I left the house twice this week while still wearing my slippers. Wait, it gets better. I didn’t even realize it until I was already walking down the street. Um, where did my brain go? Also, last week I put a bag of freshly cut lettuce, which I intended to use for lunches all week, in the freezer. Do you know what happens to lettuce when you freeze it? It turns brown and slimy when it thaws. Given these recent events, you may be thinking that I am the last person who should be in possession of anything sharp, pointy, and potentially dangerous.
Well, buckle up. Because I just bought an authentic Japanese knife.
That’s right! After nearly 4 years of living in here, I finally purchased the one thing I knew I couldn’t leave Japan without. While we were in Kyoto’s Nishiki Market last week, I wandered into Aritsugu, a shop specializing in authentic Japanese knives. I gazed longingly at the beautiful blades on the various knives and watched as 2 employees expertly sharpened and polished blades, making it look effortless. Aritsugu also sells various kitchen utensils, like hand pounded steel pans and hand made copper graters. I probably walked around the tiny space for about 20 minutes just staring and coveting various items before deciding that this is where I wanted to buy my own knife.
After discussing the various knives and their uses with a shop worker, I decided on one that was more or less “all-purpose”, called ryoba-usuba-santokugata. With the exception of cutting through very hard materials like bones, this knife can be used for just about anything. I had two choices when it came to the way the blade was made. The traditional way, made with carbon steel which looks beautiful but can easily become rusty, or the updated version which is made with carbon steel and wrapped in stainless. I debated this decision for a while and decided to get the traditional version, even though it means taking meticulous care of the blade. And besides, when a knife is known for being made in the same way that Japanese swords have been made for centuries, they must be doing something right! I was given very clear instructions on how to care for the blade, including cleaning and sharpening it. The gentleman who helped me was super duper helpful. I kind of wish I could just have him around to care for all of my knives forever.
To make things even better, Aritsugu does complimentary engravings on knives or other applicable purchases. In addition to the knife, I bought a small copper grater. Each blade of the grater is made by hand and is extremely sharp. It is perfect for grating ginger, garlic, wasabi, or citrus zest. Both the grater and the knife were engraved with our last name. The knife was done in katakana (ホワイト) while the grater is our character in kanji (白).
This experience alone made the trip to Kyoto completely worth it. I’m sure there are other shops in little known alleys in Tokyo where I could have gone, but this seemed to fit. I’ve used the knife several times and with each and every cut I am amazed at the perfect balance of the knife in my hand and the ease with which I can cut. It almost makes me want to cut and chop all day! In fact, the first time I cut a carrot, I couldn’t stop talking about how smooth the cut was. I just kept running my finger over the cut side in complete and utter amazement.
Yes, I may be easily amused.
This is truly the greatest knife I have ever used. And despite my brainless behavior detailed at the beginning of this post, I am being very careful. Promise.
