down cases of large restaurant fish all day every day for work then that’s a bit excessive haha. Hope that helps you and please share with us what you end up getting in February!
Thank you for watching! I wish I could say you'd be getting a deal if you were buying in Japan. If we are honest, They CAN be slightly cheaper but they can also be the same price as getting them online. For us, it's more of the experience in going into the shops and seeing and feeling the knives. You'd really have to dive in deep to find the shops that sell certain brands for cheaper but sometimes you just wanna test drive some cuts, buy the ones that felt the best for you and then have a delicious bowl of celebratory ramen. There has been times we found a knife to be more expensive in Japan than in the US but I always take pictures of the knives I'm considering to compare in my research when I get back to the hotel. In most of those situations they were more expensive because it was fitted with a different handle material or the ferrule is made of like buffalo horn or ivory or something crazy which could explain the more expensive price. For example, many of the Takada No Hamono knives that get sold in the US (this is just my experience trying to buy this knife for so long) have the stock octagonal rosewood Japanese handle but when I went to the workshop in Sakai City he had 2 of the same blade but one had the most beautiful handle/ferrule combos ive ever seen but i just couldn't jump on the price increase. the handle is also something you can change down the road and most likely will if you keep the knife for a long time because at the end of the day its wood and can deteriorate depending on use. I really hope this helps! Happy Shopping!
Wow! I cannot wait to check some of these out! At Takada No Hamono, is there a rough price range you could outline for us? I am shopping both for myself and for gifts!
We’re excited for you and can’t wait to hear what you end up getting! At Takada the prices may have changed since I’ve gone but it can be a large range depending on the type of knife and if he’s got a nicer handle on them vs the stock handles but expect some of the knives to be anywhere from $300USD to over $1000. Super big range but some of the petty knives hovered around $300usd and gyutos around the $400usd and up. The hanabi line tad cheaper than Reika line which is a tad cheaper than the suiboku line as well but the suiboku is the most sought after imo. Not that the other 2 aren’t desirable they’re such beautifully made knives it just come down to preference on that. He doesn’t store much stock tho but enough to have you scratching your head about which one to buy or wanting to buy them all. Haha. Hope that helps!
It’s a great spot! But the owner does not speak much English at least from our experience. You’ll still be able to admire the shop though and we messaged him on his instagram to see if was okay to visit and let him know the time we’d be arriving so he was aware. Hope you enjoy it!
I feel like the entire staff knowing English makes it less desirable. Is this a place for tourists? I want a knife shop with some dedicated Japanese knife heads who didn’t have time to learn English cause they were busy studying knives.
Thanks for the comment Elliot! Japanese knives are actually becoming a super popular souvenir, so there are more and more shops that cater to tourists and speak English. Language skills and knife making skills aren't mutually exclusive 😁 and besides the knife makers (and the knife sharpeners) and the sales people are often not the same person anyway. Whether or not it's the right shop for you depends on your personal priorities. Osaka Tower Knives is a great all-around shop that carries a large selection and a staff that is quite approachable to foreigners. If you're interested in more specialty knives, it might help to be prepared with translations and photos.
Does the staff knowing the English language make the workmanship less? Wouldn't it be a plus since you can communicate your needs and they can help you better?
@@AdventuresofCarlienne I love Mizuno knives they are so beautifully crafted. Kind of "underrated" if you aren't a knives nerd it's not a name you often hear in my opinion. Got a question how are Takada knives? I'll travel in Japan this year and be in Osaka couple of days so I might go there. Like price etc..
The Takada knives are amazing, one of the easiest knives that ive handled. Ive got suiboku line gyuto and it’s so light, the blades are so thin and I feel like I can use it for hours and hours and also its an absolute laser. The prices may have changed since we’ve gone but it can be a large range depending on the type of knife and if he’s got a nicer handle on them vs the stock handles but expect some of the knives to be anywhere from $300USD to over $1000. Super big range but some of the petty knives hovered around $300usd and gyutos around the $400usd and up. The hanabi line tad cheaper than Reika line which is a tad cheaper than the suiboku line as well but the suiboku is the most sought after imo. Not that the other 2 aren’t desirable, they’re such beautifully made knives, it just comes down to preference on that. He doesn’t store much stock but enough to have you scratching your head about which one to buy or wanting to buy them all Haha. Hope that helps
@@AdventuresofCarlienne thank you so much my man I appreciate your long explanation you convinced me to buy one! I had a look online and like you mentioned in the video they are very hard to get most of the websites the knives are sold out. I was wondering do you know Satoshi Nakagawa? His knives are amazing but as a chef I'd rather buy the knife in the actual shop where the blacksmith do the work instead of buying it but can't seem to find his shop. I actually saw some japanese chefs visiting him in Sakai but there are no info about the location perhaps it's just for private customers or close friends. They are all so close in that area! Mizuno still is my fave.
