Kamata Hakensha (かまた刃研社)
KAMATA — Kappabashi, Tokyo
English support and tax-free are shown only where we've confirmed them. Many Kappabashi shops do offer tax-free — ask at the register (passport required).
Kamata Hakensha has been a blade shop in Asakusa since 1923. More than 800 knives are in stock at any one time, from blades a craftsman shaped by hand to blades made on modern production lines.
Two things make it worth the walk if you are in Tokyo for only a few days. Carving your name into the blade by hand is free, and knives for home kitchens can be sharpened in one to two hours, so you can leave a blade, walk the rest of the street, and collect it the same afternoon.
What you can buy here
- Japanese-style knivesincluding honyaki, forged from a single piece of steel, and water-quenched blades made in Sakai, Osaka
- Western-style knives33-layer Damascus steel among them
- Made by handblades shaped by craftsmen in the traditional way
- Made in quantityblades produced under controlled conditions on modern equipment
Getting there
About a 5-minute walk north along Kitchen Town Street from Tawaramachi Station on the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, on the east side of the street in Matsugaya.
The shop takes its days off irregularly, so if you are coming a long way it is worth ringing ahead.
| Hours | 10:00–18:00 |
|---|---|
| Closed | Irregular holidays |
| Address | 2-12-6 Matsugaya, Taito-ku, Tokyo 111-0036 |
| Phone | 03-3841-4205 |
| Official site | https://www.kap-kam.com/ |
| Online shop | https://shop.kap-kam.com/index.html?lang_id=ja |
| Social media | InstagramFacebookTikTok |
Services
| Engraving | YesCarving a name by hand is free. Setting the edge is charged for. |
|---|---|
| Sharpening | YesRepairs and sharpening. Blades are normally left with the shop, but knives for home kitchens can be done in one to two hours. |
| English spoken | YesThe shop's official site has English and French versions. |
Good to know
- Anyone who wants a knife carved with their namethe hand engraving is free (setting the edge is charged for)
- Anyone who wants a knife sharpened mid-triphousehold knives can be turned around in one to two hours
- Anyone who wants a wide field to choose frommore than 800 kinds in stock at any one time