{"title":"Masashi Kokuen","description":"\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eMasashi-san started his own workshop in 2013, after learning the family trade alongside his older brother Kazuomi at Yoshikane Hamono.  Despite his young age, Masashi makes a beautifully polished and crazy sharp blade and is able to make his steel harder than other makers through special heat-treating processes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e ‘Kokuen’ 黒煙 translates to ‘black smoke' references to the smoke and ash from his forge, in addition to the tobacco smoke and ash from \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"il\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eMasashi\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e-san’s trademark cigarettes, always present in his mouth while forging. This knife is also made, Masashi's consistently favourite steel SLD, which he takes to an extreme 63–64 Rockwell hardness. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"masashi-kokuen-kiritsuke-petty-135mm","title":"Masashi KOKUEN Kiritsuke Petty 135mm","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCollar\/Ferule colour may vary from light brown to almost black. You can see examples of the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/knifewear.mom\/collections\/masashi-kokuen\"\u003evariation here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout Masashi Kokuen\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e-\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis blade's core is made from hard SLD steel clad in softer stainless steel, which Masashi-san can push to the absolute limit of hardness through his impressive skill and a couple of top-secret techniques. In plain English, this means they keep a crazy sharp edge for a long time but are much lower maintenance than traditional carbon steel blades. He sharpens blades in a unique way, making the back end more robust for chopping and the tip more precise for delicate work.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe dark finish of the Kokuen gives its name. Meaning ‘black smoke’ in Japanese, the Kokuen is inspired by the atmosphere of Masashi’s workshop.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFirst training with his brother at Yoshikane, then striking out on his own, Masashi Yamamoto relentlessly pursues the creation of a perfect knife using the traditional techniques passed down in his family and augmented by a modern understanding of metallurgy. He’s also a certified badass, forging in flip-flops and lighting cigarettes off red-hot steel like an 80’s action hero.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eAbout the Shape - \u003c\/strong\u003eThis is the knife for smaller jobs that are done on a cutting board. Perfect for slicing shallots, cutting herbs, and boning smaller proteins. Additionally, Petty knives are an indispensable tool for those who feel uncomfortable wielding a larger chef knife. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ciframe data-dashlane-frameid=\"3689376907289\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/59sx_t4JrXg\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Masashi Yamamoto","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43000333729966,"sku":"MSKKE135KPE","price":345.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0780\/9439\/files\/Kokuen-petty-135mm-1.jpg?v=1721067972"},{"product_id":"masashi-kokuen-bunka-165mm","title":"Masashi KOKUEN Bunka 165mm","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCollar\/Ferule colour may vary from light brown to almost black. You can see examples of the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/knifewear.mom\/collections\/masashi-kokuen\"\u003evariation here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout Masashi Kokuen\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e-\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis blade's core is made from hard SLD steel clad in softer stainless steel, which Masashi-san can push to the absolute limit of hardness through his impressive skill and a couple of top-secret techniques. In plain English, this means they keep a crazy sharp edge for a long time but are much lower maintenance than traditional carbon steel blades. He sharpens blades in a unique way, making the back end more robust for chopping and the tip more precise for delicate work.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe dark finish of the Kokuen gives its name. Meaning ‘black smoke’ in Japanese, the Kokuen is inspired by the atmosphere of Masashi’s workshop.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFirst training with his brother at Yoshikane, then striking out on his own, Masashi Yamamoto relentlessly pursues the creation of a perfect knife using the traditional techniques passed down in his family and augmented by a modern understanding of metallurgy. He’s also a certified badass, forging in flip-flops and lighting cigarettes off red-hot steel like an 80’s action hero. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ciframe data-dashlane-frameid=\"3689376907286\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/59sx_t4JrXg\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Shape -\u003c\/b\u003e The Bunka looks like a bonafide badass. It is a multi purpose knife akin to the Santoku. “Bunka” translates to “culture.” A cross between the Nakiri and Gyuto, Bunkas can do it all. It’s the best of both worlds with the volume cranked to 11.\n","brand":"Masashi Yamamoto","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43000335696046,"sku":"MSKKE165BU","price":386.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0780\/9439\/files\/Kokuen-Bunka-165.jpg?v=1759954041"},{"product_id":"masashi-kokuen-nakiri-165mm","title":"Masashi KOKUEN Nakiri 165mm","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCollar\/Ferule colour may vary from light brown to almost black. You can see examples of the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/knifewear.mom\/collections\/masashi-kokuen\"\u003evariation here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout Masashi Kokuen -\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis blade's core is made from hard SLD steel clad in softer stainless steel, which Masashi-san can push to the absolute limit of hardness through his impressive skill and a couple of top-secret techniques. In plain English, this means they keep a crazy sharp edge for a long time but are much lower maintenance than traditional carbon steel blades. He sharpens blades in a unique way, making the back end more robust for chopping and the tip more precise for delicate work.