Anryu Hamono

Anryu Hamono — Five Generations of Echizen Forging

Katsushige Anryu, the 4th generation artisan at Anryu Hamono in Echizen, Japan, began his journey in traditional knife-making in 1959 under his father, Katsutoshi Anryu. His workshop, founded by his great-grandfather Hansaburo Anryu in 1873, is renowned for its exquisite, hand-forged knives. Known for integrity and craftsmanship, Katsushige-san was elected chairman of the Takefu Knife Village Co-op and awarded a medal for his traditional craft work in 2015. Today, he works alongside his nephew, 5th generation Takumi Ikeda, continuing the legacy of creating beautiful, durable knives with unique designs.

Katsushige Anryu Hamono is a well-regarded Japanese knife-making workshop located in Takefu, Echizen, a city in Fukui Prefecture, Japan. The workshop is led by Katsushige Anryu, a master blacksmith with decades of experience in crafting traditional Japanese knives. Anryu san, as he is often respectfully referred to, hails from a lineage of blacksmiths that stretches back over four generations, and he himself has been honing his craft for over 50 years.

Echizen, where the workshop is situated, is an area with a rich history of smithing that dates back over 700 years, making it one of Japan's most famous centers for the production of cutlery and forged tools. Katsushige Anryu Hamono embodies this heritage, combining traditional forging techniques with modern innovations to produce knives of exceptional quality and beauty.

The knives made by Anryu san are highly sought after by chefs and knife enthusiasts worldwide. They are known for their unique designs, superior sharpness, and durability. The blades often feature distinctive patterns, such as the hammered (Tsuchime) finish or the beautiful Damascus steel patterns, which are not only aesthetically pleasing but also contribute to the functionality of the knives by reducing friction and preventing food from sticking to the blade.

Katsushige Anryu takes pride in every step of the knife-making process, from selecting the finest steel to shaping, sharpening, and finishing the blades by hand. This meticulous attention to detail ensures that each knife is not only a practical tool for cutting but also a work of art that reflects the skill and passion of its maker.

Anryu's philosophy is deeply rooted in the belief that making knives is not just about creating a cutting tool, but about bringing joy and satisfaction to the people who use them. This philosophy, combined with his exceptional craftsmanship, has earned Katsushige Anryu Hamono a respected place in the world of Japanese knife-making.

“Five generations of Echizen forging — from 1873 to the Takefu Knife Village's beating heart.”

Est. 1873 | 明治6年

Known for Tsuchime (hammered) finish, hand-forged carbon and AS blades, Takefu Knife Village heritage

Website takefu-knifevillage.jp Instagram @takumi_ikeda

People

Founder: Hansaburo Anryu
Current Head: Takumi Ikeda 池田拓視

Craft

Known For: Tsuchime (hammered) finish, hand-forged carbon and AS blades, Takefu Knife Village heritage
Steel: Blue #2, Aogami Super

Location

Address: 49-1-3 Ikenokamicho, Echizen, Fukui 915-0873, Japan
Region: Echizen, Japan
Coordinates: 35.8760679, 136.1461677

Brand

Logo

Native Name

安立打刃物

Why Anryu Hamono Matters

Anryu Hamono is one of the oldest workshops in Echizen, founded in 1873. The 4th generation master Katsushige Anryu was elected chairman of the Takefu Knife Village Co-op and received a medal for honorable work in traditional crafts in 2015. In 2022, the forge was passed to his nephew and 15-year apprentice, 5th generation Takumi Ikeda, who continues the legacy while bringing his own approach to the craft.

Does Anryu Hamono Allow Unsolicited Visits?

Anryu's workshop is inside Takefu Knife Village, which is open to the public. The village has a showroom and offers knife-making experiences, though individual workshop access may vary.

Knives by Anryu Hamono

Anryu Blue 2 Tsuchime Stainless Clad

This line forged by Anryu Hamono really displays what a very experience craftman can bring to you when it comes to knifemaking. It combines the wicked edge t... Read more

This line forged by Anryu Hamono really displays what a very experience craftman can bring to you when it comes to knifemaking. It combines the wicked edge that a carbon steel can obtain, the ease of maintenance of the stainless clad and a whole lot of hand forging features that really gives a knife some "soul", all at a very approachable price.Takumi Ikeda(池田拓視), the fifth generation blacksmith of Anryu Hamono was trained under the guidance of Katsushige Anryu(安立勝重). Anryu san has been forging in this industry ever since 1981, and he is still work in the workshop working on some less labour intensive tasks with all of his white hair to this date. That many years of forging have undoubtly given his abundant knowledge that result in knives with amazing performance.The geometry is something we cannot avoid talking with Anryu's knives, they all have a very thick spine near the handle, thicker than most of the Yanagiba, but this tapers down quickly into a rather thin blade. To obtain this kind of geometry require extensive experience in forging and cannot be done by machine, that means the craftmen at Anryu Hamono put in quite some time to get each of the blade to their desired shape. The benifit of this intricate geomety and material distribution is better to be felt in hand than told, but to put it in words, a concentrated mass around the pinch grip is that you can move the tip easily will less mass at the end, but at the same time the weight near your hand ensures the blade won't feel like a piece of paper, which increase stability. Long story short, these blades handles like Porsches, nimble but determined and precise.Matching the mamzing handling is a equally amazing sharpness, the choice of Blue 2 found a good balance in the spectrum of Hitachi Metal carbon steels. It has a superior edge retension compare to the White 2 steel but kept most of the classic carbon steel "Flavour"(edge finess and ease of sharpening) unlike the Blue Super. The Sabre grind and the micro edge allows these blades to penetrate right into the surface and drop through them without much resistance, it is so nice to cut with Anryu knives that I would say the Kireaji(切れ味, Overall feel of cutting) is on par with Yoshikane knives, which are known for their performance.Anryu Knives are really something that flew under the radars of many people, the amount of time and the level of skill that result them is incredible. This Migaki Tsuchime line offers you a shiny knife with high level of craftmanship, amzing handling and experience and little compromises on maintainability, it is one of the few knives that I would say is being sold for too cheap. Read less

