Moritaka Hamono is one of Japan’s oldest forges, founded in 1293 by swordsmith Kongohyoe Minamoto no Moritaka. The family forged swords for generations before turning to kitchen knives about five generations ago. Today the forge is located in Yatsushiro, Kumamoto Prefecture, and is led by 27th-generation blacksmith Tsunehiro Moritaka, who works together with his father, a master craftsman and an apprentice.
Moritaka knives are hand-forged in a san mai construction, with a core of Aogami Super (Blue Super) steel between layers of soft iron. They feature a rustic kurouchi finish and a convex 50/50 grind that gives an extremely sharp edge with excellent edge retention.
