Kitchen knife - Steel, Wood - Japan - 伝統的和柳刃・菜切り包丁 堺天川屋/登録義平本馬印

● 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 Yanagiba & Nakiri Knife Set – “Sakai Amakawaya Betsuuchi (堺天川屋 別打)” & “Registered Gihei Honma Mark (登録義平 本馬印)” – Traditional Japanese Kitchen Knives

An attractive and characterful pair of vintage Japanese kitchen knives, consisting of a traditional long-bladed Yanagiba and a broad Nakiri vegetable knife.

Both knives retain distinctive Japanese maker’s markings and show the unmistakable character of genuinely used vintage Japanese culinary tools.

The set brings together two contrasting traditional blade forms: the elegant, elongated profile of the Yanagiba, traditionally associated with precise fish and sashimi preparation, and the tall, rectangular blade of the Nakiri, a classic Japanese vegetable knife.

Particularly interesting is the Sakai Amakawaya Yanagiba, which retains an old handle label referring to Sakai cutlery as well as a branded maker’s mark on the wooden handle.

1. Yanagiba – Sakai Amakawaya Betsuuchi (堺天川屋 別打)

The knife on the left is a traditional Japanese Yanagiba, featuring a long, slender blade and sharply pointed tip.

This characteristic elongated blade form is traditionally used for smooth drawing cuts when preparing fish, sashimi, and sushi.

The knife bears the marking:

堺天川屋 別打 – Sakai Amakawaya Betsuuchi

The wooden handle retains an old label reading:

切味優秀 堺 / 堺利器協同組合推奨

indicating excellent cutting performance and a recommendation associated with the Sakai cutlery trade association.

The handle also bears the branded inscription:

堺天川屋 – Sakai Amakawaya

The survival of both the old label and the branded handle mark gives this knife particularly appealing vintage character and provides an interesting connection to Sakai’s established cutlery tradition.

Approximate Dimensions

Overall length: approx. 31 cm
Blade length: approx. 20 cm
Maximum blade width: approx. 2.8 cm
2. Nakiri – Registered Gihei, Honma Mark (登録義平 本馬印)

The knife on the right is a traditional Japanese Nakiri vegetable knife, characterized by its broad, tall blade and relatively straight cutting edge.

The Nakiri is one of the classic Japanese vegetable-knife forms, traditionally used for cutting and preparing vegetables. Its substantial rectangular blade creates a strong visual contrast with the slender Yanagiba.

The blade bears the marking:

登録義平 本馬印 – Registered Gihei, Honma Mark

The darkened surface, visible maker’s inscription, and signs of long-term use give this knife a particularly strong vintage appearance.

Approximate Dimensions

Overall length: approx. 30 cm
Blade length: approx. 17 cm
Maximum blade width: approx. 5.0 cm

All measurements are approximate and have been estimated from the photographs.

Condition

These are genuine vintage, pre-owned Japanese kitchen knives and show considerable signs of age, previous use, sharpening, and long-term storage.

Please note the following condition issues:

Age-related dirt and staining
Rust and oxidation
Scratches and scuff marks on the blades
Wear from age, use, and previous sharpening
Chips and imperfections along the cutting edges
Chipping / damage to the blade tips
Dirt and staining around the ferrules
Scratches, dents, and misalignment around the ferrule areas
Dirt, stains, scratches, and wear on the wooden handles
Age-related wear and deterioration to the surviving label
Other age-related marks and imperfections

These knives have not been fully cleaned, polished, restored, or professionally sharpened and are offered in their present vintage condition.

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

These are not fully restored or maintenance-free kitchen knives. Cleaning, sharpening, adjustment, or restoration may be required before use.

Please bid only if you fully understand and accept the above vintage condition and are capable of cleaning and sharpening the knives yourself as necessary.

This distinctive combination of a Sakai Amakawaya Betsuuchi (堺天川屋 別打) Yanagiba, retaining its old Sakai-related label and branded wooden handle, and a Registered Gihei Honma Mark (登録義平 本馬印) Nakiri offers an interesting opportunity for collectors of vintage Japanese kitchen knives, sharpening and restoration enthusiasts, professional chefs, and admirers of traditional Japanese culinary tools.
■ 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.