Hatsu Tomoe-ha Ọ̀bẹ Ìdáná by Kairi Eguchi

Hatsu Tomoe-ha Ọ̀bẹ Ìdáná by Kairi Eguchi is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Fàdákà A' Design Award in Àpẹẹrẹ Ohun-èlò Ìdáná, Ohun-èlò Oúnjẹ, Ohun Mímu àti Ohun Ìṣe Oúnjẹ Competition Category.

FàdákàOhun-èlò Ìdáná· 2025

Hatsu Tomoe-ha Ọ̀bẹ Ìdáná

by Kairi Eguchi

Client: Hatsu

Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Fàdákà A' Design Award Winner in Ohun-èlò Ìdáná Category

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The Design

About Hatsu Tomoe-ha Ọ̀bẹ Ìdáná

Hatsu Tomoe-ha jẹ́ ọ̀bẹ ìdáná tí ó ṣàkópọ̀ àwọn iṣẹ́ ọ̀bẹ oríṣiríṣi-lílò àti ọ̀bẹ ìbófọ́ sínú abẹ kan ṣoṣo. Wọ́n fi ẹ̀rọ laser gé abẹ náà láti ara irin stainless tí kì í kùn-ún ipata, lẹ́yìn náà ni wọ́n pọ́n ọn kí ó lè mú fún ìgbà pípẹ́. Abẹ náà jẹ́ 40 mm ní ìbú ní ìsàlẹ̀ rẹ̀, ó sì ń há sí ọ̀nà orí rẹ̀. Wọ́n fi igi Hoonoki ṣe èèkù rẹ̀, èyí tí ó mú kí ọ̀bẹ náà fúyẹ́ kí ó sì kéré. Ìrísí èèkù náà mú kí ó rọrùn láti lo agbára, nítorí náà àwọn tí ń kọ́kọ́ dáná lè lo ọ̀bẹ náà pẹ̀lú ìrọ̀rùn. Ìwọ̀n kékeré rẹ̀ bá àwọn ilé ìdáná kéékèèké mu, ó sì bá pẹpẹ ìgégé mu.

The Recognition

About the Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Fàdákà A' Design Award

Hatsu Tomoe-ha Ọ̀bẹ Ìdáná jẹ́ olùborí Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Fàdákà A' Design Award, ìdánimọ̀ onípọ̀nlé lọ́nà àrà ọ̀tọ̀ tí a fún àwọn àwòṣe ìpele gíga jùlọ tó dára tó sì ń kan ọkàn. Àwọn olùborí Fàdákà jẹ́ àwọn iṣẹ́ tó ń tàn yòò gidigidi tó sì ní ìṣẹ̀dá púpọ̀ tí wọ́n ń ṣàfihàn ìmọ̀ ìjìnlẹ̀, ẹ̀bùn àti ìmọ̀ràn àwọn olùṣàwòṣe wọn. A retí pé Hatsu Tomoe-ha Ọ̀bẹ Ìdáná yóò jẹ́ iṣẹ́ àgbàyanu, àpẹẹrẹ rere, ti ọ̀jáfáfá lọ́nà tó ṣe pàtàkì tó sì ní ìmúṣẹ̀dá tuntun jinlẹ̀. Àwòṣe tó borí Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Fàdákà A' Design Award yìí jẹ́ ohun ìmúṣẹ̀dá tó hàn gbangba gidigidi tí a mọrírì tó ń ṣe anfàní tó sì ń tì ààlà iṣẹ́ ọnà, sáyẹ́ǹsì, àwòṣe àti ìmọ̀-ẹ̀rọ síwájú. Hatsu Tomoe-ha Ọ̀bẹ Ìdáná jẹ́ ẹ̀dá tí ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ ń ṣe ìlara, tó ń jí ìfẹ́ inú, tó ń mú ìmọ̀lára rere wá tó sì ń jí ìyàlẹ́nu àti ìyanu.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

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.
Team Members: Designer: Kairi Eguchi
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.