Ahoi Nekolf! That small Higo is available here as well, just without the pouch, a pity! If you offer your services, could you confirm the translation of the signs on the handle of the brass Higonokami?
Here's mine lovely note on the inner envelope and some origami, but it was squashed after being in a box it was a swan if I remember. All the way from the maker, very special knife to me, it has history and a soul lol
Yes, sure. I meant to mention your post since I found this thread. HONBA TSUKI.....本刃付: honba tsuke (well sharpened blade) TO-ROKU SHO-HIO.....登録商標: touroku shohyo (registered trademark) HIGONOKAMI.....肥後守: Higo no kami (product's name) KANEKOMA.....駒: Kanekoma: (name of the manufacturer) The official name of "Higonokami" is "肥後守定駒: Higo no kami sada Kanekoma". The official name of "Kanekoma" is "永尾駒製作所: Nagao kanekoma seisakusho". The name "Higo knife" is used for the generic name of the knife of that style. But now, it's only Kanekoma to be allowed to name "Higonokami" officially. At the peak period, it seemed there were about 40 craftsmen making Higonokami. My small one seems to be OEM. I add this, 青紙割込: Aogami warikomi (sandwiched blue steel between soft irons)
Thanks a lot for the translation. So the signs on the blade actually tell you what kind of steel it is. Gone is the myth that those are the smith's signature.
Yes that's the one, a crane ha ha don't know why I thought swan lol. Your daughter is very cute reminds me of my niece her dad's from Japan and her mom is Thai
After reading this post I just have to buy a original higonokami. I have a friction folder with a higo shape blade from a Belgian knife maker and absolutely love it. So now I think I have to order a nice brass one hahahahha
You were so great with translating the Higonokami writings, are you able to tell me something about the maker of my kitchen knife? I've bought it in Tokyo and even finding the shop was a real oddyssey at the day before leaving Japan, 5 policemen at a Koban had to check the map to tell me way (straight down the road it was ) Maybe I can take a better shot later if this one is useless.
Haha, 5 omawari-san gathered around you? Was there no English speaker in the Koban? Many people here are something like that. (me too) Well, the first character looks "英" but I can't recognize the second character. That looks "季" or "李". I googled the name of blacksmith by using both characters but not found yet. Do you have the box or something?
Oh, there were 2 very friendly english speakers at the train station's cake shop (the girl actually asked after the seller didn't understand me). Even the police men were speaking english, but at the shop, well, not so much But as a say, it was a crazy but very nice day, I actually got sent to that little knife shop from a knife seller at a big shopping mall, everybody was super friendly. I have the box somewhere, maybe at the weekend I can check it. I've found the brand Yoshihiro to have knives that are looking similar but the kanji is different, even I can see that because of the nice round charater in the middle. Thanks again, maybe at the weekend I can post another picture of it
You are very welcome. I hope you would come to Japan again and enjoy more. We learn around 2000 common kanji characters till complete the high school course but there are too many similar kanji. If you found the box or something, let me know.
I'd really like to have one of these myself, but I also worry about getting a fake. Who can help me out with getting a real one?
Yeah, I'd like to go there again, too, and if beaming would finally work I'd be there once a month for a glass of sake... But with two small boys (1 and 3 yo) it's more like wishful thinking to (ever) again go to such a far away destination. Maybe the right lottery numbers would help to go to see the babies of Nara again
Is that Todaiji Temple? I have visited there when I was junior high school student. Did you give them Shika Senbei (rice crackers)? Nara and Kyoto is very nice place to visit.
I can help you. What kind of type do you want? Higoknife or Higonokami? If you would like, there is even a lamination layered blade model. As for the high class model, a tiger and bamboo forest are stamped on the handle. Some online stores ship to outside Japan. Send PM to me if you are interested.
Hey Nekolf, can you give us an idea of why some of them have that cutout on the handle and others don't?
