Master Kenji Togashi is one of Sakai’s most celebrated blacksmiths, with over 55 years of experience and a career that began in 1967. A certified Dentō Kōgeishi (Traditional Craftsman) and recipient of the Order of the Sacred Treasure—one of Japan’s highest honors—Togashi is among the very few remaining artisans capable of forging true water-quenched honyaki blades, the pinnacle of traditional knife making.

Togashi knives are renowned for their exceptional durability and hardness while remaining impressively easy to sharpen. In-house sharpening is led by his third son, Kenya Togashi, whose precise and consistent single- and double-bevel work is among the finest we have encountered. Finished by Hitohira with outstanding fit and finish and paired with Japan’s top sharpeners, these knives are crafted with longevity in mind and are prized by chefs and collectors worldwide.