Ọlaọcha Ngwá Kichin · 2025
Hatsu Tomoe-ha Mma Ekwu (Kitchen Knife)
by Kairi Eguchi
- Ihe Nrite A' Design Award nke Ọlaọcha 2025 in Ngwá Kichin
- CLIENT: Hatsu
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 7,963
- Verification code 9DA8A45654 · Verify this award
Colors
About Hatsu Tomoe-ha Mma Ekwu (Kitchen Knife)
Hatsu Tomoe-ha bụ mma ekwu nke jikọtara ọrụ mma e ji arụ ọrụ niile na mma e ji abelata ihe n'otu agụba. E ji laser bee agụba ahụ site na ígwè anaghị agba nchara (stainless steel), e mesịakwa mụọ ya ka ọ dịgide na nkọ ogologo oge. Agụba ahụ dị 40 mm n'obosara na ntọala ya, ma na-apịkọta n'ebe ọnụ ya. E ji osisi Hoonoki mee aka mma ahụ, nke na-eme ka mma ahụ dị mfe ma dị kọmpaktị. Ọdịdị aka mma ahụ na-eme ka o dị mfe itinye ike, nke mere na ndị mbụ na-esi nri nwere ike iji mma ahụ n'enweghị nsogbu. Obere nha ya dabara na kichin ndị dị kọmpaktị ma dabakwa n'elu bọọdụ e ji egbutu ihe.
About the Ihe Nrite A' Design Award nke Ọlaọcha
Hatsu Tomoe-ha Mma Ekwu (Kitchen Knife) meriri A' Design Award nke Ọlaọcha, nnabata dị oke ugwu e nyere design ndị dị n'ọkwa kachasị elu, mara mma ma na-eju anya. Ndị meriri na Ọlaọcha bụ ọrụ na-egbu maramara nke ukwuu ma dị oke nzụlite nke na-egosi ọmarịcha ihe ọmụma, talent na nghọta nke ndị designer ha. A na-atụ anya na Hatsu Tomoe-ha Mma Ekwu (Kitchen Knife) ga-abụ ọrụ dị ịtụnanya, ihe nlereanya, nke dị oke ọrụ ma dị omimi n'ihe ọhụrụ. Design a meriri A' Design Award nke Ọlaọcha bụ ihe e mepụtara dị oke ịrịba ama, nke a na-eto nke na-erite uru ma na-ebuga oke nka, sayensị, design na teknụzụ n'ihu. Hatsu Tomoe-ha Mma Ekwu (Kitchen Knife) bụ ihe e kere eke ọtụtụ ndị na-ekwo ekworo ya nke na-akpali ọchịchọ, na-eweta mmetụta ọma ma na-akpali ịtụnanya.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Tomoe-ha is a kitchen knife that incorporates the dual usage of an all-purpose knife and a paring knife into one single utensil. It is made for people who are starting to live alone or for those who want to enjoy cooking with their children. Especially in countries with small living quarters like Japan,
having a simple yet highly functional mini kitchen knife makes cooking in a limited kitchen space more enjoyable. Tomoe-ha enables the user for an easier daily cooking routine and sustains that lifestyle for a longer period of time. - Dimensions & Packaging
- W225×D18×H40mm. Blade length: 130mm
- Tags
- Japanese, sharperner, knife, handcrafted, blade
- Production Technology
- Steel is laser-cut to take its unique shape and then sharpened to turn into a working blade. The blade is made of rust-resistant stainless steel (locally termed as
"VG7") for long-lasting sharpness. The handle is manufactured by a woodworks company specializing in making knife handles for Echizen blades. Made from Hoonoki wood, it makes the handle light and compact. The overall shape of the handle makes it easy to apply force, so that even first-time cooks can use this
knife with ease. - Design Challenge
- Finding the right balance between an all-purpose knife and a paring knife. In the end, we end up with a blade with a new kind of shape that has not existed before in any kitchen knives.
- Research
- The shape of the hybrid blade is the result of comparing the shapes and sizes of various small Santoku knives and a petty knives. In order to be used for both functions, we came up with a blade width of 40 mm at the base and a narrower blade towards the tip.
- Inspiration
- The Tomoe-ha mini kitchen knife combines the best features of the small Santoku knives (all-purpose knives) and petty knives (paring knives). The Japanese characters used for the name "Tomoe-ha” means ‘having two characteristics in equal measure,’. The characteristics of the small Santoku knife (used for cutting big things) and the petty knife (used for cutting vegetables) represents the idea of Tomoe-ha by incorporating both functionality into a knife that bears a single blade.
- Project Duration
- Manufacturing was done in Echizen City, Fukui Prefecture. Design was done in Osaka, with frequent visits to Fukui Prefecture for quality control.
- Operation Flow
- Tomoe-ha fits the right size to use for cutting fruits and sliced cabbages for quick and easy cooking. It is also small enough to fit on a cutting board, making it easy to use in a compact kitchen, thus making the daily routine of cooking easier for the user.
- Image Credits
- #1 Kairi Eguchi (Product Designer) Yuma Ono (Assistant Designer), Main Image, 2024. #2 Kairi Eguchi (Product Designer) Yuma Ono (Assistant Designer), Zoom-in, 2024. #3 Tsutomu Ogino (Photographer), Kiwi, 2024. #4 Tsutomu Ogino (Photographer), Carrot, 2024.
