Toyama Hamono | Pruning Shears That Can Snip Even the Tiniest Details

Precisely Cut Desired Areas

Even just placing branches in a vase can create a beautiful arrangement, but it's also fun to try your own unique arrangements! This is where "bud-cutting shears" come in handy.

The thin, tapered double-edged blades can reach areas that pruning shears can't, allowing for a clean cut.

They are useful for delicate tasks such as trimming off parts that are past their prime to tidy up the appearance, or cutting small branches to arrange them into mini-bouquets.

The base of the blade can cut branches up to about 8mm thick, making it perfectly capable of pruning side branches.

The handle, an original design by Toyama Hamono, is easy to grip and provides excellent stability. With proper care, these exquisite shears can last a lifetime.

Also for Harvesting Vegetables and Pruning Bonsai

These bud-cutting shears, adept at delicate tasks, can also be useful in various aspects of a plant-filled life.

〈Home Gardening〉

Pruning thin branches and stems, harvesting, pinching back plants

〈Garden Trees and Bonsai〉

Cutting overgrown new shoots, leaf pruning, deadheading, etc.

〈Houseplants〉

Cutting damaged leaves, pruning overgrown areas, etc.

Two Materials to Choose From

〈Forged Special Steel YP T27〉

Natural color achieved through baking only, without chemicals. Each piece of forged special steel is unique with its own expression.

〈Stainless Steel YP T527〉

Made entirely of stainless steel, it is resistant to rust even in humid environments and strong against dirt.

Toyama Hamono's Commitment

① Forging Method

Established in 1861 during the Bunkyu era of the Edo period, Toyama Hamono's specialty is "fire forging."

Forging is the process of shaping metal by hammering it.

As the saying "strike while the iron is hot" suggests, hammering metal compresses internal air bubbles and gaps, making it harder and stronger. Bronze and iron products from the Yayoi period were apparently made using this method.

② The inherited technique of "ura-togi" for exceptional sharpness

Shears cut by meshing two blades. Sharply cutting shears are designed so that the blades meet and intersect at only one point, and if this point shifts, they become unusable.

The process of adjusting the blade's back with a precise angle and curve[*] is called "ura-togi," a traditional technique passed down through generations at Toyama Hamono.

[*]Parts referred to as "suri" (curve), "sawa" (hollow), and "nejiri" (twist/warp)

③ "Ai-ha-dori," where skilled artisans make adjustments using all five senses

"Ai-ha-dori," the final step in shear making, ensures a crisp, light sound and a comfortable user experience.

This is a unique Toyama Hamono technique where artisans use all five senses to adjust the tightness of the components, achieving the best possible sharpness.

The front blade is engraved with "Soke Hidehisa Saku" (Made by the Head Family Hidehisa), a testament to the master's deep understanding of steel.

④ Sharpen the blades, and they can be used forever!

To ensure long-lasting use, a "Free Sharpening Ticket" is included with the product.

Blade resharpening and maintenance not only restore sharpness but also remove surface dullness and dirt, bringing back their original appearance.

Subsequent sharpenings can also be requested for a fee, maintaining comfortable usability.

Traditional Skills × Advanced Technology: Bringing Manufacturing into the Future

Toyama Hamono was founded in 1861 during the Bunkyu era of the Edo period, in Sanjo, Niigata Prefecture, a town known for its metalwork.

Since then, as the head family of Echigo wood shears, traditional techniques have been passed down through generations, from the first generation Tatsumatsu (brand name: Tatsumatsu), to the second generation Tomijiro (brand name: Chinryu), the third generation Hideyoshi (brand name: Ryuzan), and the fourth generation Hidehisa (brand name: Hidehisa).

They have received high acclaim at international exhibitions and various design competitions, winning the Good Design Award. They are one of the most trusted shear manufacturers among professional gardeners. 

While continuing to uphold traditional techniques such as forging, ura-togi, and ai-ha-dori, they are also actively incorporating digital control systems and robots[*].

They are an innovative manufacturer committed to manufacturing that connects to the future.

[*]They are working on precision blade sharpening using NC grinders that control machine tools with computers, and labor-saving production lines using industrial robots.

Not Disposable. Embracing the Culture of "Resharpening"

The Japanese culture of maintaining and cherishing tools, like sharpening a sword, is unique.

The shears from Toyama Hamono, a traditional head family, are sure to be a long-lasting companion in a life that cherishes plants.

Click here for other Toyama Hamono products