Tobisho ⭐ Top pick

It is natural to cut well, but also to be simple and solid. The Tobitsuka family has forged according to this principle for ten generations - no superfluous ornamentation, just a perfect edge and durable construction.

The Tobitsuka family has been forging blades in Yamagata since 1803. Ten generations of blacksmiths have succeeded one another in this region of northeastern Japan, known for its harsh winters and hot summers. The first blades are agricultural tools, knives, cutting instruments for the peasants of the Yamagata plain.

Around 1875, a turning point. The Yamagata region is then one of the main fruit growing areas of Japan, with its cherry trees, apple trees and pear trees. Sericulture (breeding of silkworms) is also a major activity. Syojiro Tobitsuka, aware of the needs of arborists and sericulturists, began manufacturing specialized pruners. The family's specialization in cutting tools begins there.

The manufacturing of a Tobisho pruner goes through more than 200 manual steps. The steel used is Yasuki Hagane, produced by Hitachi Metals in Shimane Prefecture, one of the purest tool steels in the world. High-end models use Aogami (blue steel), renowned for its ability to take an extremely fine edge and maintain it for a long time. Each blade is individually hammer forged, quenched, tempered, ground and sharpened by hand.

Daiki Tobitsuka, fourth generation of pruner makers (and tenth generation of blacksmiths), now runs the workshop. The company, based in Yamagata-shi, produces three ranges: pruning shears (sentei basami), bud shears (mekiri basami) and pruning shears (karikomi basami). Tobisho pruners are used by landscapers, wine growers and orchardists around the world. Each pair can be repaired and resharpened by the workshop, designed to last for decades.