Natural Whetstone

Iyo natural whetstones are traditional whetstones that are said to have been the first to be distributed in Japan.
It may feel rough at first, but the grains will gradually become finer, and the finish will be better.
It is easy to sharpen with a soft whetstone and is good for semi-finishing of blades.

Below we have summarized how to choose Kyoto's natural whetstones, which are widely available in our store.
*Natural whetstones vary greatly from person to person, and they also vary depending on their compatibility with the blade and sharpener.

Kyoto's natural whetstones are the production areas on the east side of Mt. Atago are called "HIGASHIMON" and the production areas on the west side are called "NISHIMON".
HIGASHIMON are circled in an orange circle, and NISHIMON are circled in a yellow circle.

Our store mainly stocks HIGASHIMON whetstones, which have a long history and produce high-quality whetstones. HIGASHIMON whetstones are said to be suitable for cutting tools because of their fine grains.
The items we handle in our store are shown on the map above. ATAGO, SYOBUDANI, OZAKI, OTSUKU, OKUDO, TENTO, NAKAYAMA etc.
Please refer to the characteristics of each production area below.

NAKAYAMA
is a mineral vein that has been mined since the Kamakura period and is known for producing the finest natural whetstones. It is famous for its quality, which is exceptional among the natural whetstones of Kyoto.
It is also known as the king of natural whetstones.

A list of NAKAYAMA

OTSUKU
is known as the best natural whetstone and is a whetstone from the same UMEGAHATA mine as NAKAYAMA, which is a special place among Kyoto finishing whetstones.
It is a hard whetstone with a fine texture that allows for fine sharpening of blades and is recommended for carpentry tools.

A list of OTSUKU

OKUDO
is a mine located in UMEGAHATA, Kyoto. It is popular as a whetstone that is on par with the neighboring mines of Nakayama, SYOBUDANI, and OTSUKU, which are representative of the Eastern area.

A list of OKUDO

SYOBUDANI
is a type of whetstone that represents the mines of UMEGAHATA, one of the leading whetstone production areas in Kyoto. As a finishing whetstone, it has a standard hardness, and there are many whetstones that serve as the benchmark for hardness, making it a popular choice among a wide range of users.

A list of SYOBUDANI

OHIRA
Located in the vicinity of Mt. ATAGO, it is one of the few mining whetstones that was mined until recently.
Many of them are hard whetstones that can be used for chisels, hand planes, and swords.

A list of OHIRA

The whiter the TOGIJIRU, the softer the kneaded meat is the darker the TOGIJIRU, the denser and harder the kneaded meat is. Should be to see the TOGIJIRU, that like a mud, different whetstone with different color and concentration.

Our store does not display the brand or stone layer unless it has been confirmed by our supplier.

The rocks that have been mined for use as natural whetstones in various parts of Japan can be broadly classified as follows:
・Rough stones are sandstone.
・Medium stones are slate, quartz trachyte, tuff, andesite, etc.
・Finishing stones are siliceous slate, siliceous shale, etc.
Among these rocks, the conditions for making whetstones are as follows:
・Harder than a blade.
・Abrasive grains of the size that hatchets the intended sharpening are distributed almost evenly.
・New abrasive grains appear as you sharpen.
・Water as a lubricant blend easily.

[Natural whetstones]
Natural whetstones have modest abrasive power and take a long time to sharpen.
The more you sharpen, the finer the particles in the sharpener, and the sharper the cutting edge.
In addition, the unevenness of the sharpening of the fine particles of the natural whetstone is called "KUMORI" due to the diffuse reflection of light.
It is a finish that emits a dull shine unique to natural whetstones.

[Artificial whetstone]
Artificial whetstones have uniform grains and are numbered according to their size. No matter how much you sharpen them, the grains will only get finer than the grain size of the abrasive.
Because of their abrasive power, they can be sharpened quickly, but they are said to be more prone to burrs (compared to natural whetstones) and are more difficult to sharpen the edge of the blade. They can also be polished to a mirror finish.

Click here for a list of artificial whetstone products>>