Try finding a reputable knife dealer or big-box retailer that carries or sells any Chinese knife brand found on Amazon (you won’t). One reason, is these brands have no issue misleading your gam gams, the homie that loves bargains, or your babies daddy/mama looking for a gift for you (these brands are shady AF).
I have numerous articles about this issue because Amazon is rampant with these misleading sellers, and you can not trust them. Unless you are the type to ask a stripper at the Body Shop on Sunset in West Hollywood if she has change for a hundred (just give her a minute, and she will be right back *fingers crossed*).
Chinese companies had a hard time selling to the American public till Amazon came along. Now Americans support China by bypassing local and reputable American, Canadian, and Japanese knife dealers at the click of a “buy now” button.
38-42% of all the top sellers on Amazon are Chinese/China-based.
All of the real Japanese knife brands are listed below/at the bottom of the page.
Why Does it Matter?
If you are looking for a made in Japan knife by a Japanese company, then it matters.
Misleading and counterfeiting are rampant in China, and my Chinese friends and their relatives from China will come to the US to buy at Louis Vuitton and Nike stores because they trust American retail outlets/supply chains. One example, here is a story by Business Insider on fake Apple Stores in China.
One company openly touts counterfeiting: “Our knives are made in Yangjiang China which only became a city in 1988. It had no history of knife making until the 1980s when the communist government opened a state owned factory there. Today there are some 1500 cutlery companies in Yangjiang with about half now privately owned. The majority of knives for the Chinese domestic market, the global export market, and the knife counterfeiting industry resides in Yangjiang.”
– By Keemake Kitchen-ware
Try Searching “Japanese knife” on Amazon.com
95%+ or more of your results will be of Chinese knives implying they are Japanese, and if you were to search for the 6 REAL Japanese brands listed below, good luck having it come up in the results.
How to spot a fake Japanese knife brand on Amazon
If the “brand” is blatantly using and implying they are Japanese (the Chinese idea of branding is all about deceit), they will be featured on this list. Keep in mind, these individuals keep making up new names, so it is almost impossible to list them all.
Chinese brands can imply all they want, but legally they cannot say “MADE IN JAPAN” (because they are not), so they will use every tactic listed below because most unfortunately will fall for it.
Thanks to TINA.org (Truth in Advertising) and the Coalition for a Prosperous America, you can participate in petitions (COOL, “Country of Origin Labeling”) to have Amazon note where products are made.
- Japanese sounding name such as ninja, samurai, Asa Akira, Mr. Miyagi, to anime names. The worst offenders are the ones that use real Japanese knife or steel brands such as Kinzoku (Metal Technology Co., Ltd/MTC has a local corporation in China called Kinzoku) or Jikko (I am sure the real Japanese company is oblivious even though I reached out to them).
- Repetitive use of the word “J-word” (Japanese) throughout their marketing copy and they never mention or use of the word “China” or “Chinese”.
- Implying they are a Japanese knife because they supposedly use Japanese steel, and they will usually say “High-End Japanese Steel.” The most commonly used Japanese steel they claim to use is VG-10 (they say/imply their product is Japanese due to the source of their materials).
- How is their product Japanese? They may say they have been trained by a “Japanese master,” and they utilize a “Traditional Japanese Hand Forging” technique that they learned while on vacation in Japan (sounds legit).
- Implying their products are Japanese because of the style of knife (shape): gyuto, santoku, yanagiba, etc (that’s like saying a Chrysler 300C is a British car because it is in the shape of a Rolls Royce or Bentley Flyer Spur).
- They will incriminate themselves by saying (actual quote): “Mitsumoto Sakari opens factories in East Asian countries; gradually moving toward internationalization.” So it is not made in Japan, and you are clearly stating it is produced in East Asia, aka China.
- The Kamikoto tactic that others are copying is by telling people they are headquartered in Japan, except anybody can say they are “headquartered” somewhere, like Apple being in Ireland as a tax haven (it does not make Apple an Irish company or their products to be Irish).
