I went to a Tokyo knife shop today

DannyinJapan

DannyinJapan

Joined
Oct 9, 2003
Messages
5,594
They had lots of great stuff, but their khukuri selection sucked.
(two CS products and a cheap indian p.o.s.)
click here
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I will put that as yet another reason to want to go to Japan. There is a chance I may get to go to... errrr I believe it is Fukuoka Japan later in the year but I may be wrong on the city. Great looking knives there. Could you give a general price range on those. Thanks
 
well, the natas are usually under 100$, and most under 40$
The camping knives are handmade and can go from 50$ to 200$
The handmade spear looking knife on the right was 350$

the Takeshi Saji knives run from 50$ to 350$ depending on the size you want.

They didnt actually have any tanto.
A tanto is pretty strictly defined as being a small sword, that is, a small version of a katana.

These are knife knives.
They call them nata, hocho or my unfavorite "naifu"

If you guys come visit, bring a ton of cash and i will help you spend it in some kick-ass knife and sword shops.

If you see something in the pics you really like, let me know and ill call them for a price.
 
I like the shape of those handles in the upper right corner of the top photos. Looks very comfortable and functional.
 
OK,

The bespectled Japanese tourist, complete with glasses and a camera, taking pictures everywhere when visiting the U.S. is almost a cliche...

But frankly, my dear, I've never seen a Japanese tourist take pictures of a wall display in a KNIFE SHOP !!! :eek: :D :eek:


Troubled, very troubled.


:)

Kis
We have so much.
 
great website. love those blades.

I wish we had more knifemakers with styles like that here in the USA....



I'm just so weary of bowies and hunters.....:(
 
pendentive said:
great website. love those blades.

I wish we had more knifemakers with styles like that here in the USA....



I'm just so weary of bowies and hunters.....:(
Click to expand...


I agree. I suppose that it is a question more of demand then anything. Perhaps a trend can be started here in the states.
 
Shoo-be-doo! :eek:

OK, I really love the SLIM KUROUCHI-KEN-NATA, but do I love it $137.50+ worth?

Especially since I'd put a nicer handle on it?

Hmmm.


Danny- I'm guessing "ken-nata" loosely translates to 'sword-knife'?
 
ken- nata - sword shaped knife.
you are correct sir.
that price aint half bad either, everything is a little more expensive here you know.
 
DannyinJapan said:
ken- nata - sword shaped knife.
you are correct sir.
that price aint half bad either, everything is a little more expensive here you know.
Click to expand...

The price of the knife itself isn't so daunting, but the additional costs of getting it into my hands are probably kinda scary. :eek:

Emboldened by my recent linguistic success, I will ask- does boken mean 'staff-sword'? (If my guess is right, then I will actually know three Japanese words!)

BTW- wasn't the ken an earlier sword, much different than the katana et al? If so, can you still find them around? New or old? anyone still make blades in the style? When will the bus be stopping for lunch, Mr. Tour Guide?
(Sorry, got a little carried away w/questions. "Starved for knowledge, glutton for facts," etc.)
 
shipping is 25$ (if i do it)

bokken means wooden sword.

the word ken is a vague reference to swords of all description.
sometimes it means the double edged khanda from india or the jian of china, sometimes it means a short sword (wakizashi)
I cant tell you exactly because even the japanese arent 100% sure what they mean when they say it.

you do occasionally see a double edged jian style blade mounted like a katana.
 
Hmm.
$162.50 +/-
Hmmm.
How much longer you gonna be there Danny?
Hmmmm.
Any advantage to 'bulk' buying or shipping? Anyone else want to get in on a 'Crate O' Cutlery'?
:D
 
Kanji for Ken is read Jian in Chinese. It means sword, single or double edge, but usually double edge.

Kanji for Katana or To is read Dao in Chinese. It means single edged sword, knife or saber.

A saber is a sub category of sword but not vice versa.

alf
 
Machete,
I will be here for another two years probably.

Alf,
The one thing you will never get here in Japan is a hard and fast definition from any person or dictionary as to the meaning of a word in Japanese.

Maybe in the USA they know Japanese better than the Japanese people. (im not being sarcastic either)

I went down that road, asking the kanji teachers at my high school what the difference was between the various japanese words for sword ( katana, ken, surugi, yaeba, tachi, etc...)

They all scratched their heads and ended up agreeing with every little suggestion I threw out!
 
Japanese Sword words are fairly specialized, i translated to Chinese above because the root words for Ken and Katana are Chinese (Jian and Dao) and those definations above are Chinese.

I find that going back to the root words usually helps with the definitions.
 
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