Sakai Knife Museum
Sakai Knife Museum Sakai City boasts a 600-year history of knife production, tracing its roots back to the 15th century. This rich tradition began when a group of knife smiths, descended from sword makers, relocated from Kaga Province (now Ishikawa Prefecture) to Sakai. In 1543, during an era when the Portuguese introduced firearms and tobacco to Japan, Sakai's craftsmen, renowned for their advanced metalworking skills, began producing firearms. By the Sengoku period, Sakai had become a crucial center for firearm production. However, as the Edo period commenced, the demand for firearms waned, and a new trend emerged: tobacco smoking. This shift created a demand for "tobacco knives" used to cut tobacco leaves. Sakai's craftsmen excelled in producing these tobacco knives, which became highly regarded for their superior sharpness, outperforming imported versions. The Tokugawa shogunate recognized this quality by marking these knives wi...