The Japanese word Gyuto (牛刀) literally translates as beef sword. The gyuto is the equivalent of the Western chef's knife and is designed to cut everything: vegetables, meat and fish. It is designed to be used with the “push-cut” method, by lifting the blade between each cutting movement, or with the “pull” method. or with the pendulum method. It is important that the blade is straight on impact with the cutting board to avoid damage to the knife edge.
Born in 1948, Kenji Togashi began his career in 1966-67, receiving numerous awards over the years. In 1990, he was awarded the Dentō-Kugeishi by Japan's Ministry of Economy and Trade. This distinction is reserved for Japanese craftsmen who are masters in their field and have accumulated at least 12 years' experience, proving their mastery of their art, both theoretically and practically. In 2007, the city of Sakai/Osaka awarded him the “Master of Traditional Craftsmanship” certification for his excellent tempering technique and exceptional mastery of kitchen knife making, in keeping with Japan's ancestral forging traditions.
Today, Kenji Togashi makes his knives from start to finish in his workshop in Sakai/Osaka. He works with his three sons and a handful of apprentices to bring us top-quality blades that meet the standards of Master Togashi himself. When you buy a blade signed Togashi, you're assured of a level of forging, grinding and finishing quality that rivals the best forge houses in Sakai.
Shirogami #1 by Hitachi steel co translates as white steel #1 and is an improved version of Shirogami #2, containing a higher carbon content. It takes its name from the color of the paper in which it is packaged once produced. It is considered one of the purest steels, after Tamahagane, which results in a sharper cutting edge than most other steels. However, it is generally more brittle and can break more easily through misuse. Mastering the forging of shirogami #1 to exploit its full potential is not straightforward, and requires an expertise that few blacksmiths possess. It's in the Mizu Honyaki knife-making process that you'll find shirogami #1 in its most difficult-to-forge, yet sharpest, form.