Yaxell · Seki, Japan · new for 2026

Sunago

Unveiled at Ambiente 2026 in Frankfurt and launched in May 2026, Sunago is Yaxell's newest knife series: a new collection built around a new steel, uniting traditional Japanese forging craftsmanship with modern functionality and restrained, timeless design.

A new series with a new steel

At the heart of every Sunago knife lies Ginsan steel, also known as Gingami: a stainless Japanese steel celebrated for its fine grain structure, excellent sharpness and easy maintenance. Ginsan combines the cutting performance of traditional carbon steels with the convenience of modern stainless materials, which makes it ideally suited to intensive, everyday kitchen use.

The blade is built in a three-layer san mai construction: the hard Ginsan core, hardened to 60 HRC and hand sharpened to 15 degrees per side, is clad between softer stainless layers that protect it. The stippled nashiji surface recalls scattered sand, the meaning of the series' Japanese name, and helps food release from the blade.

• Ginsan (Gingami) core: fine grain, carbon-steel sharpness, stainless convenience
• Three-layer san mai construction, hardened to 60 HRC
• Hand sharpened to 15 degrees per side
• Stippled nashiji finish for character and food release

Deep blue, with a Japanese crest

Sunago makes a striking visual statement. The deep blue handle is crafted from high-quality pakka wood in oriental style and refined with a traditional Japanese crest motif, underscoring the series' blend of modernity and reverence for tradition.

With its restrained design language and harmonious proportions, Sunago unites functionality and aesthetics at the highest level: perfectly balanced handles, seamless blade-to-handle transitions and a clean silhouette for precise, controlled cutting.

The three knives

The series counts three models, together covering almost every task in the kitchen.

Since 1932

Made in Seki, Japan

Yaxell has stood for exceptional kitchen knives defined by sharpness, hardness and perfect balance since its founding in 1932. Every knife is manufactured 100 percent in Japan, in the historic blade-making city of Seki, using premium Japanese steels and a meticulous, precision-driven production process.

Caring for your Sunago

Treat a Sunago as you would any fine Japanese blade and it will reward you for decades:

• Hand wash with warm water and a little mild dish soap, and dry immediately; never use the dishwasher
• Cut on a wooden or plastic board, and do not cut frozen food or bones
• Sharpen on a whetstone to keep the 15 degree edge in top condition
• Store it safely on a magnetic strip or in a knife block