This is not just happening with Japanese knife producers and this is happening globally to producers in industries of all types from the stock market to microchips (the China Hustle to ABC New’s about Investment scams) .
All countries, from the US to Japan has been caught up in scandal and fraud and China is no different.
The long list of Chinese knives that most will misconstrue as Japanese on Amazon.com (they are all made in China and not Japanese brands)
The easiest rule of thumb is that if it is on Amazon, it is a Chinese made knife unless it blatantly states “Made in Japan.”
Is there anything wrong with buying a Chinese made knife? Nope! The ONLY issue is with their misleading marketing that implies to consumers that they are Japanese or buying a Japanese product (exploiting Japanese culture for their gain).
“State and federal laws are in place to protect consumers from false or misleading advertising.”
– Jacoby & Myers Law Offices
I have ranked each brands Amazon presence from 1). not so blatantly deceptive, 2). BS, and 3). TOTAL BS. (I also do not provide links because I am not endorsing any of these businesses).
- Aisyoko, not so blatant.
- Dalstrong, BS.
- Famcute, not so blatant.
- Hiroshi, TOTAL BS.
- Hoshanho, not so blatant.
- Huusk China, TOTAL BS
- Ibeike, TOTAL BS.
- iMarku, not so blatant.
- Jikko, TOTAL BS.
- Kamikoto, TOTAL BS.
- Keemake, TOTAL BS.
- Kiritsuke, TOTAL BS.
- Kuma, not so blatant.
- Kyoku, TOTAL BS.
- Mitsumoto Sakari, TOTAL BS.
- Simple Song, not so blatant/BS (soft spot for a Colorado business, yes, I can be biased).
- Tatara, not so blatant.
- WeKit, not so blatant.
- Yaiba, BS.
- Yatoshi, not so blatant.
Notice none of the above names sound remotely Chinese, yet they are all Chinese brands (only 8 of the 19 brands do not have a Japanese name, but that does not mean they are not shiesty). This is how Chinese brands prey on people, and they are blatantly out to fool you.
I know of a Japanese American dude who got fooled by these brands, and I do not know how since most of these brands are revealed online.
The Details of All the Chinese Knife Brands on Amazon Pretending to be Japanese
If you think this is egregious, there are also Chinese brands pretending to be German, Middle Eastern, to black-owned businesses.
| BRAND / BUSINESS NAME | AMAZON DETAILED SLLER INFO. | ARE THEY MADE IN CHINA? |
|---|---|---|
| Aisyoko | 大沟镇寿长村委会顶头村四巷7号 阳江市 阳东区 广东省 529542 CHINA | “No, this Damascus knife was made in Yangjiang, the hometown of Chinese kitchen knives. Yangjiang City is the most famous tool manufacturing center in China. There are many famous knives in Yangjiang. The craftsmanship is superb, the product quality is the best, and the product design is also first-class! hope you’ll like it!” – by supposedly an “Amazon customer.” The company name: Yangjiangshiaibulunshangmaoyouxiangongsi |
| Dalstrong | 22 Columbine Ave Toronto Ontario M4L1P3 CA | “Dalstrong knives are made in Yangjiang China.” The company name: Dalstrong, Inc. |
| Finetool Kitchen | Yangdongqu Dongchengzhen Jurongxilu 2 Jie 5 Xiang 13 Hao Yangjiang Guangdong 529900 CHINA | “Thank you so much for your interest in our knives. First and foremost, we are a proud American brand. As our listing specifies, our knives are made with the highest quality authentic Japanese steel. Like many popular knives on the market such as Dalstrong and Zelite, our knives are crafted in a state-of-the-art facility in Yang Jiang China (a city renowned for knife crafting for nearly 1500 years). Our craftsmen are well trained in all of the traditional Japanese knife making techniques. Our factory’s master bladesmith has years of expertise acquired as an apprentice and journeyman in Japan working under Japanese masters. We are very proud of our knives, our factory workers, and knife smiths. Like Apple who builds their products in China, we are very pleased with the work of the Chinese Craftsman and our ability to bring you such high quality for such affordability. As an added measure, we have a very rigorous quality control inspection regime to ensure that your knife will be of the highest caliber. We back up the quality of our knives with a lifetime guarantee. If your knife is ever found to be defective, we will replace it for free or give you a full cash refund with free shipping.” The company name: Yangjiangshi Yangdongqurongnamaoyiyouxiangongsi |
