The history of the Seki knife making industry dates back to the 13th century, when master swordsmith, Motoshige moved from Kyushu district to Seki to begin making his swords there. He chose Seki for its rich natural resources such as good quality iron sand, charcoal and fresh water. During the Muromachi Era (1338 - 1573), which began just a century later, there were over 300 swordsmiths working in Seki with Kanemoto Magoroku and Saburo Shizu being the two most famous. The superior quality of Seki swords and the name of Seki were quickly recognised throughout Japan for its solid reputation as a sword making centre of excellence. The techniques and skills and the ancient attitudes of traditional Japanese sword making have been passed down across the centu ries and are still alive in today's modern knife making industry. The Shikisai Miyako Damascus knives are made by Shizu Hamono Co. Ltd. in Japan, a company that derived its name from the famous sword maker Saburo Shizu. The blades are manufactured from AUS 8 & low carbon martensite steel, which is a 33 layer Damascus blade manufactured using the traditional artisan techniques of the famed blacksmiths of Seki to attain extraordinary sharpness. Developed to embody the essential functions and beauty of knives, these knives are truly a masterpiece of blacksmithing, and all have the beauty and functionality that you would expect from a classical Japanese knife. Our range includes the three sizes of Chef's knife (240mm, 210mm, 180mm) a long blade slicing knife for fish, the Deba houcho double bevel edge for chopping, a Santoku general purpose knife plus utility, paring and peeling knives. We highly recommend you to experience the superior performance, sophisticated design and very Japanese quality of these beautifu l knives.