This carbon steel knife borrows its name from the largest mammals of the sea - whales, or kujira in Japanese - and it's been invented by a master blacksmith, Toru Yamashita, who once thought about creating a knife which could be at once functional and safe for a child to use for a simple task like sharpening a pencil of cutting an apple.
Therefore, he forged the tip of the knife in a rounded shape. With a large head and thinner handle, the knife resembled a cachalot (or sperm whale), and thus the first knife from the Kujira Knife collection was born.
Being very sharp, not only it can be used to sharpen pencils and carve wood, but it can also be used as an everyday, sleek utility knife.
Even today, kujira knives are hand-made by steel artisans in Tosa (Kochi Prefecture), a region with a history of sword-making that dates back over 700 years. Facing the seas, Tosa is also known for its whale watching, making these gorgeous items a unique combination of nature and history.
