What Japanese Knife To Buy?
August 25, 2019
First proper knife? Buy a gyuto. Add a nakiri and a petty later, and those three handle most of what a kitchen throws at you.
The Journal · Stories from Oishya
The Oishya Journal
Stories from the workshops, the table, and the long way around.
Featured · From the Journal
In this issue
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Knife History – Forging Methods
May 9, 2019
Sakai’s blacksmiths turned samurai sword craft into tobacco-cutting knives after the Portuguese brought tobacco to Japan in the 16th century.
5 Best Kitchen Tools Of All Time (2024 Update)
March 16, 2019
Beyond a good Japanese knife: the magnetic rack, walnut board, wooden spoons and linen apron that quietly earn their counter space.
Four Knives Your Kitchen Just Can’t Live Without
March 16, 2019
Skip the fifteen-slot block. A Gyuto, a Nakiri, a Petty and one serrated blade handle nearly everything you’ll cut at home.
6 Magnetic Products That Will Make Your Life In The Kitchen Easier
March 16, 2019
A towel holder, a clip-on meat thermometer, measuring spoons that nest together: six magnets that claw back counter space in a small kitchen.
Kumihimo – The Japanese Art Of Silk Braiding
March 16, 2019
One suit of samurai armour needed up to 300 metres of braided silk cord. Kumihimo’s patterns were guarded like family secrets, and some still are.
This Is How We Roll: How To Cut Fish And Veggies For Sushi Like A Pro
March 16, 2019
Index finger along the spine, one smooth pull toward you: slicing fish with a yanagiba, from the straight hira giri to the angled sogi giri.
Japanese Gift Giving – Customs
March 16, 2019
In Japan the presentation outweighs the price tag, and every gift received calls for an O-kaeshi return worth about half its value.
Ikigai – Japanese Secret To A Long And A Happy Life
March 16, 2019
In Ogimi, a village of 3,000 with the world’s longest-lived residents, ikigai sits where what you love, what you’re good at and what matters overlap.
Which Whetstone Grit To Choose For Sharpening Japanese Knives
February 7, 2019
Which whetstone grit to use for Japanese knives, from coarse stones under 1000 for chips to 4000 to 8000 finishing stones for the edge.
Santoku Vs. Gyuto – What’s The Difference?
January 17, 2019
The santoku’s flat blade wants a straight up-and-down chop; the gyuto’s curve lets you rock. That belly, or lack of it, decides which suits your hands.
How To Use Chopsticks Like A Pro
January 13, 2019
Grip two-thirds up the barrel and let only the top stick move. The mechanics of chopsticks, plus which length and wood make them easiest.
How To Use Magnetic Knife Racks?
November 13, 2018
Blade up or handle up? After testing racks up to 50cm, the Oishya team keeps handles at the bottom so no edge sits where your reaching hand lands.
Differences Between End Grain Vs. Edge Grain x Cutting Board
November 3, 2018
End grain costs more and resists warping; edge grain is cheaper but harder on your blade. Either way, wood beats plastic on hygiene.
How To Choose The Best Cutting Board?
October 29, 2018
Glass, marble, bamboo and steel all wreck a fine edge. End-grain hinoki, hiba or walnut give the blade something to sink into instead.
Is It Bad Luck to Gift a Knife? How to Give Kitchen Knives Without Breaking Tradition
October 22, 2018
Will a knife ‘cut’ a friendship? The old superstition says yes, but hand over a coin (we include a 5 yen piece) and the gift is safe.
Why Minimalistic Interiors Are Good For Your Wellbeing
October 21, 2018
Why minimalist interiors help your wellbeing, tracing the idea from Lao Tzu and Confucius to Japanese danshari and Zen-influenced design.
Guide: Best Kitchen Knives At Any Price Range
October 8, 2018
You’ll reach for the chef’s knife 99% of the time, so spend there first. Why a £30 blade can beat a £500 one, and why the sharpest is the safest.
Japanese Onsen: The Healing Power Of Water
August 14, 2018
Japanese onsen are mineral-rich hot springs that ease stress and aid recovery, with a clear guide to bathing etiquette for first-time visitors.
