HATSU TOMOE-HA

The brand “癶(HATSU)” aims to set a new standard for Echizen hammered blades, one of the traditional crafts of Fukui Prefecture. We were in charge of the concept and design of the new minimal knife for the knife brand launched with Yuji Toya, a traditional craftsman (knife sharpening specialist).

A slightly smaller version of the all-purpose kitchen knife (santoku knife), the ko-santoku version (130 mm blade length) has a blade width of approximately 40 mm, making it possible to cut leafy greens and other foods with stability despite its small blade width. On the other hand, the petty knife, with a blade width of approximately 25mm, is useful for peeling and decorating.

For this new concept, we have developed a hybrid blade shape between a small santoku and a petit knife, with a blade width of 40 mm at the base of the blade and a narrower blade toward the tip, so that large objects can be cut stably, while still being able to cut decoratively and peel off the skin.

The name of the blade is “巴刃”, read as “Tomoeha”. The character for “巴(Tomoe)” refers to the state in which several different elements are equally present with each other. With the aim to have equal elements of a ko-santoku knife and a petite knife, we designed a utility knife that is easy to use in various ways, with its lightness and small size typical of Echizen Uchihamono blades.

Brand Produce
YUJI TOTANI (Sharpenning Four)

Art Director
KAIRI EGUCHI (KAIRI EGUCHI STUDIO Inc.)

Product Designer
KAIRI EGUCHI (KAIRI EGUCHI STUDIO Inc.)

Photo(1-6)
KAIRI EGUCHI, YUMA ONO
(KAIRI EGUCHI STUDIO Inc.)

Photo(7-8)
TSUTOMU OGINO
(TOMART: PhotoWorks)

Handle Prototyping
TOMOKI TSUJIKAWA (TSUGU FURNITURE)

Handle Manufacturing
YAMAKEN WOODWORKS

F-TRAD Produce
TSUGI

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