Apologies for such a late reply! I’ve read about Satoshi Nakagawa and his Honyaki style of knives. They do look so beautiful but just like you, I always do my best to get a knife in person. There’s something about holding a knife before buying it to see if it really vibes with you. Like a real Harry Potter and wand moment haha. I also couldn’t find too much on his location either but would be awesome to see his shop!! If you do please send us some info so we can visit on our next trip haha.
Man, what a refreshing video. Short and sweet, got through the list and quick showcase and not 10 mins per shop.
Thank you so much for watching! Means so much to read that it was refreshing.
Thanks for featuring us and Doguyasuji in general!
Actually bought a santoku at Osaka tower knives, one of my favorite knives for the last five years. They were really helpful and let me use several knives. Going back to Japan in February, can't wait to buy some more knives.
We are excited for you to go back and buy more knives haha! Osaka Tower knives seriously has some of the best customer service and experience. Question for you.. What knife or knives are you planning on getting next?
@@AdventuresofCarlienne Having more experience now I definitely want to try a gyuto. As I am from the Netherlands, having a lot of fish available as well, I also want to have a deba and try the Japanese way of filleting fish contrary to our more traditional ways using more flexible fish knives. Any advise on the size of the deba to choose from?
@@huascarra5143 That’s awesome! Being that you already have a santoku knife maybe a longer gyuto might round out the collection like a 240 or 270 that would help with bigger items. As far as the Deba size goes it really depends on the size of fish you will break down. I break down whole salmon, sea bass, and tilapia and often times a case of each and find that my 155mm honesuki knife does really well with the tasks I need. It’s normally labeled for breaking down poultry but honestly does fish and some red meats well so that could be something to think about. Once I added a honesuki knife to the bag I rarely reached for my western boning knife. The deba is made for tasks you might need some extra force which is why it’s thicker than other Japanese knives. But for the tasks that need it like for chopping necks I use the butt of my gyuto and for fins I’ll use some good shears then switch back to my honesuki for filleting. I just think that knife is much more versatile than a deba. If you are set on getting one then something around the area of 165mm or 180mm could be good enough for most people or the home cook. I know some colleagues that go 195mm or 210mm Deba and have a smaller 150 for smaller fish but if you aren’t breaking down cases of large restaurant fish all day every day for work then that’s a bit excessive haha. Hope that helps you and please share with us what you end up getting in February!
just discovered the channel awesome videos!!
Thank you so much!!
Super helpful video! How are the prices compared to what's in the states?
Thank you for watching! I wish I could say you'd be getting a deal if you were buying in Japan. If we are honest, They CAN be slightly cheaper but they can also be the same price as getting them online. For us, it's more of the experience in going into the shops and seeing and feeling the knives. You'd really have to dive in deep to find the shops that sell certain brands for cheaper but sometimes you just wanna test drive some cuts, buy the ones that felt the best for you and then have a delicious bowl of celebratory ramen. There has been times we found a knife to be more expensive in Japan than in the US but I always take pictures of the knives I'm considering to compare in my research when I get back to the hotel. In most of those situations they were more expensive because it was fitted with a different handle material or the ferrule is made of like buffalo horn or ivory or something crazy which could explain the more expensive price. For example, many of the Takada No Hamono knives that get sold in the US (this is just my experience trying to buy this knife for so long) have the stock octagonal rosewood Japanese handle but when I went to the workshop in Sakai City he had 2 of the same blade but one had the most beautiful handle/ferrule combos ive ever seen but i just couldn't jump on the price increase. the handle is also something you can change down the road and most likely will if you keep the knife for a long time because at the end of the day its wood and can deteriorate depending on use. I really hope this helps! Happy Shopping!
Wow! I cannot wait to check some of these out!
At Takada No Hamono, is there a rough price range you could outline for us? I am shopping both for myself and for gifts!
We’re excited for you and can’t wait to hear what you end up getting!
