Founded in 1293 during the Kamakura Period by Kongohyoe Minamoto no Moritaka (金剛兵衛源盛高), Moritaka Hamono has a blade-making history of over 700 years. For the first 13 generations, the family made swords for Buddhist priests at Mt. Homan in Dazaifu, Fukuoka. In 1632 the family followed the Lord of Kumamoto to Myoken Shrine in Yatsushiro City of Kumamoto, and continued forging swords for Buddhist guards until 5 generations ago, when master swordsmith Chuzaemon Moritaka decided to expand the family business and apply their forging experience to chef knives. Since then the Moritaka family have been making solid and affordable hand-crafted knives and various agriculture steel tools for customers. Moritaka Hamono has pioneered hand-forged Warikomi constructions and patented stainless cladded rosewood handle assembly. Today the 27th generation blacksmith Tsunehiro Moritaka works with his father, one master craftsman and one apprentice to make all the knives for the Moritaka brand. Read More
