Hayashi Hardware is a hardware store founded in Tokushima, Japan, in 1872 (the fifth year of the Meiji era). For 154 years we have been in the business of selling tools — and of judging them.
Today we are a curated Japanese knife shop. Rather than making knives ourselves, our work is to recognize the right knife from the right maker, deliver it responsibly, and help you keep using it. That is the craft we have spent 154 years refining.
A hardware store born in Tokushima in 1872
We were founded in 1872, in the middle of Japan's rapid modernization, when the tools of everyday life and work were changing fast.
A hardware merchant's job is not simply to put goods on shelves. Hoes and sickles, carpenters' tools, and blades — the job is to buy only tools that will stand up to the work and lives of the people who use them. Sell a knife that doesn't cut or a tool that doesn't last, and in a small town your reputation is gone. "Judgment is the product": that principle has guided our shop for 154 years.
What has changed in 154 years, and what hasn't
The shop has changed with the times: from a hardware store serving the local community, to a specialist in blades, and now, online at hayashi-hardware.com, a shop delivering knives to customers across Japan and beyond.
Two things have not changed:
- We check every product with our own eyes before we stock it.
- We keep looking after your tools after they reach you.
Whether we trade over a counter or on the web, without those two we would no longer be Hayashi Hardware.
Why we choose rather than make
Japan already has world-class cutlery regions and makers who have honed their skills for generations. The craft of Sakai forged cutlery, with some 600 years of history, is not something anyone can catch up with overnight.
So our role, we believe, is to select what is genuinely good from an overwhelming range of choices, and to explain clearly why.
Most people struggle to choose a knife not because there are too few options, but too many — steels, regions, brands, prices. That is where a shop that has judged tools for 154 years can help, and why we call ourselves a curated knife shop.
We don't choose knives from spec sheets alone. We check the region and the maker, examine the actual edge and finish, and ask one question: would we recommend this knife to our own family?
The core of our selection: Sakai forged cutlery
At the heart of our selection is Sakai forged cutlery from Sakai, Osaka — a Traditional Craft designated by Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, and said to account for the majority of Japanese-style knives used by professional chefs in Japan. We select from Sakai's craft, refined through a strict division of labor between forging, sharpening and handle-fitting.
Our core range today is two series with different characters:
- Kurokage series (VG-10, hand-hammered, black fluorine coating) — a jet-black premium line combining HRC 60–62 hardness with excellent food release.
- INOX Wa series (AUS-8) — rust-resistant and easy to sharpen: a professional-kitchen staple and the ideal first Japanese knife.
Both come with octagonal handles and buffalo horn ferrules, handmade by Sakai craftsmen. With the same region and the same finish, you choose purely by the character of the steel. We will keep adding series that meet our standards.
Two pillars: our own brands and our selection
1. Our original brands — Shiruku, Namimai, Kuroiki, Kurotsuchi
Knife series we planned ourselves, drawing on years of experience judging blades. Each of the four has its own materials and character, available only from Hayashi Hardware. Each comes in a paulownia (kiri) wood box, ready to give as a gift.
2. Our selection — the best of Japan's cutlery regions, led by Sakai
Knives chosen after checking the region and the maker. What we learned creating our own knives about "what makes a good knife" sharpens our eye as selectors.
Experience as makers and judgment as selectors: with both, we can explain in our own words why we recommend each knife.
Our quality standards and after-sales promise
Quality standards
- We state the region, maker and steel, and carry only products of clear origin.
- Our product pages describe not only the strengths but also the caveats (a steel's weaknesses, the care it needs).
After-sales service
- Resharpening service: the first resharpening is free for knives bought from us, then from ¥1,500 per knife (mail-in service within Japan).
- 30-day return guarantee covering initial defects.
- Shipping within Japan: ¥900, free on orders of ¥30,000 or more. We also ship internationally — please contact us for a shipping quote before ordering.
The day you buy a knife is not the finish line; the years of cutting that follow are what matter. Looking after the tools we sell, long after they leave the shop, has been our way for 154 years.
Frequently asked questions
When was Hayashi Hardware founded?
In 1872 (Meiji 5), in Tokushima, Japan. 2026 marks our 154th year.
Do you have a physical shop?
Yes. You are welcome to visit our shop at 1-88 Showa-cho, Tokushima City, on weekdays from 10:00 to 18:00 (closed on weekends, national holidays and over the New Year holidays). If you would like to see a specific knife, we recommend calling us in advance (+81-88-652-2219). You can also order from our online store, hayashi-hardware.com.
Are all your knives made in Japan?
Yes. We carry Japanese-made knives with the region and maker clearly stated, led by Sakai forged cutlery from Sakai, Osaka.
How do your original brands differ from your selection?
Our originals (Shiruku, Namimai, Kuroiki, Kurotsuchi) are knives we planned ourselves and are unique to Hayashi Hardware; our selection consists of fine knives from Japan's cutlery regions, led by Sakai. Both are held to the same quality standards and after-sales service.
What support do you offer after purchase?
Our resharpening service (free the first time for knives bought from us, then from ¥1,500 per knife; mail-in within Japan), a 30-day return guarantee, and care advice. See our knife care guide for how to keep your knife in top condition.