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe dark finish of the Kokuen gives its name. Meaning ‘black smoke’ in Japanese, the Kokuen is inspired by the atmosphere of Masashi’s workshop.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFirst training with his brother at Yoshikane, then striking out on his own, Masashi Yamamoto relentlessly pursues the creation of a perfect knife using the traditional techniques passed down in his family and augmented by a modern understanding of metallurgy. He’s also a certified badass, forging in flip-flops and lighting cigarettes off red-hot steel like an 80’s action hero. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eAbout the Shape - \u003c\/strong\u003eA Nakiri is a vegetable knife. Under utilized in the Western kitchen, the Nakiri’s flat blade is meant for the push\/pull chopping of vegetables. Since the entire flat edge of the knife kisses the cutting board at once, you wont be turning the vegetable into an accordion. Accordion vegetables are still connected like a paper doll after you're “done” cutting them. To truly understand the awesomeness of a Nakiri we recommend making onion soup your first night with the knife. The ease of chopping will blow you away\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/59sx_t4JrXg\" data-dashlane-frameid=\"3689376907283\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Masashi Yamamoto","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43000337137838,"sku":"MSKKE165NA","price":386.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0780\/9439\/files\/Kokuen-Nakiri-165.jpg?v=1759949871"},{"product_id":"masashi-kokuen-kiritsuke-gyuto-210mm","title":"Masashi KOKUEN Kiritsuke Gyuto 210mm","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCollar\/Ferule colour may vary from light brown to almost black. You can see examples of the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/knifewear.mom\/collections\/masashi-kokuen\"\u003evariation here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout Masashi Kokuen\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e-\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis blade's core is made from hard SLD steel clad in softer stainless steel, which Masashi-san can push to the absolute limit of hardness through his impressive skill and a couple of top-secret techniques. In plain English, this means they keep a crazy sharp edge for a long time but are much lower maintenance than traditional carbon steel blades. He sharpens blades in a unique way, making the back end more robust for chopping and the tip more precise for delicate work.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe dark finish of the Kokuen gives its name. Meaning ‘black smoke’ in Japanese, the Kokuen is inspired by the atmosphere of Masashi’s workshop.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFirst training with his brother at Yoshikane, then striking out on his own, Masashi Yamamoto relentlessly pursues the creation of a perfect knife using the traditional techniques passed down in his family and augmented by a modern understanding of metallurgy. He’s also a certified badass, forging in flip-flops and lighting cigarettes off red-hot steel like an 80’s action hero. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eAbout the Shape - \u003c\/strong\u003eInspired by the profile of a traditional European chef knife, Gyutos are a multi-purpose knife with a slight meat cutting bias. “Gyuto” translates to “cow sword.” If you want one knife to do it all, This is it. Starting at 180mm, Gyutos can reach the ridiculously long (and awesome) 370mm. For the at-home or professional cook, we recommend a Gyuto which measures between 210mm and 270mm long.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ciframe data-dashlane-frameid=\"3689376907279\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/59sx_t4JrXg\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Masashi Yamamoto","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43000338219182,"sku":"MSKKE210GY","price":495.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0780\/9439\/files\/Kokuen-Kiritsuke-210.jpg?v=1759972515"},{"product_id":"masashi-kokuen-kiritsuke-gyuto-240mm","title":"Masashi KOKUEN Kiritsuke Gyuto 240mm","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCollar\/Ferule colour may vary from light brown to almost black. You can see examples of the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/knifewear.mom\/collections\/masashi-kokuen\"\u003evariation here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout Masashi Kokuen\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e-\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis blade's core is made from hard SLD steel clad in softer stainless steel, which Masashi-san can push to the absolute limit of hardness through his impressive skill and a couple of top-secret techniques. In plain English, this means they keep a crazy sharp edge for a long time but are much lower maintenance than traditional carbon steel blades. He sharpens blades in a unique way, making the back end more robust for chopping and the tip more precise for delicate work.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe dark finish of the Kokuen gives its name. Meaning ‘black smoke’ in Japanese, the Kokuen is inspired by the atmosphere of Masashi’s workshop.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFirst training with his brother at Yoshikane, then striking out on his own, Masashi Yamamoto relentlessly pursues the creation of a perfect knife using the traditional techniques passed down in his family and augmented by a modern understanding of metallurgy. He’s also a certified badass, forging in flip-flops and lighting cigarettes off red-hot steel like an 80’s action hero. