FAQ (updated 5/21/26)

Orders placed on business days before 2:00 PM PST will begin processing that day (excluding holidays and store closures). Orders placed after 2:00 PM PST will begin processing the next business day. If we need to hold your order for a first-time buyer follow-up (see below), we’ll reach out before shipping.

You can order online 24/7 at www.JapaneseKnifeImports.com or by phone at (310) 399-0300 during shop hours (M–F, 11:00 AM–6:00 PM PST). We are also happy to help via email at hello@japaneseknifeimports.com.

Yes. International customers are responsible for any customs duties, taxes, and import fees. For international returns, the customer is responsible for the cost of return shipping as well as the original cost of shipping to the customer. Some countries have restrictions on shipping knives. We are unable to ship to those countries, and the Shopify managed markets system we use will not display knives for users with IP addresses in those regions.

We accept returns within 14 days of the original delivery date. To be eligible for a return:

• Items must be in unused, original condition with original packaging.
• Items that show any sign of use or damage will not be accepted or credited.
• Items must be shipped back via insured USPS (with return receipt), insured UPS, or insured FedEx. We prefer UPS.

Placing an order indicates your acceptance of this policy. To arrange a return, please email hello@JapaneseKnifeImports.com or call (310) 399-0300.

Yes. The following are not eligible for return, exchange, or refund:

• Blades that have been sharpened or otherwise modified by JKI at the customer’s request.
• Special orders and custom orders.
• Knives that receive any services prior to being shipped out.
• Blades damaged by misuse, improper care, poor technique, mistakes in use or sharpening, or any other form of user error.

Once a returned item is received and inspected, we’ll notify you by email about the approval or rejection of your refund. Approved refunds are issued to your original method of payment. In many cases, the original shipping cost will not be refunded.

We have a long-standing company policy of reaching out to first-time buyers of certain types of knives before we ship. These knives behave differently from typical Western kitchen knives, and we want to make sure you’re comfortable with what you’ve ordered before it leaves our shop. This follow-up applies to first-time orders of:

• Carbon steel knives — reactive to moisture and acidic foods; will patina and can rust if not properly dried.
• Single bevel knives (yanagiba, deba, usuba, etc.) — very different use and sharpening technique from Western or double-bevel knives.
• Very thin, hard, or brittle knives — more prone to chipping if used improperly.
• Left-handed knives — we confirm that the customer is actually left-handed before shipping. As funny as it sounds, we’ve had customers mistakenly order left-handed knives before.

This isn’t a sales call. It’s a chance to answer questions, share care and technique resources, and make sure the knife is a good fit. If it turns out it isn’t the right knife, we’d rather know before shipping than after. And, we can always help you find an alternative that will better suit your needs.

We’ll usually call you first and, if we don’t reach you, follow up by email. You can reply however you prefer — by phone at (310) 399-0300 during shop hours, or by replying to our email. For international customers, we will often reach out via email first, but are happy to set up time for a call (via Zoom, FaceTime, Skype, WhatsApp, etc.) if you would prefer.

It may delay shipping by a short time while we make contact. We apologize for any inconvenience, but in our experience this short conversation prevents a lot of frustration down the line and helps ensure customers get the right knife for their needs, and are well prepared to use and care for them.

We still follow up. The policy is based on your first order of each of these specific categories, not your first order with us overall. If we have a long history with you and know your ability to use and care for the knife or knives you’ve ordered well, we may forgo the follow-up.

For most home cooks and professionals working with general ingredients, a good gyuto (chef’s knife) or santoku is an excellent starting point. These are versatile, relatively easy to care for (especially in stainless versions), and will cover the majority of your cutting tasks. If you’re not sure, give us a call or send an email — we’re happy to talk it through with you based on your needs, experience level, and budget.

For a gyuto, 210mm is a great all-around size for home cooks; 240mm is common for professionals or anyone comfortable with a longer blade. For santoku, 165–180mm is typical. Size is also affected by your cutting board and workspace — longer blades need more room, but are more versatile in the sense that they will allow you to work with larger sized ingredients, larger quantities, and provide more length for slicing tasks. If you’re unsure, reach out and we can help.

Wa handles are lighter and attached via a tang that slides into the handle; they shift the balance point forward toward the blade and are easy to replace or upgrade. Yo handles are heavier, usually fully riveted, and more familiar to users of Western knives. Neither is “better” — it’s personal preference. We do, however, have our reasons for preferring wa-handles.

