Kitchen knife - Steel, Wood - Japan - 伝統的和三徳・柳刃包丁 暁里/特撰 東勝弘

● IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR CERTAIN EU COUNTRIES - IOSS SHIPMENTS UNDER EUR 150

Due to recent changes in EU import procedures, temporary shipping restrictions may apply to IOSS shipments under EUR 150 to the following countries:

- Austria
- Germany
- Finland
- France
- Belgium
- Luxembourg
- Portugal
- Poland

Shipping availability may change depending on Japan Post and the destination country's postal procedures.

Please consider this possibility before placing a bid.

***

Vintage Japanese Santoku & Yanagiba Kitchen Knife Set – “暁里” / “Tokusen Higashi Katsuhiro” – Signed Traditional Japanese Knives with Original Labels

An attractive set of two vintage Japanese kitchen knives, consisting of a versatile Santoku and a long, slender Yanagiba.

Both knives bear Japanese inscriptions and retain old Japanese labels on their handles/ferrules, adding distinctive vintage character to the set.

The Santoku on the left is signed “暁里” and retains a “三徳” (Santoku) label on its ferrule. The Yanagiba on the right is signed “特撰 東勝弘” and retains an attractive decorative label on its wooden handle reading “切味抜群 最高級御料理包丁”, praising it as a superior-quality kitchen knife with excellent cutting performance.

These surviving details make the pair especially appealing to collectors and enthusiasts of older Japanese culinary tools.

1. Santoku Knife – “暁里”

The knife on the left is a traditional Japanese Santoku, a versatile general-purpose kitchen knife.

The blade bears the inscription:

暁里

The dark ferrule also retains a round label reading:

三徳 – Santoku

This surviving label clearly identifies the intended knife type and is an attractive original-style detail.

The blade has the broad profile associated with Santoku knives, with ample blade height and a gently curved upper profile leading toward the tip.

Its practical proportions make an interesting contrast with the much longer and narrower Yanagiba included in the set.

Approximate dimensions:

Overall length: 30 cm
Blade length: 16.5 cm
Handle length: approximately 13.5 cm
Maximum blade height: approximately 4.5 cm

Traditional wooden Japanese handle with dark ferrule and surviving “三徳” label.

2. Yanagiba Knife – “Tokusen Higashi Katsuhiro” (特撰 東勝弘)

The knife on the right is a traditional Japanese Yanagiba, featuring a long, slender blade that gradually narrows toward its pointed tip.

The blade is inscribed:

特撰 東勝弘 – Tokusen Higashi Katsuhiro

“特撰” can be understood as a designation meaning specially selected / special quality, while 東勝弘 is the name appearing on the blade.

The wooden handle also retains an attractive black-and-gold Japanese label reading:

「切味抜群　最高級御料理包丁」

which can be rendered approximately as:

“Outstanding cutting performance – Highest-grade kitchen knife.”

The survival of this decorative label is an appealing vintage detail and gives the knife additional character beyond the blade inscription itself.

The long, narrow blade and pointed profile are characteristic of the Yanagiba form traditionally associated with precise slicing of fish and sashimi.

Approximate dimensions:

Overall length: 37 cm
Blade length: 22.5 cm
Handle length: approximately 14 cm
Maximum blade height: approximately 2.7–3.0 cm

Traditional wooden Japanese handle with dark ferrule and surviving decorative quality label.

Attractive Surviving Vintage Labels

An especially interesting feature of this set is that both knives retain old Japanese labels.

The Santoku carries the simple but distinctive “三徳” label directly on its ferrule, clearly identifying the knife type.

The Yanagiba carries a much more decorative black-and-gold label proclaiming:

“切味抜群 最高級御料理包丁”

or approximately,

“Outstanding cutting performance – Highest-grade kitchen knife.”

Such labels were part of the original commercial presentation of Japanese kitchen knives and are naturally vulnerable to wear, moisture and handling. Their survival adds visual and historical interest to these older working knives.

Together with the blade inscriptions “暁里” and “特撰 東勝弘,” these details make this a particularly characterful vintage pair.

Two Contrasting Japanese Kitchen Knife Styles

The two knives also demonstrate a striking contrast in Japanese blade geometry.

The Santoku is broad and compact, representing the versatile general-purpose form familiar in Japanese kitchens.

The Yanagiba, by contrast, is long and slender, with an elongated cutting edge and pointed profile associated with specialized fish and sashimi preparation.

This combination makes the set attractive not only as vintage culinary equipment but also as a representative pairing of two very different Japanese knife traditions.

Condition

These are vintage, previously used Japanese kitchen knives and are offered in their present, unrestored condition.