Pros

Budget friendly
Excellent performance
Great OOTB

Cons

Prone to rust
Need extra care

Sanmai - Stainless Clad Tsuchime

Anryu Aogami Super Tsuchime Kurouchi

This line forged by Anryu Hamono really displays what a very experience craftman can bring to you when it comes to knifemaking. It combines the wicked edge t... Read more

This line forged by Anryu Hamono really displays what a very experience craftman can bring to you when it comes to knifemaking. It combines the wicked edge that a carbon steel can obtain, the ease of maintenance of the stainless clad and a whole lot of hand forging features that really gives a knife some "soul", all at a very approachable price.Takumi Ikeda(池田拓視), the fifth generation blacksmith of Anryu Hamono was trained under the guidance of Katsushige Anryu(安立勝重). Anryu san has been forging in this industry ever since 1981, and he is still work in the workshop working on some less labour intensive tasks with all of his white hair to this date. That many years of forging have undoubtly given his abundant knowledge that result in knives with amazing performance.The geometry is something we cannot avoid talking with Anryu's knives, they all have a very thick spine near the handle, thicker than most of the Yanagiba, but this tapers down quickly into a rather thin blade. To obtain this kind of geometry require extensive experience in forging and cannot be done by machine, that means the craftmen at Anryu Hamono put in quite some time to get each of the blade to their desired shape. The benifit of this intricate geomety and material distribution is better to be felt in hand than told, but to put it in words, a concentrated mass around the pinch grip is that you can move the tip easily will less mass at the end, but at the same time the weight near your hand ensures the blade won't feel like a piece of paper, which increase stability. Long story short, these blades handles like Porsches, nimble but determined and precise.Matching the amazing handling is a equally amazing sharpness, the choice of Blue Super offers the ultimate edge retention in the Hitachi carbon steel family, while it is harder to sharpen than a typical carbon steel, the very high hardness allows them to hold strong even when sharpen at a extreme angle, which definitely contributes to the edge sharpness of this line. The Sabre grind and the micro edge allows these blades to penetrate right into the surface and drop through them without much resistance, it is so nice to cut with Anryu knives that I would say the Kireaji(切れ味, Overall feel of cutting) is on par with Yoshikane knives, which are known for their performance.Anryu Knives are really something that flew under the radars of many people, the amount of time and the level of skill that result them is incredible. This Kurouchi Tsuchime line offers you a classic looking knife with high level of craftmanship, amzing handling and experience and little compromises on maintainability, it is one of the few knives that I would say is being sold for too cheap. Read less

Pros

Budget friendly
Excellent performance
Great for professionals

Cons

Relatively hard to sharpen

Sanmai - Stainless Clad Kurouchi

Frequently Asked Questions about Anryu Hamono

Who is Anryu Hamono?

Anryu Hamono is a Japanese knife maker based in Echizen, Japan , established in 1873. They are known for Tsuchime (hammered) finish, hand-forged carbon and AS blades, Takefu Knife Village heritage. Their signature steels include Blue #2, Aogami Super. Available at Knives and Stones Australia.

What knives does Anryu Hamono make?

Anryu Hamono produces the following knife lines: Anryu Blue 2 Tsuchime Stainless Clad, Anryu Aogami Super Tsuchime Kurouchi. We currently carry 11 products from Anryu Hamono at Knives and Stones. They specialise in Tsuchime (hammered) finish, hand-forged carbon and AS blades, Takefu Knife Village heritage.

Where is Anryu Hamono located?

Anryu Hamono is located in Echizen, Japan. Japanese knife-making regions each have distinct traditions. Echizen and Takefu in Fukui Prefecture are celebrated for high-quality double bevel forging.

Where can I buy Anryu Hamono knives in Australia?

Knives and Stones is an authorised Australian stockist of Anryu Hamono. You can shop online at knivesandstones.com.au with free shipping on orders over $99, or visit our stores in St Peters (Sydney), Crows Nest (Sydney) and Braddon (Canberra) to handle the knives before buying.