Kiku Matsuda: Master Bladesmith Merging Tradition and Innovation
Born in 1952 in Seki City, Gifu Prefecture, Japan, Kiku Matsuda is an internationally acclaimed master bladesmith specializing in high-quality outdoor knives. Coming from a family of knife artisans, he received traditional knife-making training from a young age and has over 50 years of extensive experience.
He is committed to handcrafting and excels at freehand blade grinding, renowned worldwide for his exquisite craftsmanship and unique design style. Mr. Matsuda is famous for the traditional Japanese “Hamaguri-ba” technique—a distinctive blade shape highly praised overseas—that grants his knives exceptional cutting performance and aesthetic value.
In 1997, Kiku Matsuda became the youngest recipient of the Outstanding Skill Award in Seki City, gaining international recognition for his craftsmanship. He founded and leads his own brand, “KIKU KNIVES,” where his works blend traditional Japanese sword-making techniques with modern innovative elements, making them both practical and artistically valuable.
His knives are highly sought after by collectors, military personnel, and special forces, and he is regarded as one of the leading figures in contemporary Japanese knife-making. He has crafted blades exclusively for the William Henry Company and has received numerous international orders. In 2007, he collaborated with SOG at the Atlanta Blade Show in the USA, winning the Best Collaboration Award.
Mr. Matsuda participates in exhibitions across Europe and America multiple times a year and is currently one of Japan’s most renowned and best-selling knife manufacturers. The “KIKU Knives” he creates are popular worldwide, fully demonstrating his outstanding contributions to the field of knife-making.
He is committed to handcrafting and excels at freehand blade grinding, renowned worldwide for his exquisite craftsmanship and unique design style. Mr. Matsuda is famous for the traditional Japanese “Hamaguri-ba” technique—a distinctive blade shape highly praised overseas—that grants his knives exceptional cutting performance and aesthetic value.
In 1997, Kiku Matsuda became the youngest recipient of the Outstanding Skill Award in Seki City, gaining international recognition for his craftsmanship. He founded and leads his own brand, “KIKU KNIVES,” where his works blend traditional Japanese sword-making techniques with modern innovative elements, making them both practical and artistically valuable.
His knives are highly sought after by collectors, military personnel, and special forces, and he is regarded as one of the leading figures in contemporary Japanese knife-making. He has crafted blades exclusively for the William Henry Company and has received numerous international orders. In 2007, he collaborated with SOG at the Atlanta Blade Show in the USA, winning the Best Collaboration Award.
Mr. Matsuda participates in exhibitions across Europe and America multiple times a year and is currently one of Japan’s most renowned and best-selling knife manufacturers. The “KIKU Knives” he creates are popular worldwide, fully demonstrating his outstanding contributions to the field of knife-making.