貝印 — the kanji literally means "shell mark," a reference to the company's original trademark. What started in 1908 as a pocket knife workshop by Saijiro Endo (遠藤斉治郎) in Seki City has grown into one of the world's largest blade manufacturers, with over 10,000 products spanning kitchen knives, razors, medical instruments, and industrial blades. But for the knife community, KAI matters because of one thing: they brought Japanese knives to the world.

The Endo family has led KAI through four generations. The second-generation Saijiro expanded into razors after the war, creating Japan's first disposable razor. By the 1970s, the company had entered kitchen knife production and begun exporting internationally. The real game-changer came in 2000 with the launch of Shun (旬) — a premium line that combined traditional Japanese blade geometry with Western handle ergonomics and striking Damascus patterns. Shun became a global phenomenon, selling over 10 million units, and for millions of home cooks and professional chefs outside Japan, it was their first encounter with what a Japanese knife could do.

KAI's Seki Magoroku (関孫六) line carries the name of a legendary Muromachi-era swordsmith from Seki, connecting the brand directly to the city's 800-year blade-making heritage. While these are factory-produced knives rather than artisan-forged, the engineering and quality control behind them is serious — KAI's Seki factory is one of the most advanced knife production facilities in Japan, blending robotics and IoT systems with traditional heat treatment knowledge.

Today, under fourth-generation president Hiroaki Endo (遠藤浩彰), KAI operates subsidiaries in the USA, Germany, China, and India. They've won numerous design awards and continue to push boundaries — from the VG-MAX steel developed specifically for Shun to eco-friendly paper razors. Love them or debate them, KAI's role in globalising Japanese knife culture is undeniable. They opened the door that many of us walked through.