Nigara Hamono calls their 25-layer raindrop Damascus pattern the Anmon - named after the Anmon Waterfalls that cascade from the foot of the World Heritage Shirakami Mountains near Hirosaki in Aomori Prefecture. The name is not marketing. Nigara has been forging in Hirosaki since the Edo period when the city was a castle town with over one hundred blacksmith shops, and the Anmon pattern reflects a relationship between this forging tradition and the landscape that produced it. No two knives carry the same pattern because each is finished by hand. The SG2 core at 62+ HRC is what the pattern protects and surrounds - a powdered metallurgy stainless steel with edge retention and sharpness characteristics that sit at the top of the stainless category.
Nigara names this format a kiritsuke, but the actual blade measurement runs 195-198mm, which we call a 195mm Bunka - a compact, tall knife with the reverse tanto tip that opens up fine point work and the flat heel that gives full board contact on push cuts. At 50mm blade height and 158g, this is a knife that has genuine presence on the board without being heavy. The 2mm spine keeps it thin throughout - the Damascus cladding provides visual mass without adding cutting weight. The wenge octagonal handle and buffalo horn ferrule are well-matched in both proportion and quality to the blade they finish. Photos by Gustavo Bermudez. Each knife is made by hand so measurements may vary.
Care Instructions: SG2 is stainless and resistant to rust, but hard and somewhat chip-prone at this HRC. Use wood or rubber cutting boards only. Avoid bones, frozen foods, and hard materials. Hand wash and dry after use - no dishwasher. Strop regularly and use quality water stones for full sharpenings.
Nigara names this format a kiritsuke, but the actual blade measurement runs 195-198mm, which we call a 195mm Bunka - a compact, tall knife with the reverse tanto tip that opens up fine point work and the flat heel that gives full board contact on push cuts. At 50mm blade height and 158g, this is a knife that has genuine presence on the board without being heavy. The 2mm spine keeps it thin throughout - the Damascus cladding provides visual mass without adding cutting weight. The wenge octagonal handle and buffalo horn ferrule are well-matched in both proportion and quality to the blade they finish. Photos by Gustavo Bermudez. Each knife is made by hand so measurements may vary.
Care Instructions: SG2 is stainless and resistant to rust, but hard and somewhat chip-prone at this HRC. Use wood or rubber cutting boards only. Avoid bones, frozen foods, and hard materials. Hand wash and dry after use - no dishwasher. Strop regularly and use quality water stones for full sharpenings.
- Maker: Nigara Hamono
- Location: Hirosaki, Aomori, Japan
- Construction: Hammer Forged, San Mai
- Edge Steel: SG2 Stainless Steel
- Cladding: 25-Layer Stainless Damascus (Anmon - Raindrop)
- HRC: 62+
- Edge Grind: Double Bevel, Even
- Handle: Wenge Octagonal
- Ferrule: Buffalo Horn
- Weight: 5.6 oz (158g)
- Blade Length: 198mm
- Total Length: 345mm
- Spine Thickness at Heel: 2mm
- Blade Height: 50mm
- Photos: Gustavo Bermudez
