{"id":10118,"date":"2026-04-22T17:06:18","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T17:06:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/10118\/"},"modified":"2026-04-22T17:06:18","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T17:06:18","slug":"this-japanese-garden-knife-is-the-only-tool-i-reach-for-daily","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/10118\/","title":{"rendered":"This Japanese Garden Knife Is the Only Tool I Reach for Daily"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Estimated4 min read<\/p>\n

As a garden writer and someone who\u2019s passionate about digging in the dirt, I\u2019m constantly looking for products that make yard chores more efficient. While I have a shed full of tools, there\u2019s one I turn to again and again.<\/p>\n

While there\u2019s no substitute for a heavy-duty garden spade for big jobs such as planting a tree<\/a> or moving a shrub<\/a> from one location to another, there\u2019s another tool I keep close at hand whenever I\u2019m gardening. This small handheld implement is probably the most-used in my arsenal.<\/p>\n

Fitting neatly into a sheath that attaches to my belt, this garden tool is the most versatile you\u2019ll ever use. Whether you\u2019re planting seedlings or harvesting pumpkins, the tool I find the most adaptable is my hori hori, or traditional Japanese garden knife. The name itself means \u201cdig dig,\u201d with \u201chori hori\u201d supposedly being the sound of digging in the earth.<\/p>\n

This ancient tool has an interesting history. \u201cNo one knows when the first hori hori was made, but in Japan the tool is known as sansai hori, which translates as \u2018mountain vegetable digger\u2019 and traditionally it was used to harvest wild mountain vegetables,\u201d says Jake Hobson, founder and CEO of Niwaki<\/a>, which sources traditional garden tools from Japan. These plants would include edibles such as fiddlehead ferns growing in the woods and fields around the villages.<\/p>\n

Local blacksmiths, or nokaji, made tools for the farmers and craftsmen. \u201cIt\u2019s highly likely that a crudely sharpened iron blade was used for harvesting, possibly from as early as when iron-working skills came from Korea and China during the early Yayoi period, roughly 900 BCE to 248 CE,\u201d says Hobson. \u201cThe hori hori we recognize today is a post\u2013World War II product made in modernized factories for consumers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ahead, read on to learn more about this tool that\u2019s indispensable in my garden.<\/p>\n

What Is a Hori Hori? (And How to Choose One)<\/p>\n

A hori hori is a garden knife that has a long blade, sometimes with one serrated side and one straight edge. The blade is roughly 6 to 7 inches long. Many professionals in the industry say some of the finest blades are made in Japan from carbon steel, which can be sharpened periodically (this also means the tool lasts longer and won\u2019t end up in the landfill after one season).<\/p>\n

The handle typically is wooden, molded composite, or plastic. Some blades have depth markings, which can be useful when doing tasks such as planting bulbs.<\/p>\n

When choosing one, the handle should feel secure and solid in your hand. I have small hands, and I\u2019ve found some don\u2019t feel good when I grasp them. Try out a few so you find one that\u2019s comfortable and fits well in your hand.<\/p>\n

I also prefer a hori hori that comes with a holster so I can attach it to my garden belt for easy access\u2014and safety. You don\u2019t want a huge, unsheathed knife just thrown into your garden tote! The holster also protects the blade.<\/p>\n

8 Ways to Use a Hori Hori in Your Garden<\/p>\n

While a hori hori doesn\u2019t replace every tool in your bag, it is an excellent addition to your collection. It\u2019s also not an expensive tool, considering the many different uses you\u2019ll find for it. Here\u2019s how I use mine, but you\u2019re sure to find other ways to put it to work in your own garden:<\/p>\n

1. Create furrows to direct seed in the garden.\"one<\/p>\n

Westend61\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Use the tip of the knife to make a mini-trough at the correct depth for your seeds. Sprinkle the seeds into the channel, then use the knife to cover the seeds lightly with soil.<\/p>\n

2. Plant young seedlings and small bulbs.\"one<\/p>\n

Ekaterina savyolova\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Push the knife in the soil, wiggle it to make a tiny hole, then drop the seedling or bulb in. It\u2019s especially handy for small six-packs of seedlings or tiny bulbs such as crocuses or grape hyacinth.<\/p>\n

3. Cut open bags of mulch and potting mix. \"one<\/p>\n

Tonywestphoto\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve used my multi-knife for this task, but I find it\u2019s quicker and easier to pull the hori hori out of its sheath, slash the bag open, then pop the tool back into its holster.<\/p>\n

Related Story4. Slice through twine for tying up vines and tomato plants. \"one<\/p>\n

\u00a9 Jackie Bale\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

It\u2019s quick work to cut through twine when working on vines. And you don\u2019t need to carry a pair of scissors to do it.<\/p>\n

5. Harvest squashes and other veggies with tough stems.\"one<\/p>\n

Helaine Weide\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

You never want to pull these fruits off the vine or you risk damaging the plant. The knife cuts easily through thick stems.<\/p>\n

6. Saw through roots when dividing perennials.\"dividing<\/p>\n

Maris Kiselov\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Nothing else I\u2019ve found is as efficient for cutting through the fibrous roots of well-established perennials, such as Siberian irises<\/a>. It\u2019s sturdy enough to get through even the toughest chunks of perennials.<\/p>\n

Related Story7. Dig out weeds.\"Weeding<\/p>\n

Terri Robertson for Country Living<\/p>\n

The pointy tip is especially useful for weeds with deep tap roots such as dandelions. It\u2019s also handy for lifting weeds out of raised beds, especially in my cutting garden, which is up against my shed. The knife increases my reach, allowing me to access weeds at the back of the bed.<\/p>\n

8. Remove garden pests such as slugs. \"one<\/p>\n

Joseph De Sciose \/ Aurora Photos\/\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Sorry, slugs and other voracious garden visitors! It\u2019s the perfect tool for dispatching these hungry pests when they\u2019re chowing down on my hostas<\/a> or kale.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"4 min read As a garden writer and someone who\u2019s passionate about digging in the dirt, I\u2019m constantly…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":10119,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[8707,8703,8705,318,2589,8,17,317,8708,8704,8706],"class_list":{"0":"post-10118","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-japan","8":"tag-collection-latest-reads","9":"tag-content-type-how-to-service","10":"tag-contentid-647f81a7-0e33-47d8-94e4-6da0e807b827","11":"tag-displaytype-standard-article","12":"tag-hasproduct-true","13":"tag-japan","14":"tag-japanese","15":"tag-locale-us","16":"tag-read_time-4","17":"tag-shorttitle-the-only-garden-tool-i-use-every-day","18":"tag-subsection-gardening"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10118","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10118"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10118\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10119"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10118"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10118"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/japan\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10118"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}