#1335

Hand-made Camping Knife and where to buy and sharpen knives.

Snow Peak is a famous camping equipment manufacturer from the Tsubame Sanjo area of Niigata Prefecture. It was started by the father of the current president as a manufacturer of carpentry and work tools. But Yukio Yamai, the founder, was an experienced mountaineer, so he decided that he should make mountain climbing and outdoor equipment, something he was familiar with and cared about. Over the past 50 years, Snow Peak has grown from that simple idea into one of the world's foremost manufacturers of tents, shelters, and other camping equipment.

The Sanjo area of Niigata is also famous for a wide range of tools and metalwork. The area started out on this path roughly 350 years ago, with the moving of Japan's capital from Kyoto to Edo (now Tokyo). During this time, Edo grew not only in stature, but in the construction of new buildings to accommodate its newfound importance. Sanjo became the humble supplier of nails for the rapid urban growth.

Interestingly, Sanjo was not one of the areas in Japan known for the manufacture of swords, for example. While it did possess many of the mineral deposits used for iron, steel, and metalwork, it was not an area filled with sword-making blacksmiths, like the areas of Mino, Bizen, and Yamato. However, this proved to be a great advantage for the region, as it led to the development of small factories that produced greater numbers of crafted products, needed in a more industrialized world.

In particular, Sanjo moved quickly from making nails to tool-making, and then to farming and industrial tools. It made everything from hammers and saws to hoes and shovels, as well as a wide variety of kitchen tools. These tools included kitchen knives, for which the region is world renown today.

One of Snow Peak's wonderful camping tools is their Seppou knife, a hand-forged cooking knife for camp. (http://www.snowpeak.com/tableware/knives/seppou-knife-secs-010.html) Like most samurai swords, the blade uses more than one type of steel. It has 3 layers, with a very high quality Asuki Aogami steel core, sandwiched by two layers of stainless steel. The blade is hand forged at 950 degrees Celsius to harden it. It is also hammered, not to harden it, as people often mistakenly think, but to shape it. The knife also has a wooden handle which is, too, heated to harden it.

For many, a 0 camping or cooking knife may be a luxurious non-essential. However, for some, a great knife that will last for hundreds of years is an item of great value, providing economical, ecological, and cultural benefits spanning generations.

mikekato image

mikekato

United States

mikekato's other advice

A Really Close Shave... images

A Really Close Shave...

I've been shaving my head for the past 15 years. It is a chore, but I've gotten used to it. It sometimes grows a bit, during camps and sometimes during long holidays like Golden Week. But basically, …

An Eye-con of Shinjuku images

An Eye-con of Shinjuku

Subaru is a fairly well known brand globally, particularly for those who are familiar with off-road racing. It's definitely not as much a household brand name as Toyota or Honda, or even companies kn…

Send Out the Towels images

Send Out the Towels

Ikeuchi Organic is a Japanese company that makes towels like no other. Towels are not its only products, but towels are the company's core products. And what wonderful towels they are!The company…

Lights, Camera, Attraction! images

Lights, Camera, Attraction!

There's no shortage of holiday blessings in Japan. Not being a Christian nation has never stopped Japan from adopting this holiday as its own. And while Christmas caroling has not yet become a holi…

I'm Punched images

I'm Punched

At a recent bonenkai (year-end party), one of the entertainers was Neko Punch. Neko Punch is a band, led by singer/songwriter Leanne and producer/bass player Macc. Later, the duo was joined by dancer…

Celestial Geisha: A Perfect Performance images

Celestial Geisha: A Perfect Performance

Yes, you may not realize it, but not only is there a history of geisha in Tokyo, but there are quite a few places where there are active geisha communities, including Kagurazaka, Asakusa, Shinbashi/G…

You might also like

[A Highly Recommended Glamping and Camping Site for the Family: "THE FARM"] images

[A Highly Recommended Glamping and Camping Site for the Family: "THE FARM"]

Recently, “glamping” (glamorous camping) and camping have become very popular among Japanese families and couples. If you wish to unwind from the hustle and bustle, and want to experience something t…

CHIBA-KUN image

CHIBA-KUN

How about Do-shi Village Camping sites? images

How about Do-shi Village Camping sites?

There are several good camp spots I can recommend to you, which are located in the direction to West from the central part of Tokyo, or at the western edge of Kanto Plain as I live in the western par…

Masa image

Masa

Be flexible and plan ahead! images

Be flexible and plan ahead!

Rule number one: plan ahead. It's possible to do Tokyo affordably, but cheap accommodation gets booked up fast. If you want a super-cheap place, be prepared for tiny spaces and locations that are les…

lrnelson image

lrnelson

Mosquito Repellent images

Mosquito Repellent

Katori-Senkou, sometimes referred to as Mosquito Coils, are in my opinion one unique smell that has stuck with me since I first came to Japan.These coils are like incense, and you light one end t…

KurtisW image

KurtisW

Music in Japan is not just about AKB images

Music in Japan is not just about AKB

Are you looking for some good music tracks to put in your IPOD?Well my mistake was relying on watching top ranking music shows on TV.Turn off your TV set and get out to some live music.There …

Yuuki I image

Yuuki I

In Basho's Footsteps images

In Basho's Footsteps

In May 1689 the great Haiku poet Matsuo Basho sold his house and began travelling north through Japan. His written impressions of the journey, over 1200 miles later, became The Narrow Road to the Dee…

InBasho'sFootsteps image

InBasho'sFootsteps