7 Tips For Keeping Your Kitchen Knives Sharp And Safe
August 6, 2018
A honing rod realigns your edge, it doesn’t sharpen it, and the dull knife is the dangerous one. Seven habits that keep blades keen and hands intact.
Danshari – Decluttering For A Happier Life
July 30, 2018
Fumio Sasaki owns 150 things and lives in 30 square metres. Danshari is Japanese decluttering measured by how your stuff makes you feel.
Do Magnetic Knife Holders Damage Your Knives?
July 24, 2018
No, a magnet won’t ruin a well-kept blade. The real harm comes from cheap racks that drag your edge across a bare metal face.
Japanese Minimalism: What Japan Can Teach You About Living Simply
July 18, 2018
Why do Japanese and Scandinavian interiors look so alike? Six lessons on simple living, built around three materials: wood, stone and steel.
10 Best Places to Hang A Magnetic Knife Rack
July 5, 2018
Above the sink, behind the stove, on the backsplash: ten spots for a magnetic knife rack, with a warning about weak magnets and humid walls.
Declutter Your Kitchen Using Japanese Methods
June 23, 2018
How to declutter your kitchen the Japanese way using danshari, taking stock, paring down glassware, and storing daily items within easy reach.
The Ultimate Kitchen Tool Essentials List (Our Top 8)
June 21, 2018
After advising thousands of customers, here are the eight tools we’d actually stock a kitchen with, and yes, we lean hard toward Japan.
10 Fascinating Facts About The Samurai (And Female Samurai!)
June 2, 2018
Not every samurai was a man: DNA from the 1580 Battle of Senbon Matsubaru revealed female warriors, the naginata-wielding Onna-Bugeisha.
Aomori Hiba: The Tree Of Life
June 1, 2018
A house of hiba keeps mosquitoes out for three years, the saying goes; this cypress grows 250 years and carries hinokitiol, a compound that repels insects.
Ceramic Knives Vs. Steel Knives – Pros And Cons
May 21, 2018
Ceramic is the second-hardest material after diamond, so it keeps an edge for years and won’t pass odours between foods. Its weakness against steel? Chipping.
Getting Your First Japanese Kitchen Knife? Read This.
February 7, 2018
A pro runs a knife 40 hours a week; you use one for twenty minutes a night. That gap, not edge retention, should pick your first Japanese blade.
The steel decides when it's ready. Not me. — Our Sakai blacksmith, on patience
From the workshops
Stories from the places our knives are made.
Japanese Knife Care: 5 Essential Rules for a Lifetime of Sharp Cutting
April 4, 2026
Five rules for caring for a Japanese knife, covering hand washing, the right cutting board, whetstone sharpening, and proper storage.
The Story Behind Oishya: From Japan’s Knife Villages to Your Kitchen
April 4, 2026
The story of Oishya, a brand born from trips to Sakai and Seki that works with Japanese workshops to make knives for European home cooks.
Best Kitchen Gifts for Summer 2026: 10 Ideas They Will Love
April 4, 2026
Ten kitchen gifts for summer 2026 cooks, from a Sakai Kyuba santoku and brass chopsticks to walnut cutting boards and a three-knife set.
A note from Kamila
Why we write a journal at all.
We grew Oishya through stories, not ads. The articles we wrote, the workshops we visited, the meals we cooked. This journal is where that work lives.
Some pieces teach you about steel and edges. Some are recipes. Some are just the long way around to saying that good tools, made by people we know, are worth keeping.
On the table
Meals worth keeping.
Japanese Knife Care: 5 Essential Rules for a Lifetime of Sharp Cutting
April 4, 2026
Five rules for caring for a Japanese knife, covering hand washing, the right cutting board, whetstone sharpening, and proper storage.
The Story Behind Oishya: From Japan’s Knife Villages to Your Kitchen
April 4, 2026
The story of Oishya, a brand born from trips to Sakai and Seki that works with Japanese workshops to make knives for European home cooks.
Best Kitchen Gifts for Summer 2026: 10 Ideas They Will Love
April 4, 2026
Ten kitchen gifts for summer 2026 cooks, from a Sakai Kyuba santoku and brass chopsticks to walnut cutting boards and a three-knife set.
Blades behind the stories
The knives these stories are about.
Every story here started with a blade. Find the one that matches the way you cook.
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