Established in 1901 and run by family descendant Toshiyuki Jikko, Jikko Cutlery is one of the oldest companies still producing knives in Sakai, Osaka. Considered one of Japan’s most reliable high end knife makers, Jikko has perfected the art of hatsuke, the arduous and meticulous process of forming, sharpening, and polishing the edges of single-bevel knives to achieve impeccable performance and laser-like precision. Among examples of this masterwork is their series of honyaki high carbon steel knives, which use metallurgic processes reminiscent of the samurai swords of old.

Like other established Sakai brands, Jikko partners with a variety of famed local craftsmen, like Tatsuo Ikeda (brother of fellow blacksmith Yoshikazu Ikeda) and Kenichi Shiraki to produce unique, hand-made blades worthy of the swordsmithing legacy that precedes the region of Sakai.