About Osaka

Sakai, located in the southern part of Osaka and a satellite city of Osaka City, has been transmitting technology and culture to the extent that it is said to be ``Sakai, where everything started.'' In the Middle Ages, Sakai flourished as a trading and commercial city, and was one of Japan's most culturally advanced areas. The first incense sticks in Japan were made in Sakai during the Middle Ages. There are many things that originated in Sakai, such as the shamisen, umbrellas, Noh songs, the Ginza mint that produces silver coins, Japanese dyeing, and even bicycles and wooden lighthouses. Among them, Sakai cutlery, such as kitchen knives, is highly regarded even today. Sakai knives are overwhelmingly supported by professional chefs. It is said that they hold a 90% share of the market for commercial knives. Its history goes back to the Kofun period. The Mausoleum of Emperor Nintoku, one of the world's three largest tombs, along with the Pyramid of King Khufu and the Mausoleum of the Qin Shihuang, is estimated to have been built over 20 years in the mid-5th century in the eastern part of Sakai. The construction of the world's largest burial mound, which has a total area of ​​approximately 470,000 square meters, requires a large amount of construction tools such as spades and hoes. For this reason, blacksmiths from all over Japan are said to have gathered and settled in Sakai, creating a village.

Later, in 1543, when guns and tobacco were introduced by the Portuguese, the skills of Sakai's blacksmiths were put to good use, and Sakai became the production center for guns and tobacco knives for chopping tobacco leaves. have become. During the Edo period, the shogunate sold them exclusively under the name Sakai Kiwami (Sakai Kiwami), and the sharpness and fame of Sakai knives spread throughout the country.Also, when processing Hokkaido kelp brought by Kitamaebune, Sakai knives were also used. Oboro konbu and yam konbu are Osaka specialties that could not have been created without the sharpness of Sakai knives. In Sakai, the techniques of blacksmithing and sharpening have been passed down from master to disciple for 600 years using a division of labor system. Sakai's unique traditional manufacturing method, which involves hammering steel and metal together, is registered as a trademark under the name "Sakai-uchi." The exquisite sharpness created by fire, iron, water, and craftsmanship is second to none. It can be said that 600 years of training by Sakai knife craftsmen is behind Japanese cuisine, which has been designated as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.