Sakai — Travelrags

Smithsonian MagazineAug 29, 2025

The Japanese City Known for Making Knives That Are a Cut Above

Ninety percent of professional chefs in Japan buy their knives in Sakai. TikTok users are spreading the word, and demand is skyrocketing, as international tourists want in on the action

9 things in this story

Sakai City MuseumMuseumcurator Shirakami Noriyuki works here
Nintoku-tenno-ryo KofunSightone of the largest burial mounds in the world
Japan House LondonPlaceIt is includes workshops, exhibitions, a restaurant, and retail.
Sakai Knife Museum CUTMuseumopened in 2022, shows 200 types of knives
Mizuno TanrenjoPlacefifth-generation blacksmith forge
The BearPlaceWhere to buy every knife featured in Season 2 of The Bear.
DoguyasujiMarketlane filled with specialized catering shops
Sakai TakayukiPlaceknife maker founded in 1947
Wada ShoutenPlacefifth-generation knife sharpener's store

Read the full piece at Smithsonian Magazine →