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ciframe data-dashlane-frameid=\"1363652116528\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/59sx_t4JrXg\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Shape -\u003c\/b\u003e Inspired by the profile of a traditional European chef knife and badass tip of a Kiritsuke (Traditionally a single bevel knife), double bevel Kiritsukes are a multi purpose knife with a slight meat cutting bias. If you want one knife to do it all, and look cooler than your buddy, this is your knife. For the at-home or professional cook, we recommend a Kiritsuke which measures between 210mm and 240mm long.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Masashi Yamamoto","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43000340447406,"sku":"MSKKE240GY","price":608.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0780\/9439\/files\/Kokuen-Kiritsuke-240.jpg?v=1759991474"},{"product_id":"masashi-kokuen-kiritsuke-sujihiki-240mm","title":"Masashi KOKUEN Kiritsuke Sujihiki 240mm","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCollar\/Ferule colour may vary from light brown to almost black. You can see examples of the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/knifewear.mom\/collections\/masashi-kokuen\"\u003evariation here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout Masashi Kokuen\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e-\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis blade's core is made from hard SLD steel clad in softer stainless steel, which Masashi-san can push to the absolute limit of hardness through his impressive skill and a couple of top-secret techniques. In plain English, this means they keep a crazy sharp edge for a long time but are much lower maintenance than traditional carbon steel blades. He sharpens blades in a unique way, making the back end more robust for chopping and the tip more precise for delicate work.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe dark finish of the Kokuen gives its name. Meaning ‘black smoke’ in Japanese, the Kokuen is inspired by the atmosphere of Masashi’s workshop.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFirst training with his brother at Yoshikane, then striking out on his own, Masashi Yamamoto relentlessly pursues the creation of a perfect knife using the traditional techniques passed down in his family and augmented by a modern understanding of metallurgy. He’s also a certified badass, forging in flip-flops and lighting cigarettes off red-hot steel like an 80’s action hero. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eAbout the Shape - \u003c\/strong\u003e“Sujihiki” translates to “Flesh Slicer” and it does exactly what the name suggests, perfect for carving and slicing roasts, turkey, raw meats, fish, and all other proteins and the extended blade length allows you to slice with one long stroke, instead of sliding the knife back and forth in a sawing motion. Making clean slices of brisket or ultra thin applications like Carpaccio a breeze to execute.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/59sx_t4JrXg\" data-dashlane-frameid=\"3689376907272\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Masashi Yamamoto","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43000342446254,"sku":"MSKKE240SU","price":774.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0780\/9439\/files\/Kokuen-sujihiki-240.jpg?v=1721067386"},{"product_id":"masashi-kokuen-ko-bunka-135mm","title":"Masashi KOKUEN Ko-Bunka 135mm","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCollar\/Ferule colour may vary from light brown to almost black. You can see examples of the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/knifewear.mom\/collections\/masashi-kokuen\"\u003evariation here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout Masashi Kokuen\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e-\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis blade's core is made from hard SLD steel clad in softer stainless steel, which Masashi-san can push to the absolute limit of hardness through his impressive skill and a couple of top-secret techniques. In plain English, this means they keep a crazy sharp edge for a long time but are much lower maintenance than traditional carbon steel blades. He sharpens blades in a unique way, making the back end more robust for chopping and the tip more precise for delicate work.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe dark finish of the Kokuen gives its name. Meaning ‘black smoke’ in Japanese, the Kokuen is inspired by the atmosphere of Masashi’s workshop.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFirst training with his brother at Yoshikane, then striking out on his own, Masashi Yamamoto relentlessly pursues the creation of a perfect knife using the traditional techniques passed down in his family and augmented by a modern understanding of metallurgy. He’s also a certified badass, forging in flip-flops and lighting cigarettes off red-hot steel like an 80’s action hero. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eAbout the Shape - \u003c\/strong\u003eThe Ko Bunka is a smaller version of a Bunka. Any guesses on what “Ko” means in Japanese? You nailed it! It translates to “small.” This little knife is awesome because it still gives you knuckle clearance on the cutting board. Making sure you can mince garlic and comfortably chop veggies. A badass love child of the Bunka and Petty knife, it works for smaller jobs in the hand or as an all-purpose blade.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ciframe data-dashlane-frameid=\"3689376907268\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/59sx_t4JrXg\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Masashi Yamamoto","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43015595950254,"sku":"MSKKE135KBU","price":362.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0780\/9439\/files\/Kokuen-koBunka-135.jpg?v=1721067288"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0780\/9439\/collections\/kokuen_images_2_of_2.jpg?v=1749834972","url":"https:\/\/knifewear.mom\/en-gb\/collections\/masashi-kokuen.oembed","provider":"Knifewear - Handcrafted Japanese Kitchen Knives","version":"1.0","type":"link"}