Both have real advantages. In general:

• Carbon steel typically takes a sharper edge, is easier to sharpen, and many people prefer its cutting feel. The trade-off is reactivity: it will patina, can rust if not dried, and reacts with acidic foods. It requires more attentive use.
• Stainless steel is far less reactive and easier to maintain. Modern stainless steels can take and hold an excellent edge. If you’re not confident about care routines, if you work mostly with acidic foods, or if the knife will be used by multiple people or in a hectic environment, stainless is often the better call.

Stainless-clad carbon knives are a middle ground: a carbon core at the edge for performance, with stainless cladding over most of the blade surface to reduce reactivity. Semi-stainless knives can also be a nice way to get started with non-stainless options. They will generally be less reactive than carbon steel knives, but will usually still patina and can rust if not cared for properly.

Yes. Most double-bevel knives work for both hands. True single-bevel knives (yanagiba, deba, usuba, etc.) are handed, and left-handed versions are also sometimes available on the site. We will always try to confirm that a first-time customer ordering a left-handed single bevel is in fact left-handed before shipping out.

Yes. We’re located at 8642 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90211. Shop hours are Monday–Friday, 11:00 AM–6:00 PM PST (closed on major holidays). We try to keep a display of every item we sell here at the shop, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we have that item in stock. We just want to make sure our customers have a chance to hold and feel a lot of knives in person. If you happen to like a knife that is out of stock at the moment, we can sign you up for restock notification. You can also do this yourself on any out-of-stock item page. Once you are signed up for restock notification, you will get an email as soon as that item comes back in. Items can sometimes sell out quickly, and we treat everything on a first come, first served basis.

Japanese kitchen knives are thinner and harder than most Western knives, which is part of what makes them cut so well — but it also means they need to be used and cared for thoughtfully. These guidelines apply to all of our knives, stainless or carbon:

• The edge is very sharp. Always use proper knife handling technique.
• Do not cut extremely hard or frozen items (bones, seeds, metal, frozen foods). This causes chipping and edge damage.
• Use a clean, smooth cutting motion. Do not twist the knife mid-cut, especially through harder foods like squash or carrots. Minimizing or eliminating lateral force exerted across the edge will help prevent chipping or edge damage.
• Never flex or bend the blade. This can cause chipping or cracking.
• Never use the knife on metal or glass cutting surfaces. The best cutting boards are end-grain wood, Hi-Soft, rubber gum boards, and soft cross-grain boards like hinoki or hiba. Bamboo and poly boards are harder on the edge. Teak is also not good for cutting boards.
• Hand wash only with mild soap and warm water, then dry thoroughly before storing. Never put a Japanese knife in the dishwasher. Hot water is not damaging, so don’t worry too much about that. Make sure the knife is completely dry when you’re done.
• Do not leave the knife in a sink or allow other objects to be piled on top of it.
• Keep the knife away from excessive heat (anything too hot to touch). Heat can potentially damage the knife’s heat treatment.
• When storing, protect the edge from contact with other hard objects. We recommend using a saya.
• Always clean and dry the knife before placing it in its saya. The inside of a saya cannot be cleaned, and even stainless knives can rust in a closed, damp environment.

No. The dishwasher can bounce the knife around and damage the edge. Heat, water, and detergent can also warp, swell, or degrade the handle. Always hand wash and dry. One of our customers got a carbon steel knife as a gift for a friend and had us laser engrave “NO DISHWASHER” in bold letters. We loved that.

Rub the handle lightly with food-safe mineral oil from time to time to keep the wood in good shape. We recommend a 1:3 or 1:4 mix of beeswax to mineral oil for a bit more protection.

Carbon steel reacts with moisture and acidic foods. This reactivity is why carbon can take such a keen edge — but it also means you need to:

• Wipe the blade down frequently during use, especially when cutting acidic foods (tomatoes, onions, garlic, lemons, etc.).
• Dry the knife thoroughly after washing; never leave it wet or in the sink.
• Accept that the blade will change color and develop a patina over time. This is normal and actually helps protect the steel.

A patina is the natural surface oxidation that forms on carbon steel over time as it reacts with food. It typically starts as blue, grey, or even purple/brown tones. Patina is not rust. It’s a protective layer that reduces further reactivity and the tendency for foods to pick up metallic flavors. You don’t need to force a patina — it will form with normal use.

