Japan Knife Research Institute YouTube Main Guests
In this post, we would like to introduce Mr. Tomohiro Kakinuma and Mr. Masashi Fujiwara, the main guests of our channel.
Although their self-introduction video was uploaded on our previous channel, about a year has passed since then, so we are introducing them again in this article.
You can watch the previous introduction video here.
Mr. Masashi Fujiwara
2010 Succeeded as the third-generation owner of Tsukiyama Yoshitaka Hamono-ten (Knife shop)
2012 Advisor to the “Tsuki-no-kai” sharpness research group; researched how sharpness affects flavor
2012 Appeared on Mie TV’s “Mie no Takumi” (Master Craftsmen of Mie)
2013 Featured in MUJI booklet No.10, “Kurashi Chushin: Repairing”
2013 Appointed as Director of the Japan Togicultural Promotion Association
2014 Supervised “The Encyclopedia of Knives and Whetstones”
2015 Supervised “Handbook on Japanese Knives and Sharpening Techniques” (with English translation)
2016 Won the Grand Prix at the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) Young Entrepreneurs Group Business Plan Contest
2016 Featured in Yukan Mie
2016 Featured in Ise Shimbun
2016 Featured in Nihon Kogyo Shimbun
2016 Featured in Chunichi Shimbun “Kono Hito” (This Person)
2016 Sharpening workshop participants exceeded 1,000
2016 Held a workshop in Taiwan
2017 Established the Japan Kitchen Knife Sharpening Association (Appointed as Representative Director)
2017 Released original whetstone series “Kensho”
2018 Serialized in “Senmon Ryori” (Specialty Cooking) March and April issues
2018 Experimentally proved on NHK’s “Asaichi” that sharpness improves the taste of food
2019 Featured in “Ryori Tsushin” March issue
2020 Supervised “Techniques of Japanese Knife Sharpening”
2022 Authored “Techniques of Kitchen Knife Sharpening”
2023 Supervised “Choosing, Using, and Maintaining Knives and Whetstones”
2024 Recorded total sales of approximately 33 million yen through crowdfunding
2024 Released new Kensho series “Ishizue”
2025 Supervised “Carpentry Tools, Whetstones, and Sharpening Techniques”
Mr. Fujiwara is more than just a sharpening technician; he is a unique figure who has scientifically clarified how sharpness changes the taste of food and proven that correlation with data.
His passion for pursuing the ideal edge led him to mine his own natural whetstones and even develop his own ideal knives and synthetic whetstones from scratch.
His sharpening methodology, derived from a firm philosophy, has passed on techniques to more than 2,000 chefs. His books have become bibles for passing down the essence of Japanese culture”sharpness”to the next generation.
His skill is so overwhelming that no one can imitate it. He is a prominent figure in the field; you cannot truly understand knives without knowing him.
The blades Mr. Fujiwara sharpens have become a benchmark for redefining the relationship between Japanese food culture and cutlery.
Mr. Tomohiro Kakinuma
2014 Succeeded in entering a national university in Taiwan to become a chef
2017 Worked as a Japanese cuisine chef at Radium Kagaya
2017 Founded the club “Hamono Kenkyusha” after becoming fascinated by the appeal of knives
2017 Active as a chef and as a lecturer for various academic departments
2018 Moved to Australia for language studies
2019 Joined “Tsubaya Cutlery” in Asakusa Kappabashi
2020 Established “Kakinuma Hamono Seisakusho” (Kakinuma Knife Works)
2022 Appeared on the radio program “Golden Time CLUB”
2023 Opened his own store in Asakusa Kappabashi
With his broad knowledge and sharp intuition, Mr. Kakinuma is a leading figure of the new generation who handles everything from the engineering and design of knives and whetstones to their actual production.
His activities extend far beyond Japan; utilizing his outstanding language skills, he continues to promote traditional Japanese knife culture to the world.
Rather than superficial communication, he engages in direct dialogue with craftsmen from various countries to absorb cross-border techniques and insights, which he then integrates into his own creations. While respecting the weight of tradition, he is carving out a unique path that no one else can imitate.
Always at the forefront of the era and dedicated to tireless research, Mr. Kakinuma’s challenges continue to update Japanese traditional crafts into a world-standard culture.