| Hiroshi | 325 Front Street Evanston WY 82930 US | “The box says “Made in China”. By a reviewer. (this product is also sold at Walmart). The company name: E Global, LLC. (they have a virtual address/shipping) |
| Huusk | Business Name: Yiwu shi rui zhe shangmao youxian gongsi Business Address: bei yuan jiedao, Lou dian 2 qu 7 dong 2 danyuan 1502 yiwu 北苑街道 zhejiang 322000 CN | UAB Orbio world, K. Donelaicio 60, LT-44248, Kaunas, Lithuania |
| Ibeike | 合山镇大往工业区（325国道南边） 2号办公楼208室 阳江市 阳东区 广东省 529932 CHINA | “We are headquartered in Japan and have our own factories in our home country and East Asian countries. Please be assured that the quality of our products is strictly audited and certified, and the forging process is uniform. For example, our selected production site is in Yangjiang, China, a city with nearly 1,500 years of history in tool manufacturing. So there is no problem with the quality of our products. If you have any questions about the product you can contact our customer service and we will solve it for you within 48 hours.” – by “Amazon customer (they do not “officially respond). The company name: Yangjiangshikangzhengrankejiyouxiangongsi |
| iMarku | 105 Exchange Place# A. Pomona, CA 91768 US | Off their website: “We also have a manufacturing unit in Yangjiang, People’s Republic of China, and our major distribution and shipping operation in China.” The company name: China Office: 15 Floor, Anhongji Building, ZhongMei Road, LongHua District, Shenzhen, China 518000 |
| Jikko | 539 W. Commerce St., STE 2338 Dallas, TX 75208 US | “Our steel blades are made in Japan in the Niigata region. We are the American subsidiary of the JIKKO brand, our goal is to offer our customers, knives at the best price offering efficiency and durability. Our walnut and mahogany handles are imported and assembled in China. Hoping to have answered your question, we are at your disposal for further information. Best Regards, The JIKKO team. I questioned their association to Jikko Japan that they are implying on their profile page, and this is their response: “Good morning, sir, We would like to inform you that we are the owner and depositary of the JIKKO brand, which is also approved by Amazon, and that we have branches in Europe (France, Germany, Italy, Spain) and also the United States. We hope to have answered your question as well as possible. We are here to satisfy you and offer the best quality/price products to our customers. Very cordially. Joyce, JIKKO USA Customer Service. The company name: Maison Jikko / Jikko retail, LLC |
| Kamikoto | C/O GANER 1995 BROADWAY, FL. 16 New York NY 10023 US | This company is notorious online for their misleading marketing, and you can read more here: is Kamikoto knives fake (Chinese or Japanese). The company name: United Quality Distributors Inc. |
| Keemake Kitchen-ware | 376 Xingang Middle Rd, Ke Cun, Haizhu District Guangzhou Guangdong 510627 CHINA | “Our knives are made in Yangjiang China which only became a city in 1988. It had no history of knife making until the 1980s when the communist government opened a state owned factory there. Today there are some 1500 cutlery companies in Yangjiang with about half now privately owned. The majority of knives for the Chinese domestic market, the global export market, and the knife counterfeiting industry resides in Yangjiang.” By Keemake Kitchen-ware The company name: (Liao Zhi Hong) |
| Kiritsuke | 14 Greenview Pl Ramsey New Jersey 07446 US | “Country of Origin China.” The company name: EMCL Exchange, LLC |
| Kyoku | 3360 E. Foothill blvd, Apt. 240, Pasadena, CA 91107 | “Country of Origin: China” (they are good in that they are upfront, unlike many of the other sellers). Also, in their own words: “KYOKU knives are produced with Japanese steel, adopting the most traditional Japanese knife manufacturing technologies, and then they are painstakingly handcrafted in China. VG10 steel production volume is limited due to various factors, however KYOKU’s factory has tried the best to satisfy the needs every year so that we can handcraft each and every knife with Japanese made VG10 steel in China.” By KYOKU The company name: Shanghaifengmangmaoyiyouxiangongsi |
