In the year 1208 the Emperor Gotoba gave permission to his swordsmith Norimune to stamp the blade of each sword with the imperial Chrysanthemum-crest. Norimune then engraved the number 1 below the crest. Thus the name Kikuichi-monji, Chrysanthemum One, was created.
In 1876, when samurai were banned from carrying swords, Kikuichi-monji added a horse’s bit mouthpiece(kutuwa) ” “ logo above its name and started manufacturing cooking knives, carpentry tools, gardening knives, and other related products in Kyoto. Using the superb sword-making technique passed down through generations, Kikuichi-monji pledges to produce high-quality cutlery.