[Kanetaka] Right-Handed Kyoto Style Ueki-Basami 215mm (8.5") Aogami No.2 [KNT090101]

The True Lineage of Kyoto's Wabasami

About the Kanetaka Ueki-Basami Series

Traditional Japanese garden shears fall into four regional styles: Ohkubo, Tsushima, Kyo, and Sasuke. "Kyo" refers to Kyoto. Many products imitate the shape, but Kanetaka's shears here belong to the genuine Kyo style. Kanetaka, a Kyoto blacksmith with more than 350 years of history, is also a member of the Kyoto Hamono Association and works to protect and pass on this traditional style.

Many people are surprised to find a slight looseness at the pivot of this style of shears. This is not a defect. It is the genuine specification shared by Kyo-style shears, and a long-standing tradition. When cutting, you hold the shears so that no gap opens between the blades, guiding them gently with your fingertips. Through repeated use, the pivot's core metal gradually shifts to match the habits of your hand. This is known as "the shears growing," and with continued use, the pair becomes uniquely shaped to you and no one else. Please do not retighten the pivot yourself after purchase.

The pivot is finished with "kikuza," a traditional pattern shaped like a chrysanthemum blossom.

These shears are also crafted with particular attention to the sound they make when cutting. As the lower part of the handles meet, a clear tone rings out, like two iron rods striking together. Even without being seen, that sound tells those nearby that someone is pruning. In traditional Japanese culture, there is an aesthetic of sensing, through the senses, what is happening even when it cannot be directly observed.

Ueki-Basami comes in two sizes: the 180mm Shirogami No.2, suited to general use, and the 215mm Aogami No.2, suited to professionals and experienced users.

About [Kanetaka] Right-Handed Kyoto Style Ueki-Basami 215mm (8.5") Aogami No.2

The blade is made of Aogami No.2 (Blue Paper Steel). Compared to the 180mm Shirogami version, the blade hardness, the quenching and tempering methods, the cross-sectional shape of the blade, and even the finishing achieved through sharpening are all different, making this the model built for greater rigidity and cutting performance. The handle is made of hard iron, so it resists bending even when cutting thick branches.

A belt hammer and grinder are used, but every step is finished entirely by hand. The forge welding and sharpening in particular reach a level of precision that only human hands can achieve.

It is used for pruning branches. This is a pair of shears actually used by professional Japanese gardeners in the field, built with high rigidity for the task. Kyoto's tools have been refined over generations of dialogue between makers and the gardeners who use them, and that accumulated history lives on in this pair of shears.

This 215mm Aogami version is made for gardeners and enthusiasts already familiar with Kyo-style wabasami. It is not a tool you can master the moment you pick it up; the process of breaking it in to your own hand is part of what it means to own one. Please purchase it with the intention of spending the time to grow into it together. If this is your first Kanetaka pair, we recommend starting with the 180mm Shirogami No.2 version.

How to Maintain Your Kanetaka Ueki-Basami Shears

Does it rust easily?
As a high-carbon steel, it can rust if left unattended. Wipe it down thoroughly after each use.

What if the edge starts to dull?
Sharpen it with a whetstone.

Any tips for making it last?
Applying edged tool oil will help it last longer.

About Kanetaka: A Kyoto Blacksmith with 350 Years of History

Kanetaka is a Kyoto blacksmith with a history spanning more than 350 years. By recorded lineage alone, it stands as a long-established house of seven generations, over 200 years.

The shop and workshop sit directly in front of the head family of Ikenobo, the founding school of Japanese flower arrangement. It is a blacksmith rooted in the same soil that has shaped Kyoto's tradition of flower arrangement.

Today, the eldest son, Kazuhiro Yamada, carries on the sharpening technique, while the second son, Yoshitaka Yamada, works as the blacksmith. Each brother handles a different stage of the process, and together they bring a single pair of shears to completion.

Alongside traditional items such as Japanese razors and Ikenobo scissors, made using techniques learned from specialists, Kanetaka also produces a range of idea goods, including herb clips, pencil sharpeners, and reed knives for wind instruments, building on traditional craftsmanship to create a broad range of tools.

Notes on use

Important: These shears are made of high-carbon steel, not stainless steel. They cut extremely well, but are prone to rust if not cared for.
Do not twist or lever the blades while cutting.
Dropping the shears can cause the blade to chip.
For right-handed, one-handed use.
If you are unsure how to hold it, please feel free to contact us before purchasing.
Do not use for cutting anything other than plant material, such as wire or rope.
Store out of the reach of children.