| Kuma | 30 N Gould St Ste 24193 Sheridan Wyoming 82801 US | “★ KUMA KNIFE BLADES; MAKE YOUR COOKING LIFE EASIER: Many chefs knives appear strong & durable at glance, but inferior blades eventually bend and break under pressure. Enter KUMA: 67 layers of premium VG10 Damascus Steel enable extraordinary strength and longevity in our 8 inch chef knife. An ultra strong and sturdy kitchen knife with chip-resistant steel for solid, lasting resilience. Painstakingly crafted with premium VG10 steel in historical YangJiang, China by our expert bladesmiths.” By Kuma and they state it themselves. The company name: Oliver Mike Lee Saylor |
| Miki | 14601 North Bybee Lake Court, Portland, OR 97203 US | The company name: Risuning, Intl, Trade Co, LTD. |
| Mitsumoto Sakari | ping hujie daohe huas hequ huan and adao yihao huanan fazhan zhong xin1626 shenzhen longgangqu guangdong 518000 CHINA | “MITSUMOTO SAKARI brand is headquartered in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan. And we have several factories in East Asian countries. Please rest assured that the quality of each of our products is strictly audited, so please buy with confidence.” By Mitsumoto Sakari Mitsumoto Sakari said it themselves that their products are made in China “ And we have several factories in East Asian countries.” aka Ghina. The company name: shen zhen shi san ben sheng mao yi you xian gongsi |
| Simple Song | 6040 W. 112th Pl Westminster Colorado 80020 US | “Thanks for taking the time to ask your question. Our knives are Japanese inspired knives that are designed here in the United States and made in China by very experienced knife makers. You are correct that the quality and durability of hammer forged knives made in Japan are of the utmost high craftsmanship but this does come at a very high cost to the customer. We designed our knives to be at an affordable price point which will allow every day home chefs, that usually cook in their homes, to have access to a Japanese design style knives without breaking the bank. Even though our knives are reasonably priced, we cut no corners to create a high quality knife that we specifically designed to our exact specifications for an extremely sharp and well balanced knife that should last a very long time if well kept. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any other questions.” The company name: Simple Song LLC – Thaxia Lor |
| Tatara | N4C188, 4 ceng, Guolidasha, Xinyazhou 18hao, Zhonghanglu, Huahangshequ Shenzhen Futianqu Guangdong 518031 CHINA | “The material of the steel is from Japan and the handle is African rosewood while it’s made in China.” By Kohiwa-US “Hi Federalx, thanks for your question! This Tatara chef knife is made from genuine ThyssenKrupp steel and final assembly is done in China under the supervision of our Japanese technical team and highly trained staff. We follow the same high-standard protocols as knives made in Japan, but we’re able to bring this chef’s knife to you at a fraction of the cost compared to Japanese-assembled knives.” The company name: KohiwaShenzhenshikehaoxingdianziyouxiangongsi and Helix Retail |
| WeKit | xixiangjiedao, laodongshequ, xixiangdadao, 288hao huafeng zongbujing jidasha, Bzuo, 338 Shenzhen baoanqu GUANGDONG 518000 CN | They do not state where their product is made, so I asked them directly although there is one reviewer questioning if they are even using VG10 as they said they are. The company name: Shenzhenandaoguojimaoyiyouxiangongsi |
| Yaiba | 河西街道 城西大道 龙平路 129号 阳江市 阳春市 广东省 529600 CHINA | “MADE IN CHINA!!! Just got it today, says “made in China”. But so far good knife.” By Amazon Customer The company name: Yangchunshizhianshipinshanghang |
| Yatoshi | 651 N Broad St Suite 205 #565 Middletown Delaware 19709 US | “Legal Disclaimer The Pattern is Laser Etched.” They might not be so blatant, but they do not openly disclose or respond to questions. The company name: Prospect Ventures, LLC |
Most of these brands imply to be “Japanese” because they claim to use Japanese steel. The most commonly cited is VG-10 which is a stainless steel by Japanese company Takefu, out of Fukui, Japan which is part of the Honshu island (one made in China brand markets their products as “Honshu steel knives”).
