KANZEN Whetstone — Basic
Tax included.
An exquisite whetstone made with carefully selected abrasive materials in collaboration with a long-established whetstone workshop in Kyoto.
We worked with Kyoto craftsmen to find dozens of different types of abrasives that are best suited to our Kanzenmuki knives. Scrutinize and verify.
We aimed to create the "best whetstone" that would allow anyone to easily achieve the sharpness they desire.
Composition: Arai side: #320 / Komakai side: #1200 (double-sided whetstone)
size: 205 × 75 × 25 (mm)
Place of production: Kyoto
Please read before purchasing
Due to the manufacturing process, the surface of the whetstone may show slight chips or black or yellow spot-like marks. These occur because each stone is shaped and fired by hand, and they do not affect quality — we appreciate your understanding.
Any marks will become less noticeable after use, once you level the surface with the included flattening stone.
*If ordered together with a pre-order item, please note that your order will ship together with the pre-order item.
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Customer Reviews
Translated from Japanese
My existing whetstone was old — my great-grandfather's — and too warped to use, so I bought this. The body is thin and easy to handle.
1. Cut the avocado in half
Born in Kyoto —
the whetstone made for the KANZEN Knife
Ever bought a whetstone and found you just couldn’t sharpen well with it?
In truth, a whetstone must be chosen to best match the character of your knife.
So Tashinam traveled to Kyoto — Japan’s famed home of natural whetstones — and carefully selected the abrasive material best suited to the KANZEN Knife, creating “the finest whetstone” for the KANZEN Knife.
1. Proof of a masterpiece
A whetstone made in Kyoto,
famed home of natural sharpening stones
The KANZEN Whetstone is made at a long-established whetstone workshop in Kyoto, the famed home of natural whetstones.
Together with Kyoto’s whetstone artisans, who know the finest stones inside and out, we pursued the whetstone best matched to the KANZEN Knife.
Made in Kyoto —
Powerful abrasion, comfortable sharpening
In the KANZEN Whetstone, abrasive grains are bonded by glass of just the right strength, with fine pores scattered throughout the structure.
As a result, fresh abrasive grains continually surface during sharpening, maintaining a keen cutting action.
Soaking the stone thoroughly fills the pores with water, improving lubrication for smooth, comfortable sharpening.
2. The whetstone best matched to the KANZEN Knife
“The finest whetstone,”
selected from dozens of candidates
From dozens of combinations of abrasive materials and grits, we ran sharpening tests on the KANZEN Knife, scrutinizing ease of sharpening and sharpening feel together with a whetstone artisan in Kyoto.
We carefully selected the abrasives so that anyone can sharpen the KANZEN Knife easily and pleasantly.
We created two types of whetstone.
We offer the “Basic,” for fundamental sharpening, and the “Perfect,” which restores a near-new edge.
1. For essential sharpening
KANZEN Whetstone Basic
A double-sided design combining two different abrasive materials covers your essential sharpening.
Sharpen first on the coarse “Arai” side, then on the fine “Komakai” side — an easy way to sharpen your KANZEN Knife.
2. To restore near-new sharpness
KANZEN Whetstone Finishing
For those who want to restore their KANZEN Knife to near-new sharpness, we offer the Complete Set.
After essential sharpening with the Basic, finish with the Finishing stone to easily restore near-new sharpness at home.
*The Finishing stone is not sold separately. To purchase, please choose the “KANZEN Whetstone — Complete Set.”
“The finest edge,” completed with two stones
KANZEN Whetstone
Complete Set
The “Complete Set” pairs the “Basic,” which covers essential sharpening, with the “Finishing” stone, capable of restoring near-new sharpness.
For customers who want to keep their knife at near-new sharpness at all times, we recommend the Complete Set.
3. Even for first-time sharpeners
Sharpen easily in 10 minutes
Workshop video included
Worried you can’t sharpen on your own? First-timers, rest assured.
Tashinam includes a “sharpening workshop video” with the product so that even beginners can sharpen a knife with ease.
Watch the tutorial on your smartphone as you go, and sharpening becomes simple.
Below is a brief introduction to how to sharpen.
STEP1
Soak the whetstone thoroughly
Before use, soak the stone for 5–10 minutes until air bubbles stop completely.
Once the pores fill with water, a lubricating layer forms — the sharpening surface moves smoothly, preventing burning and unevenness at the edge.
STEP2
Keep a steady angle and apply pressure
Set the blade at about 15° to the stone — roughly the height of three stacked 10-yen coins.
Push and pull from heel to tip, 10–15 strokes each way, applying moderate pressure and letting the abrasive do the cutting.
When the water film thins, add a little water, and use the whole stone evenly to keep the sharpening surface uniform.
STORY
Development story
The KANZEN Whetstone is what we arrived at after the Tashinam team, myself included, together with artisans of a long-established Kyoto whetstone workshop, carefully examined and tested the abrasives best suited to the KANZEN Knife.
We hope the KANZEN Whetstone lets you tune the knives in your kitchen to your own preferred edge, and makes your cooking all the more wonderful.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
After use, wipe off the moisture and be sure to dry it in a sunny spot for several days.
Take care not to store it in an enclosed space such as the box it arrived in.
Sealing it away while moisture remains can cause mold — please be careful.
Yes — it can be used on ordinary stainless and carbon-steel knives as well.
Yes, off-the-shelf whetstones work fine.
That said, the KANZEN Whetstone is a dedicated stone carefully designed for the steel and hardness of the KANZEN Knife. Store-bought stones will sharpen it adequately, but the KANZEN Whetstone offers smoother sharpening and helps the edge last longer. For those planning a long life together with their knife, it’s well worth trying.
1. Before use, soak the whetstone in water for 5–10 minutes, until air bubbles stop completely.
2. Set the knife so the blade face meets the stone at about 15° — roughly the height of three stacked 10-yen coins. Sharpen with moderate pressure, stroking back and forth from heel to tip, 10–15 strokes per side.
3. Gently run the pad of your finger along the edge on the opposite side of the face you sharpened, from heel toward tip; a rough catch means a burr has formed. Finally, lightly rub a clean cloth or newspaper a few times at about 45° to the edge to remove metal particles and fine burrs, and you're done.
For more detailed instructions, please see the manual and video guide included and referenced with the product.
We accept the following payment methods.
1. Credit card (JCB, VISA, Mastercard, AMEX)
2. PayPal, PayPay, LINE Pay, Merpay
3. Apple Pay, Google Pay, Shop Pay
If a payment fails, please check your card’s expiration date and available credit, then contact your card company.
*Installment and bonus payments are not available for credit card or Apple Pay.
*Bank transfer is not supported.
Shipping is free nationwide. (For courier delivery, international shipping incurs an additional fee — thank you for your understanding.)
Whetstone products (Basic / Perfect) ordered on their own ship within approximately 3–5 business days of your order.
Please note that if ordered together with a pre-order product, they will ship together with the pre-order product.
* Depending on manufacturing conditions, shipment may be delayed — thank you for your understanding.
Tashinam does not accept any cancellations after a pre-order or order has been placed.
Our entire team prepares each order with the greatest care so that we can deliver a product you will be satisfied with, and we appreciate your kind understanding.
If the product is defective, please contact us via the inquiry form within 7 days of the product's arrival.
Please also note that this product is not eligible for the free trial.