There’s a new movement raising around the world. Perhaps you’ve heard of it: Danshari. Its three kanji characters signify, respectively, refusal, disposal and separation. You can simply translate it as cleaning or tidying up, but there are psychological and even religious dimensions, deriving in part from buddhism and yoga, which suggest the disposal of mental, along with […]
Previously we’ve discussed how to best store your sharp knives and other metal objects. We looked at knife drawers, knife blocks and magnetic knife racks. Our verdict was inevitably 100% for the racks. Today, we will discuss on where to hang these amazingly useful kitchen accessories – and there are quite a few ways to utilise them. […]
If you’re you are looking for the list of the best and cheapest kitchen appliances and accessories from Amazon or Ikea – this is not the place. If you’ve ever attempted to purchase cookware for a new kitchen or simply tried to improve the quality of tools in your current kitchen, you’ve probably found that […]
Samurai are legendary warriors and perhaps the most well-known class of people in ancient Japan. They were noble fighters that fought evil (and each other) with their swords and frightening armour. They followed a strict moral code that governed their entire life. The term samurai was originally used to denote the aristocratic warriors (bushi), but […]
In Japan, there is a saying that goes, “In a house made of hiba, mosquitos do not come for 3 years“. To celebrate our new Aomori Hiba cutting boards, we give you a look into the fascinating history and properties of the prized hiba tree.Hiba arborvitae is a member of the cypress family Thujopsis dolabrata that is native to […]
You often ask us: how does a ceramic knife differ from a metal knife and which is better? Is ceramic knife better than a steel knife? The short answer is: it depends on what purpose you want the knife for. The long answer is more complicated. Let’s see which type is victorious in the ulitmate […]
This guide is to help you select the best Japanese knife suitable for your needs. Japanese knives are famous for their beautiful and detailed design, history as well as the cuts they produce. They are often considered an art of their own since most of them are handcrafted. Not without reason, Japanese knives are most […]
With so many shapes, sizes, steels, finishes and handle materials it can be overwhelming knowing what to look for in a Japanese knife. Keep calm and read our helpful guide. Choosing a kitchen knife and right sharpening stones is not as hard you might think, it just seems like it because of all the choices […]
It’s little over a month till Christmas and it’s a high time to look for the gifts for your loved ones. Today we’ve prepared you the ultimate present guide to Japanese and Japan-inspired products for every pocket. 1. Origami Set Origami set, like this Origami Fashion Set, contains 100 sheets of brightly coloured origami paper, […]
Ancient Japanese art of Kintsugi (also known as Kintsukuroi) literally translates as “golden joinery”. Fixing prised and valuable porcelain is nothing short of an art form in Japan. The Japanese have been using lacquering techniques for approximately 9000 years. No wonder why this skill and art form is still valued to this day. In today’s […]
You finally took the plunge and invested in a good knife — or … maybe a few good knives. Your blades deserve a storage place that will keep their edges pristine for as long as possible. If you have small children, you also want to make sure that these sharp as razor knives are out […]
Magnetic knife holders (also called magnetic knife racks or magnetic knife strips) are a great way to keep your knives at the ready and safely out of reach for your little ones. However, they’re also useful for keeping other household items organised and easy to grab. (That is, provided they’re a good amount of metal […]
In today’s article, we’d like to show you a step-by-step guide on the simplest way to fillet a fish using Japanese style knife – Deba. Learn what the best tools for the job are. What will you need: Filleting knife – A knife with a flexible blade allows you to move easily between the flesh and […]
Sujikihi knives The Sujihiki or Subihiki – as some also call them – is the Japanese version of the slicing Western knives. Sujihiki knives are also used for carving. A carving knife is much thinner than a chef’s knife (particularly at the spine) and has a sharper edge than Western versions, enabling it to carve […]
To understand sharpness you must first understand the definition of an edge. An edge is the line of intersection of two surfaces. A highly sharpened edge is one, where the two sides are highly polished to form a very fine edge. Sharpening is the means to that very fine edge. What is sharp and how […]
