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.
Stories from Sakai, Seki and the kitchen
The Journal読み物
Notes on knives, cooking and the people who make things slowly.
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Why Japanese Knives Chip, and How to Make Sure Yours Never Does
November 2, 2026
Why hard Japanese steel can chip, the six habits that cause almost every chip, which steels forgive more, and what to do if your knife has already chipped.
End Grain or Edge Grain: Choosing a Cutting Board That Protects a Japanese Edge
October 29, 2026
End grain, edge grain or face grain? How each board treats a Japanese knife, which woods are kindest to a fine edge, and how to look after a wooden board.
Full Bolster, Half Bolster or None: What It Means for How a Knife Cuts
October 29, 2026
Full bolster, half bolster, double bolster or none: what each means for balance, safety and sharpening, and why most Japanese knives have no bolster at all.
Giving a Japanese Knife for Christmas: How to Choose One They Will Use for Life
October 27, 2026
How to choose a Japanese knife as a Christmas or wedding present: which shape, which line, which handle colour, and why every Oishya box holds a 5 yen coin.
How to Sharpen a Japanese Knife on a Whetstone: A Step-by-Step Guide
October 27, 2026
How to sharpen a Japanese knife on a 1000/6000 whetstone, step by step: finding the 10 to 15 degree angle, raising a burr, refining and testing the edge.
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.
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.
How Japanese Kitchen Knives Are Made: The Craft Behind the Blade
April 4, 2026
How a Japanese kitchen knife is forged, from Sakai and Seki workshops to layered Damascus steel hammered at 1,100°C through dozens of hand steps.
The Best Japanese Knife on a Budget: What to Buy First, Second and Third
April 4, 2026
What to buy first when you are building a Japanese kitchen on a budget: a stone, a board, somewhere to keep the knife, and then the knife itself.
Best Japanese Knife Set for Beginners: Complete Guide
April 4, 2026
A beginner’s guide to Japanese knife sets, why the chef, vegetable and paring trio works, plus the Sakai Kyuba KYU Set for first-timers.
Best Japanese Chef Knife 2026: Expert Buying Guide
April 4, 2026
An expert buying guide to Japanese chef knives, explaining gyuto, santoku and bunka styles, steel hardness and picks like the RYU Gyuto.
Japanese Kitchen Culture: Traditions, Philosophy & Craft
March 15, 2026
The philosophy and craft of the Japanese kitchen, from nagomi balance and wabi-sabi to mottainai and kaizen, and how each shapes how you cook.
Japanese Knife Care & Maintenance: The Complete Guide
March 15, 2026
Caring for a Japanese knife, covering carbon versus stainless steel, Rockwell hardness, single and double bevels, whetstone sharpening and storage.
Stainless Steel in Kitchen Knives: A Complete Guide to Every Steel Type That Matters
February 21, 2026
A reference on the stainless steels used in kitchen knives, from budget 1.4116 to VG10, SG2 and ZDP-189, and how carbon and chromium shape each one.
Japanese Blade Techniques: The Tsuchime Finish, Damascus Patterns, and What They Actually Do for Your Cooking
February 20, 2026
What Japanese blade finishes really do, from the tsuchime hammered texture that releases food to the Damascus cladding on the Sakai KYU line.
How To Chop Onions Without Crying: Methods That Actually Work
November 26, 2025
Why onions make you cry, the syn-propanethial-S-oxide gas behind it, and science-backed methods that reduce tears, starting with a sharp knife.
Is a £300 Kitchen Knife Worth It? Let’s Do the Maths
November 25, 2025
Is a £300 kitchen knife worth it? The cost-per-meal maths, plus what VG10 steel and three-layer construction in the KATA Bunka actually buy you.
Why Damascus Steel Knives Are More Than Just Beautiful: The Function Behind the Pattern
November 24, 2025
The wave pattern on a Damascus blade is more than looks. How folded layers, like the 33 in the RYU line, balance edge retention and resilience.
Which Japanese Knife is Best for Home Cooks? A Complete Guide
November 6, 2025
The four best Japanese knives for home cooks, the Gyuto, Santoku, Nakiri and Petty, with the features and tasks that suit each one.
The Complete Guide to Japanese Knife Types: Understanding Every Blade Shape There Is
October 29, 2025
A guide to every major Japanese knife shape, from the all-purpose gyuto and santoku to specialised blades, and what each one is built to do.
Blade Up or Blade Down: A Quick Guide to Hanging Knives on Magnetic Racks
October 27, 2025
Should knives hang blade up or blade down on a magnetic rack? Why many professionals favour blade up, covering ergonomics, balance and edge wear.
Avocado Smoked Salmon Salad w/ Dijon Honey Vinaigrette
October 8, 2025
Mixed greens with avocado, cucumber and smoked salmon, scattered with feta and dressed in a lemon, honey and Dijon vinaigrette with fresh dill.
Muhammara (Roasted Red Pepper & Walnut Dip)
October 6, 2025
Muhammara, the Syrian dip of roasted red peppers and toasted walnuts blended with pomegranate molasses, Aleppo pepper and sumac. Serve with pita.
Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Salad
September 20, 2025
Rice vermicelli with shredded roast chicken, carrots and herbs in a fish sauce and sambal dressing, topped with peanuts and Fresno chiles.
Kitchen Knives 101: buying, storage, cutting techniques and more
September 15, 2025
A practical primer on kitchen knives, covering how to pick your first chef’s knife, blade materials, cutting technique and basic maintenance.
Forged vs Stamped Knives: What’s The Difference?
September 7, 2025
How forged and stamped knives differ, from the hammering and heat treatment of a forged blade to its strength, edge retention and balance.
Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni with Lemon & Spicy Tomato Sauce
September 7, 2025
Cannelloni tubes filled with ricotta, spinach and three cheeses, baked in a spicy tomato sauce and brightened with fresh lemon juice and basil.
Frutti di Mare Spaghetti (Seafood Spaghetti) Recipe
September 6, 2025
Spaghetti tossed with clams, mussels, king prawns and squid in garlic, white wine and arrabiata, finished with herbs and lemon. Serves a crowd.
Tom Kha with Green Curry Base
September 2, 2025
A quick coconut soup that blends leftover green curry sauce with tom yum kha paste, prawns and vegetables, plus from-scratch and other variations.
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