At Takada the prices may have changed since I’ve gone but it can be a large range depending on the type of knife and if he’s got a nicer handle on them vs the stock handles but expect some of the knives to be anywhere from $300USD to over $1000. Super big range but some of the petty knives hovered around $300usd and gyutos around the $400usd and up. The hanabi line tad cheaper than Reika line which is a tad cheaper than the suiboku line as well but the suiboku is the most sought after imo. Not that the other 2 aren’t desirable they’re such beautifully made knives it just come down to preference on that. He doesn’t store much stock tho but enough to have you scratching your head about which one to buy or wanting to buy them all. Haha. Hope that helps!
What are the price ranges for these shops? are they all high end? $100+?
Do any of the shops recommended carry the Nakgawa knives? I'm looking for Ginsan steel knives.
Can you tell me the cheapest gyuto or santoku made with AS steel brand in Sakai?
Would be cool if we could see price difference shopping locally versus buying online
What is the form of payment recommended to buy knives in Japan?
takada no hamono looks sick! might wanna give the place a visit but does the owner or any of the staff speak English?
It’s a great spot! But the owner does not speak much English at least from our experience. You’ll still be able to admire the shop though and we messaged him on his instagram to see if was okay to visit and let him know the time we’d be arriving so he was aware. Hope you enjoy it!
@@AdventuresofCarlienne sweet! another thing tho~ Do you know what's the price range of his knives? Im considering getting one for myself :)
Clutch video
I feel like the entire staff knowing English makes it less desirable. Is this a place for tourists? I want a knife shop with some dedicated Japanese knife heads who didn’t have time to learn English cause they were busy studying knives.
Thanks for the comment Elliot! Japanese knives are actually becoming a super popular souvenir, so there are more and more shops that cater to tourists and speak English. Language skills and knife making skills aren't mutually exclusive 😁 and besides the knife makers (and the knife sharpeners) and the sales people are often not the same person anyway. Whether or not it's the right shop for you depends on your personal priorities. Osaka Tower Knives is a great all-around shop that carries a large selection and a staff that is quite approachable to foreigners. If you're interested in more specialty knives, it might help to be prepared with translations and photos.
Does the staff knowing the English language make the workmanship less? Wouldn't it be a plus since you can communicate your needs and they can help you better?
Best spot is Mizuno in Sakai
Mizuno Tarenjo is definitely one of the best spots too, the workshop by itself is worth it to check out. Thanks for sharing!
@@AdventuresofCarlienne I love Mizuno knives they are so beautifully crafted. Kind of "underrated" if you aren't a knives nerd it's not a name you often hear in my opinion. Got a question how are Takada knives? I'll travel in Japan this year and be in Osaka couple of days so I might go there. Like price etc..
The Takada knives are amazing, one of the easiest knives that ive handled. Ive got suiboku line gyuto and it’s so light, the blades are so thin and I feel like I can use it for hours and hours and also its an absolute laser.
The prices may have changed since we’ve gone but it can be a large range depending on the type of knife and if he’s got a nicer handle on them vs the stock handles but expect some of the knives to be anywhere from $300USD to over $1000. Super big range but some of the petty knives hovered around $300usd and gyutos around the $400usd and up. The hanabi line tad cheaper than Reika line which is a tad cheaper than the suiboku line as well but the suiboku is the most sought after imo. Not that the other 2 aren’t desirable, they’re such beautifully made knives, it just comes down to preference on that. He doesn’t store much stock but enough to have you scratching your head about which one to buy or wanting to buy them all Haha. Hope that helps
@@AdventuresofCarlienne thank you so much my man I appreciate your long explanation you convinced me to buy one! I had a look online and like you mentioned in the video they are very hard to get most of the websites the knives are sold out. I was wondering do you know Satoshi Nakagawa? His knives are amazing but as a chef I'd rather buy the knife in the actual shop where the blacksmith do the work instead of buying it but can't seem to find his shop. I actually saw some japanese chefs visiting him in Sakai but there are no info about the location perhaps it's just for private customers or close friends. They are all so close in that area! Mizuno still is my fave.
Apologies for such a late reply! I’ve read about Satoshi Nakagawa and his Honyaki style of knives. They do look so beautiful but just like you, I always do my best to get a knife in person. There’s something about holding a knife before buying it to see if it really vibes with you. Like a real Harry Potter and wand moment haha. I also couldn’t find too much on his location either but would be awesome to see his shop!! If you do please send us some info so we can visit on our next trip haha.