Our visit to Sakai Takayuki
We arrived in Sakai City, pulling into the parking lot of a large industrial building. This was the heart of Japanese knife-making, and we were here to see the craftsmanship firsthand. Waiting for us was Ogawa-San, someone we had only known through reputation and correspondence. Strangers at that moment, this introduction marked the beginning of a lasting friendship and collaboration with Sakai Takayuki—there was work to be done, and we were eager to see it.
Inside, the factory was a hive of activity. The heat from the forges was immediate, and the air carried the scent of steel and burning coal. The sound of hammers striking metal echoed throughout the space as skilled craftsmen worked methodically at their stations.
Each knife began as a billet of steel, which was forge-welded to layers of softer iron to create a laminated structure. The steel was heated, hammered, and stretched repeatedly until it took the rough shape of a blade.
Before hardening, the maker’s mark was pounded in with a metal stamp and mallet. A thin slurry of clay and water was applied to protect the carbon steel during heat treatment.
Finally, the blade was quenched in water to achieve the hardness that defines its cutting performance.
After observing this intricate process, we moved into a workshop lined with towering grinding wheels, where we were greeted by Grand Master Yamatsuka Mitsuo.
A designated national treasure of Japan, Mitsuo-San, alongside his wife and two sons, meticulously shapes Sakai Takayuki’s finest knives.
With over 50 years of experience, he masterfully balances sharpness, durability, and performance—transforming each blade into a piece of functional art. We watched in awe as he and his family ground the forged blanks with precision, revealing the striking contrast between the jigane (soft cladding) and the hagane (hardened steel), creating a breathtaking kasumi finish reminiscent of morning mist.
Completely captivated by the journey from raw steel to masterpiece, we were then led to a showroom—once a club, now a museum of knife perfection. The walls displayed exquisite hand-engraved knives by Michiko Kubota, and we had the privilege of sitting down to talk, deepening our newfound friendship.
That bond traveled home with us to Chicago, where not long after, we had the honor of hosting Ogawa-San ourselves—sharing food, drinks, and ambitious plans for a future of collaboration and growth.