The eternal problem – how to best store your knives and other tools which you often reach for? When it comes to storing your quality knives, there are few solutions which you may want to consider. There are few main options for storage: knife drawers, knife blocks, magnetic knife holder and blocks. Finding the right […]
Knife Handle Materials While you may already know everything about steel and different blade’s components used in Japanese knives, we thought to also give a quick explanation on how different kitchen knife handles can be, their prons and cons and what price tag they usually carry.While many people think the most important part of a knife […]
Some would say: Don’t teach your grandmother to suck eggs. But before you make any judgement, please understand why Patryk, born and raised in Poland, is on the quest to teach young Japanese generation how to make knives their country is famous for. Blacksmithing is a dying industry. Japan as a country is ageing fast. […]
Before starting Oishya and getting deeper knowledge in knives, myself and Anna almost never sharpened our knives before they were completely unusable (We know! It’s a deadly sin and a huge danger!). We didn’t really see the importance of it and we were just buying new knives out of magazines’ recommended sets. But then we […]
What do the Portuguese and tobacco have in common with Sakai knife making a tradition in the Sakai region?More than you would think. Sakai, the residential Osaka’s prefecture is a port town. In the past, the Portuguese arrived in this area and began trading guns and tobacco to the Japanese starting in 1543. Europeans brought […]
Today we’ve gathered for you the best 15 tips from professional chefs for that’ll save you time, money, and a whole lot of trouble. Enjoy! 1. Know your meats After more than five generations in the butcher business, we know that home cooks are baffled when they buy meat. Look for beef with ivory-colored marbling […]
The hardest part about making the world’s most insanely rich, ridiculously indulgent Wagyu steak at home? Paying for it. What makes Wagyu so expensive and desired at our plates? This gourmet meat features intense marbling, rich flavours, and health benefits that are magnitudes beyond other selections of beef. Wagyu beef is uniquely healthy. The ratio of […]
The importance of health and safety is something that is much maligned by many across the country, thanks to the by-the-book rigidity that it is often enforced with. While in some cases, accusations that it has become over the top can possibly be justified, there are a few tasks that require the utmost care and […]
Kitchen sometimes resembles a war field, especially if you are trying to prepare fancy dishes for your guests to come and have little time to organise everything. Today we’ve prepared top 25 kitchen and cooking tricks that will help any hobbyist cook. Kitchen scenario #1: I have lots of dough to cut into shapes. We […]
The Queen of the steels – Aogami Blue Super (Hitachi Metals Ltd.) is one of the greatest Japanese Carbon Steels. In addition to containing more Carbon, Chromium and Tungsten than Blue Steel No.1, it also includes Molybdenum. It has a very good edge sharpness and excellent edge retention. It is also capable of attaining high […]
No more words than needed – today we’re presenting you a quick cheat sheet to steel qualities of kitchen (and not only) knives and a chart showing steel’s relation between hardness, price, durability and a grade. Enjoy! Quick Cheat Sheet Symbol Features / Applications Shirogami 1 Carbon steel with minimum impurities. Highest hardness / Highest […]
Originally Yasugi (Yasuki) steel was made from the steel produced from sand iron at a plant in Yasugi City in Shimane perfecture. Tartara steel is also made there. The plant is now owned by Hitachi which produces a wide range of steels. Yasuki steel can be yellow, white or blue. Because it is Japan made, […]
Whenever possible, our knives are rated for how hard they are with what is called the Rockwell rating or measurement (HRC) of the steel. You may wonder what this rating is and what number is a “good” number for hardness of the knife you want to buy. Things to consider when buying a kitchen knife […]
As a dedicated cook or professional chef, it is not unusual to have big sets of more than a dozen different types of kitchen knives in use at once. Is it complicated? It can be. Does it need to be that way? That depends on the amount of time you are willing to spend, and […]
If you have an old knife that has lost its shine due to rust and dullness, fear not! With a little effort and the right techniques, you can restore its former glory and reveal a beautifully shiny blade once again. Reviving an old knife not only brings back its aesthetic appeal but also enhances its […]
