Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

We are based in Ginza, Tokyo, Japan, and operate entirely online without a physical storefront. We ship worldwide via Japan Post EMS or DHL.

We offer a wide variety of Japanese knives, including gyuto, santoku, bunka, nakiri, petty, yanagiba, and more. We also have a selection based on your budget; if you are new to Japanese knives, we recommend this collection. Also, check out our list of Japanese knife brands such as Nakagawa, Yu Kurosaki, Masamoto, among others.

We do not have a specific timeline for restocks. As we source our Japanese kitchen knives from various suppliers, availability depends on their allocations to us. We typically have monthly product drops - to stay informed about new arrivals, we encourage you to subscribe to our newsletter (you can unsubscribe at any time).

For your first Japanese knife, we usually recommend multipurpose ones like gyuto or bunka/santoku. Check out our Beginner's Guide for more information. If you need further assistance, our team is always ready to help.

Simply add items to your cart, proceed to checkout, enter your details, and complete your purchase. You'll receive a confirmation email once your order is placed.

We accept:
- Major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express)
- PayPal
- Apple Pay
- Google Pay
Note: We do not offer Cash on Delivery (COD) for international shipments.

We process and ship orders within 24-48 hours (excluding weekends and holidays). Once your order has been shipped, we will email you a tracking link so you can monitor your package's progress.

U.S., Australia, and Canada:
• Shipped via DHL
• Estimated delivery: 3-5 days

Asia and Middle East:
• Shipped via EMS
• Estimated delivery:
Asia: 2-5 days
Middle East: 5-10 days

Europe:
• Shipping method varies by country (DHL or EMS)
• Estimated delivery:
DHL: 3-5 days
EMS: 5-10 days

Note: These estimates are averages and not guaranteed delivery times. The actual number of days may vary due to factors such as transport, customs, and handling conditions in the destination area, which are beyond our control.

All orders include online tracking. Once your order is shipped, we'll email you a tracking number and link. You'll also receive email notifications from our shipping partner (DHL or JapanPost EMS).

Yes, DHL and EMS provide door-to-door delivery.

• Your package will be delivered to your provided address.
• EMS and DHL handle all customs procedures. You only need to wait for delivery and pay any applicable fees.

Note about EMS delivery: While EMS generally provides door-to-door delivery, there may be instances where the local post office requires package pickup due to various reasons, such as understaffed offices, gated communities with access restrictions, or delivery location accessibility. This is a standard practice across different countries.

Yes, we can ship to your hotel when you are here in Japan via Yamato Transport or JapanPost. Delivery typically takes 1-2 days.

For hotel deliveries, please email us at info@zahocho.com for detailed instructions before placing your order.

Please note that we do not ship to Airbnbs.

No, import taxes are not included in the prices listed on our website.

Our prices are the same for all customers, regardless of their location. While we're based in Japan, we don't add Japanese consumption tax to our listed prices. The price you see is the actual price you'll pay, whether you're in Japan or ordering internationally.

Our store's main currency is Japanese Yen (JPY). For international customers, prices are converted to other currencies based on current exchange rates. These rates are managed automatically by our e-commerce platform. As global exchange rates fluctuate, you may notice slight changes in prices displayed in non-JPY currencies. This is common in international e-commerce where stores offer prices in multiple local currencies.

Yes, we offer a Price Match Guarantee. We have always aimed to provide the best prices, but if you find the same product at a lower price from another authorized retailer, we will match it and beat it. For full details, please see our Price Match Guarantee policy.

Yes, we offer free gift-wrapping. Simply request this service in the order notes when placing your order.

We do not offer engraving or personalization services for our knives.

The size displayed in the product name (e.g., "Masamoto KS gyuto 240mm") is what we call a nominal or standard reference size used by knife makers. However, the actual blade length can vary slightly from this displayed size due to several factors:

1. Crafting process: Each knife is handcrafted, which can lead to small variations in length.
2. Traditional sizing: Some sizes are based on traditional Japanese measurements that don't precisely match modern metric units.
3. Brand & regional variations: Some regions consistently produce knives that are longer or shorter than the nominal size (e.g., Sakai knives tend to be undersized, while other brands or regions might produce longer. Of course, there are true-to-size knives as well).

For example:

• 240mm Masamoto KS gyuto - actual blade length is 251mm
• 210mm Nakagawa honyaki ktip gyuto - actual blade length is 199mm
• 210mm Takamura SG2 gyuto - true-to-size blade length at 210mm