A sujihiki at this length is built for a single purpose: long, clean pull cuts through proteins where a sawing motion would damage the result. At 270mm long, this one has plenty of reach to handle most proteins in one uninterrupted stroke, and the SG2 steel at 62-63 HRC ensures the edge stays keen enough to make each cut as clean as the last. Minamo is the newest line from Yoshimi Kato, built around SG2 powdered stainless steel - also known as R2 - with a clean stainless cladding that prioritizes performance and precision over visual drama.
The rosewood octagonal handle with a red pakka wood ferrule provides a comfortable, secure grip for the long drawing strokes a sujihiki demands, and the refined, understated finish of the Minamo line suits cooks who want serious performance without the visual complexity of a Damascus blade.
Care Instructions: SG2 is a stainless steel but is hard and chip-prone at 62-63 HRC. Use wood or rubber cutting boards only. Avoid bones, frozen foods, and hard materials. Hand wash and dry after each use. Strop regularly between sharpenings to maintain the edge.Blacksmith: Yoshimi Kato
Brand Name: Yoshimi Minamo
Location: Echizen, Japan
Workshop: Takefu Knife Village
Construction: Hammer Forged, San Mai
Edge Steel: SG2 (AKA R2) Stainless
Cladding: Stainless
HRC: 62-63
Edge Grind: Even (50/50), Double Bevel
Engraving: Laser
Handle: Rosewood Octagonal
Ferrule: Red Pakka Wood
Weight: 5.4 oz (154 g)
Blade Length: 270 mm
Total Length: 423 mm
Spine Thickness at Heel: 2 mm
Blade Height: 39 mm
The rosewood octagonal handle with a red pakka wood ferrule provides a comfortable, secure grip for the long drawing strokes a sujihiki demands, and the refined, understated finish of the Minamo line suits cooks who want serious performance without the visual complexity of a Damascus blade.
Care Instructions: SG2 is a stainless steel but is hard and chip-prone at 62-63 HRC. Use wood or rubber cutting boards only. Avoid bones, frozen foods, and hard materials. Hand wash and dry after each use. Strop regularly between sharpenings to maintain the edge.