Clean it off right away. Rust left unchecked can pit the steel. You can use:

• Flitz or Simichrome metal polish — in our experience, the most effective options for carbon steel.
• Flitz Ceramic Sealant — an effective option for long-term storage of carbon steel, applied with a cotton round in long, sweeping motions along the length of the blade.
• Tsubaki oil or mineral oil — these oils can be applied in a thin layer once the knife is clean and dry to prevent moisture from settling on the blade and causing rust. This works well for short- to medium-term storage. No food-based oils or animal fats.

If you have questions about rust or aren’t sure what you’re seeing, please email us at hello@JapaneseKnifeImports.com.

Acidic foods react quickly with carbon steel and can pick up changes in taste, color, and smell. Wiping the blade frequently during prep with a damp towel prevents this. A developed patina also reduces the reaction significantly. If you are prepping out foods that won’t be used right away, rinsing off the foods (if possible) or keeping them as cold as possible will often slow down oxidation.

If you’re storing the knife for an extended period, apply a light coating of Tsubaki (camellia) oil or food-safe mineral oil. For longer-term storage or display, Flitz Ceramic Sealant or Renaissance Wax is a more robust option.

We have a series of videos covering carbon steel care:

• Carbon steel care video 1
• Carbon steel care video 2
• Carbon steel care video 3

Very thin and/or very hard knives cut beautifully but have less room for error. When using them:

• Avoid contact with hard materials (bones, pits, seeds, frozen foods).
• Avoid excessive downward or rocking force.
• Avoid lateral force against the edge — don’t sweep chopped onions off the board with the edge, for example. Use the spine instead.

For more on using thinner and harder knives, see our thin and hard knife video.

Single bevel knives are ground on only one side of the blade, with a hollow-ground back (ura) on the other. They produce exceptionally clean, precise cuts and are traditional tools for Japanese cuisine. Common examples include:

• Yanagiba — a long, slim slicer used to portion, skin, and slice fish for sushi and sashimi.
• Deba — a thick, heavy knife for breaking down whole fish. Not for chicken or other butchery tasks.
• Usuba — a tall, flat vegetable knife used for precision cuts like katsuramuki, sengiri, and mukimono. Not a substitute for an all-purpose vegetable knife in Western kitchens.

The technique for using and sharpening single bevels is genuinely different from Western or double-bevel knives. If this is your first single bevel, we’ll reach out before shipping to make sure you have the resources you need.

A few key rules:

• Do not sharpen above the shinogi line. Preserving the shinogi preserves the geometry of the knife.
• Do not over-sharpen the ura (back). The ura should only be touched on finishing stones (3000 grit and above). Over-working the ura damages the hollow grind. For some repairs, it may be necessary to use a lower-grit stone, but it’s important to be careful not to over-sharpen.
• Single bevels are sharpened differently from double bevels. If you’re new to it, please reach out before you start.

See our knife skills playlist for yanagiba slicing technique, and our knife sharpening playlist for detailed single-bevel and double-bevel sharpening walkthroughs.

End-grain wood boards, Hi-Soft boards, rubber gum boards, and soft cross-grain boards made from hinoki or hiba are the best for Japanese knives — they’re gentle on the edge and hold up well. Edge-grain wood boards are also fine. We recommend avoiding:

• Bamboo and teak boards — harder than they look and tough on the edge.
• Plastic/poly boards — better than bamboo for edge life but still harder than good wood.
• Glass, stone, marble, or metal surfaces — will chip the edge, sometimes immediately.

Protect the edge from contact with other hard objects. Good options:

• A saya (wooden sheath).
• A knife block, magnetic bar, or in-drawer knife organizer.

Always clean and completely dry the knife before storage, especially before placing it in a saya. A closed, damp saya can cause even stainless knives to rust.

Wipe clean with a damp cloth as needed. Periodically treat the wood with food-safe mineral oil, or a 1:4 beeswax-to-mineral-oil mix, to prevent drying and cracking.

On Japanese water stones. This is the only sharpening method we recommend for our knives.

Please do not use:

• Honing rods or steels (yes, even ceramic honing rods should be used with care — and not at all on harder or more brittle steels). As an alternative, we recommend using a strop or using a finishing stone like a strop.
• Handheld pull-through sharpeners.
• Electric sharpeners.
• Oil stones (they aren’t horrible, just slow and messy).
• Grinders or belt sanders (unless you really know what you’re doing).

