News

September 10, 2011

Japan Trip 2011

Over the last few weeks, Sara and I have been planning this year’s Japan trip. This year, we will be spending two weeks meeting with the craftsmen we work with. I will also be spending a significant amount of time training with these guys… sharpening, blade polishing, handle replacement and repair, etc. During the time we are in Japan, our store in Venice, CA will be closed and we will not be shipping out any orders. However, you can still place orders online. All orders placed within the two weeks we are gone will ship on the Monday after we...

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September 09, 2011

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Two of Us in the Store

The opening of our store in Venice has been both exciting and all-consuming – leaving little time to work on our English blog. Finally, we are coming up for air and want to give you an update on us and our new storefront! A few days back on Labor Day, I was more appreciative than usual about our great – and happy – connection to our shokunin-san (craftsman), business partners, customers, friends, and family. We all contribute in one way or another to our respective societies, and I thought how fortunate we all are to have such special relationships.It’s September...

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May 10, 2011

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Japanese Knife Imports - The Store

Great news guys... for a while now Sara and I have been looking for a place to open our storefront... to have a place where you can come and check out the knives and other products we sell in person, take classes on knife skills and knife sharpening, and just hang out... we finally found a place and signed the lease. Its official... in just a few weeks we will be moving in and getting our store set up. As the time gets closer, we will share some other new exciting things that we have been working on. Anyways, we...

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April 19, 2011

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A Message From Nakaya Heiji

Taking an Action - Pray for Japan - First of all, thank you again for taking an action to support Nakaya Heiji and their family. We started collecting donation after the earthquake in Japan on March 11, 2011. We were proud to have such thoughtful and caring customers, friends and families. We sent the entire donation to Nakaya Heiji last week, and it was safely transferred and received. Here is a massage from Nakaya Heiji for all of you: Thank you so much for your great support. We are grateful that people around the world cared about us. ...

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March 22, 2011

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Pray for Japan

March 11, 2011 (in Japan), the Day that Changed EverythingWe have experienced many tragedies – some caused by people and others caused by forces of nature. On March 11, 2011, Japan was slammed by both. The earthquake first hit off the coast of Iwate and Miyagi and was felt shortly after in Fukushima and Ibaraki and the surrounding areas. Soon after came the tsunami at a height of 10m or higher, wiping out large parts of the coastal region. Initial news reports said it was one of the biggest earthquakes ever. As the disaster unfolded, more accurate reports came out...

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March 15, 2011

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Help Support Nakaya Heiji - Disaster Relief

In the past few days, Japan has seen some horrendous natural disasters- earthquakes and tsunamis. The north-east part of Japan has been his pretty hard, especially with the failing nuclear reactors up there. But many other areas have been hit hard as well. One such area is Ibaraki. Ibaraki is just a bit north-east Tokyo and is located on the coast. It is in the prefecture of Ibaraki that Nakaya Heiji is based. He and his son live and work in Mito City, in Ibaraki Prefecture. Since the earthquake, we have been constantly on the phone with our family,...

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February 24, 2011

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月心™

「月心™」と書いて「げっしん」と読みます。Japanese Knife Importsのオリジナルブランドの名前です。陶芸家である私の両親の「月心窯」を違う分野で、だけれど同じように手造りの工芸品・芸術品を愛する気持ちをもって受け継がせてもらうことにしました。「月心™」の「月」は太陰暦を長く使用してきたことなどから、月や陰と重ねられることが多かったアジアを意味し、「月心™」ブランドは日本だけでなくアジアの心と多様性を称えるという私達の気持ちを表しています。 Japanese Knife Importsは多くの人が日本からの素晴らしい作品やその造り手に出会うことができる架け橋となっていきたいと願っています。実践的であるだけでなく日本の伝統的な価値観や文化を象徴する、手造りの素晴らしい工芸品を提供していきたいという私達の思いを「月心™」は象徴しています。私は月心の焼き物に囲まれて育ち、芸術家である両親に常に刺激をうけて育ちました。主人のジョナサンも、何度もその環境で生活し、また窯たきを手伝うなどの体験を通してきました。常に更に良いものを求め製作に取り組む両親の姿は、いつになってもその姿こそが非常に美しいものだと感じます。私達が月心のオリジナルを築くことにより、両親のその気持ちや行為というものを、包丁や砥石、その他の厨房道具を扱うことを通じて引き継いでいけたらと願っています。これから「月心™」は商品の品質、弊社の販売姿勢、アフターケア、知識などを含め、より全体的な評価を頂くことと思います。毎日使うものだからこそ、そこに実用的でありながら美しいと思わせるデザインや、長く良く使おうと思わされる価値を求める意味があるように思います。生活に潤いを与えてくれる、手造りのものの良さはそこにあるのではないでしょうか。日々の生活の中で役に立ってくれ、なお日常生活を明るくそして豊かにしてくれます。自分に合った包丁を見つけること、包丁を研ぐこと、それぞれの包丁の特性を理解するということ、そしてある一定のレベルの包丁であれば、それを使いこなす技術を習得するということ、それぞれすべての行為に意味があり、日本の伝統的な文化や価値がぎっしり詰まっていると感じます。ものを大切にし、本当に良いものを長く使うという価値観を、包丁や砥石から学ぶというのも、やはり手造りのものが生活をより豊かにしてくれるということの表れだと思います。「月心™」ブランドと共にJapanese Knife Importsとしての私達も成長していきたいと心から願っております。これからも何卒宜しくお願いいたします。

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News

September 10, 2011

Japan Trip 2011

September 09, 2011

Two of Us in the Store

May 10, 2011

Japanese Knife Imports - The Store

April 19, 2011

A Message From Nakaya Heiji

March 22, 2011

Pray for Japan

March 15, 2011

Help Support Nakaya Heiji - Disaster Relief

February 24, 2011

月心™

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