Located on the Island of Kyushu, Kumabe Cutlery started as a swordsmith in 1915. Master Nao Kumabe, the first generation, was nationally renowned.

He was chosen to forge knives for the emperor of Japan. In return, Master Kumabe was allowed to use the imperial emblem, Kiku-ichi-mon-ji (chrysanthemum bloom), from the Imperial family. It is one of the highest honors a blacksmith can receive and is engraved on each knife Kumabe Cutlery forges. The original forging techniques and skills of the Kumabe Clan were carefully passed down to each generation.

Master Hiroshi Kumabe, 3rd generation, and Tomohiro Kumabe, 4th generation, continue their ancestorial traditions and legacy today.