These tools can quickly damage the edge, alter the geometry, or even ruin the heat treatment of a Japanese knife. Damage from these tools is considered user error and is not covered for return or exchange.

Asymmetry is one of the more confusing topics in Japanese knives, partly because the shorthand people use to describe it tends to oversimplify. Ratios like 50/50 or 60/40 sound precise, but they don’t really describe anything concrete. They aren’t a ratio of sharpening time, and they aren’t a ratio of angles. No craftsman in Japan is measuring this. What actually matters is how the knife cuts.

Asymmetry affects two things: how thin the knife is behind the edge, and steering (the tendency of a knife to pull left or right as it moves through food).

• Assuming equal angles on each side, a more asymmetrical knife will be thinner behind the edge.
• But the more asymmetrical the knife is, the more likely it is to steer.
• And angles aren’t always equal on both sides, which adds another variable.

The best way to evaluate asymmetry on a specific knife is to cut with it and pay attention to two things:

• Is it steering left or right? If it pulls in one direction, create more surface area on the side it’s steering toward. You can do this by adjusting the angle on that side (more or less acute) and/or by spending more time sharpening that side.
• Is it wedging in the food? If the knife is binding or splitting rather than slicing cleanly, you may need a more acute edge angle, or you may need to thin behind the edge. Adjusting asymmetry can help here too.
• For clad knives, its important to keep the apex of the edge somewhat centered, to avoid the cladding steel becoming the edge.
• Some knives, like honesuki and hankotsu, are designed to be extremely asymmetrical for specfic reasons. Its not as important to be concerned with steering in these cases, as the apex of the edge is intentionally shifted off to one side, to allow for the edge to ride closer to the bone.

If you have questions about asymmetry on a specific knife, reach out and we’re happy to walk through it.

We have an extensive knife sharpening playlist on our site covering both double- and single-bevel sharpening. If you have specific questions, email hello@JapaneseKnifeImports.com.

Yes. We offer sharpening as a service. Contact us to arrange it. We sometimes have a large backlog of work, so reaching out ahead of time is generally a good idea. Please note that blades we sharpen at customer request are not eligible for return.

We offer:

• Sharpening — on Japanese water stones, by hand.
• Rehandling — replacement or upgrade of knife handles.
• Classes — knife skills and sharpening classes held in-shop (very limited and not always possible).
• Seminars — for groups, culinary programs, and professional kitchens.
• Polishing and other finishing work — available on certain blades.

Email hello@JapaneseKnifeImports.com or call (310) 399-0300 during shop hours. For sharpening mail-ins, we’ll provide instructions on how to pack and ship your knife safely. It’s not always necessary to book an appointment (and not even possible in some cases), but we always appreciate the heads up. Services are on a first come, first served basis.

We stand behind the knives we sell. Manufacturing defects — for example, a handle fit issue out of the box or a cracked blade from a flaw in the steel — will be addressed. If you suspect a defect, contact us with clear photos of the issue and a description of what happened.

Damage resulting from user error is not covered for return, exchange, or refund. This includes:

• Chipping from cutting bones, frozen foods, pits, or other hard items.
• Chipping from lateral force, twisting, or prying with the blade.
• Rust or corrosion from improper drying or storage.
• Damage from dishwashers, honing rods, pull-through sharpeners, electric sharpeners, or similar tools.
• Damage from sharpening errors (e.g., over-grinding the ura, sharpening above the shinogi).
• Handle damage from excessive heat, water exposure, or harsh chemicals.

In many cases, yes. Most chipping, edge damage, and many other issues can be repaired or reprofiled back to working condition. Contact us with clear photos of the damage and a description of how it happened, and we’ll let you know what options are available.

We’re a small company of knife enthusiasts focused on making high-quality Japanese knives from small makers available outside of Japan. In addition to selling knives, stones, and accessories, we publish educational content about knife types, use, care, and sharpening.

8642 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90211. Shop hours: Monday–Friday, 11:00 AM–6:00 PM PST. Closed weekends and holidays. Phone: (310) 399-0300.

• JKI Blog — articles on knife types, use, craftsmen, and more.
• Video library — care, use, and sharpening walkthroughs.
• About Japanese Knives — an overview of common blade shapes and their uses.

Email hello@JapaneseKnifeImports.com, or call (310) 399-0300 during shop hours (M–F, 11:00 AM–6:00 PM PST). We’re always happy to talk.