Introduction to the Japanese Gardening Tools: 1 to 4

Japanese gardening tools are highly regarded by the gardeners in the world for its superior craftsmanship as well as for its durability and sharpness using high-quality steel.

Japanese gardening tools were grown out of the sword-making traditions in Japan which are known as one of the finest sharp weapons ever made.

They are also known as durable which can be used for a long time.  They don’t degrade quickly by wear and tear.

Many tools are specialized for particular tasks. 

I would like to introduce Japanese gardening tools which would work well for your residential gardens.

 

1.Hori Hori Knife 

Hori Hori knife is one of the unique gardening tools from Japan.  They are often called a soil knife or weeding knife, but in fact it is a combination of a trowel and a soil knife.

Hori Hori can be used for many purposes such as for digging, weeding, cutting, and planting.  It is ideal for bulb planting and also for digging out roots and weeds trapped in paths.

They are typically about a foot long, with a seven-inch blade and come with a leather pouch.

This tool is called a leisure knife or a mountain vegetable digging tool in Japan.  It originated from the tools used by hunters who used to live in the mountain areas in northern Japan.

 

Hori Hori from Japan is highly popular for its rust resistance, toughness and sharpness which can be used for multi purposes.

2. Sickles　

Sickles are the traditional farming tools for harvesting crops and cutting weeds.   Its history is very old, and it is said to have been used already in the 10th century when agriculture began in Japan.

A Japanese sickle has a sharp and curved blade which is a great design to cut and remove weeds close to the ground and also the roots.

There are many different types with different blade shapes, thicknesses, and handle lengths.

和 Nagomi also has a very good selection of Japanese sickles available for purchase.

https://acm-store.com/collections/gardening-tools

 

3. Hoes  

Hoes are another traditional farming tool which have been used for centuries in Japan. The prototype of the wooden hoe was already in use during the 10th century.

A hoe is used primarily to dig up soil by swinging the blade into the ground. The angle of the hoe is more than 90 degrees, making it easier to dig up soil.

Hoes can be used for multi purposes, such as slicing through weeds in borders and vegetable beds and tithing the soil. It is also handy for preparing seed rows.

There are two-handed long hoes and smaller one handed hoes.

4. Claw Rakes 

Claw rakes are another traditional Japanese farming tools along with hoes.  

It is mainly used for digging up the soil and cutting and removing stems and roots. 

It is a tool used by putting the weight of the foot while stabbing the tip of the tool  into the soil and scooping up the soil, and is also suitable for deep plowing, digging up root vegetables.

They are mainly with long handles, but there are smaller one handed rakes.

 

What do you think?

There are many wonderful gardening tools in Japan.

We will continue to introduce more great Japanese gardening tools in our next issue.

Please look forward to it!