Except if these brands misled you on where their products are made, can you trust that they actually use VG-10? Most Redditors, believe they are also lying about that too.
This is my buffer zone between all the misleading stuff above to the legit Japanese brands below.
New blog post dropped on November 11th, 2022: I finally did a direct comparison of the Kamikoto Kanpeki knife set (made in China) vs. Japanese knife brands (Made in Japan), and I have to say, wow (I’m glad I did it).
These are the most popular Japanese knife brands (made in Japan) on Amazon.com
If you are looking for a Japanese knife by a Japanese company that is made in Japan, this is the list for you of all the Japanese knives on Amazon.com. Without these links, good luck finding one.
So you are probably wondering if there are any REAL Japanese/German Knife Brands Sold on Amazon. Why “yes” there are, and here are the majority of the Japanese knife brands on Amazon.com
I also have several lists of the top Japanese knife dealers in world.
Here are a few Japanese knives and one German company (Zwilling) selling a Japanese level knife that are almost impossible to find amongst all the Chinese products. Seriously, try searching for yourself:
Yoshikin/Global
A major Japanese knife brand that I scrutinized over the Amazon sellers which consists of 11-15+ dealers. The overall product listing has a high score of 4.8 with 1,480 reivews.
The Kencrest Corp/JCK
This is a product by JapaneseChefsKnife.com (JCK) which is one of the biggest Japanese knife sellers in the world. It also ships from an Amazon fulfillment center although they only have 2 reviews, both 5 stars (the Japanese suck at marketing and especially digital marketing).
The Kencrest Corporation
Seki City, Japan
Syosaku-Japan/Syosaku
Like Kamikoto, this company is a marketing brand that utilizes Influencers to promote their product, and the “Syosaku” name has no history (well, they have history on social media). As for what they know about knives? Well, they probably know as much about knives as their influencers (one of which bought a a Mitsumoto Sakari thinking it was Japanese knife which is not reassuring).
Syosaku-Japan
5-9-2 Seta, Setagaya-ku
Tokyo, 158-0095 JAPAN
Zwilling/Miyabi
NOTE: This is a German (brand) and in collaboration with Japanese (craftsmen). Also, this product ships from the Chef’s Corner Store, and they have a 4.8 rating with 98% positive in the last 12 months (400 ratings)
Chef’s Corner Store
2818 N. Sullivan, Suite 130, Spokane Valley, WA
KAI/Shun
Sold by Amazon and shipped from an Amazon fulfillment center, so you can not getting any more secure when purchasing on Amazon than this (backed by 1,064 reviews of 4.7 stars)
ArtsiHome/Tojiro
4.3 rating out of 89 reviews and product itself, is a very solid product sold by several specialty knife dealers (loved by line cooks).
ArtsiHome
5904 Ave. D, Brooklyn, NY
Regal Distributions, Inc
Hayate/Yoshihiro
This is sold through their dealer in Beverly Hills, Hayate, and their brick and mortar location is listed below (one of the few sellers with a physical address). Currently they have a rating of 4.7 and 98% positive in the last 12 months (168 ratings)
Hayate
2207 Artesia Blvd, Redondo Beach, CA
Also, it was not me trying to get the change at the strip club, it was a dude we took out from Europe here on a business trip, and after he told me what had happened, I had flagged down the manager. Luckily for Euro dude, the manager yelled at the stripper to give him his change back, and she finally and reluctantly did.
Image by syifa5610 on Freepik