They show age- and use-related signs including:

Dirt and staining
Rust and oxidation
Patina and discoloration
Scratches and rubbing marks
Blade and surface wear
Previous sharpening marks
Edge chipping
Damage/chipping to the blade tips
Dirt and scratches around the ferrules
Dirt, staining and signs of use on the wooden handles
Age-related wear and deterioration to the surviving labels

The labels are old and should therefore be regarded as fragile vintage components rather than being in new condition.

Please examine all photographs carefully before bidding. The photographs form an essential part of the condition description.

No professional polishing, complete rust removal or restoration has been carried out for this sale. The knives are intentionally offered with their existing traces of age and previous use visible.

Important Notice for Bidders

These knives are not presented as restored or immediately ready-to-use kitchen knives.

They are recommended for collectors, restorers and experienced Japanese knife enthusiasts who understand the condition of vintage blades and are capable of carrying out their own cleaning and sharpening.

Depending on their intended use, they may require cleaning, rust removal, sharpening, correction of edge chips and tip damage, and other maintenance or restoration work.

Care should be taken during cleaning to avoid damaging the surviving vintage labels.

Please bid only if you fully understand and accept their present vintage condition and are capable of carrying out the necessary cleaning, sharpening and maintenance yourself.

All dimensions stated above are approximate measurements estimated from the measuring scale visible in the photograph.

A characterful vintage pairing of a “暁里” Santoku retaining its “三徳” ferrule label and a “特撰 東勝弘” Yanagiba with its striking “切味抜群 最高級御料理包丁” label — two signed Japanese knives retaining authentic details of their original presentation and long working history.
■ IMPORTANT NOTICE - PLEASE READ BEFORE BIDDING

● NO SHIPPING TO DENMARK,UNITED KINGDOM,UNITED STATES (USA)

● bidding and payment
please do not place a bid if you do not intend to complete the purchase and make payment. by placing a bid, you confirm full intention to complete payment if you win. non-paying bidders cause serious delays. if payment is not completed after reminders from catawiki, the order may be cancelled under catawiki policy.

● condition of the item
all items are vintage, antique, or pre-owned unless stated otherwise. signs of age, wear, scratches, stains, rust, oxidation, patina, repairs, sharpening marks, and other imperfections should be expected.
please carefully examine all photos before bidding. photos form an important part of the description.
please also understand that some defects or imperfections may not be visible in photographs. hidden or non-visible flaws may exist.
in addition, the condition of the item may change during transport due to vibration, impact, temperature, humidity, or handling.
therefore, items are sold strictly for buyers who have knowledge and ability to perform cleaning, sharpening, restoration, or repair if necessary. this lot is not suitable for buyers expecting fully restored or ready-to-use items without maintenance.
all measurements are approximate.

● important notice regarding traditional japanese knife handles
traditional japanese kitchen knives (wa-bocho) use replaceable wooden handles. handles are consumable parts and may require repair or replacement due to age, drying, shrinkage, cracking, looseness, or transport stress. replacement parts are not included.

● shipping restrictions - knives
due to uk law, we do not ship knives to the united kingdom. due to strict regulations, we also do not ship knives to denmark. shipments to other countries may also be restricted depending on local laws. bids from restricted countries will be cancelled.

● international shipping - customs
import rules for knives vary by country. buyer confirms legality of import. seller ships from japan with accurate customs declarations. customs delays, inspections, confiscations, taxes, or import issues are outside seller control.

● countries we do not ship to
We do not ship to the United States at this time due to ongoing international shipping restrictions.
Shipping service to the United States remains temporarily suspended and we are currently unable to accept orders with US delivery addresses.
We also temporarily do not ship to Portugal due to logistics instability.
Bids from these countries will be cancelled.

● international situation - shipping limitations
due to global conditions, sanctions, transport restrictions, or postal issues, shipping may become impossible to certain countries. in such cases, orders may be cancelled.

● important notice for italy
delivery to italy may take one month or longer due to customs and postal delays. please bid only if you accept this.

● no combined shipping
each item will be shipped separately even if multiple items are purchased.

● shipping method and delivery time
all items are shipped from japan via japan post. estimated delivery time is 3?4 weeks. delivery time is not guaranteed.

● import duties and taxes (EU buyers)
import duties, VAT, and other taxes are not included. buyer is responsible for all charges.

● customs contact and buyer responsibility
buyer must respond to customs requests promptly. failure may result in delay, return, confiscation, or destruction of parcel.

● returned parcels
if returned due to customs refusal or non-response, reshipping requires double shipping cost.

● force majeure
seller is not responsible for delays or failures caused by war, sanctions, disasters, postal suspension, or other force majeure events.

● agreement
by placing a bid, you confirm you have read and accepted all conditions and understand the item may contain non-visible defects and may require cleaning, sharpening, restoration, or repair.