Kanetaka Hamono・Ajikiri 85mm・Shirogami #2 ・pagoda handle

If you've ever been to Kyoto you'll be aware its denizens have a different sense. In the Japanese context the word is used in terms of understanding, style, judgement and (of course) tradition. If you've never been to Kyoto then you'll just have to do something about that.

Hey, why not buy a Kyoto knife! Kanetaka Hamono are on their seventh generation - the city is in their soul. We're suckers for knives that are a little out of the ordinary and the ajikiri you see here is a great example.

There's precision in the blade - on its own it really is a beautifully executed little slip o' steel. Intensely sharp. Light. Jewel-like. Each handle is unique and, it should be noted, highly variable in appearance. Always comfortable though. 

As an ajikiri it's fundamentally a knife for filleting fish. Would it make a good utility knife in the kitchen? Maybe - simply by virtue of the light blade. Kitchen knives are hardly conversation pieces - they're more personal than that. But with this little knife you can have a conversation with yourself every day about how much you love it.