I had an amazing visit to Hida Tool in Berkeley for master knife sharpening with Kou! My prized Japanese chef knife I've had for decades, that lives carefully dried and wrapped in towel when not in use - nonetheless over the decades, had small imperfections here and there and needed sharpening. Claude AI led me to Hida! Kou educated me about the hand forged knife I had, translated it's inscriptions, and maybe because I had my beloved Japanese Akita with me, invited me to watch the process - it was amazing to see his adroit flow of steps to remove almost invisible fine pits and barely visible rust, straighten a slight bend (and now I know NOT to cut hard winter squash with this fine knife!) and used sequence of fine whet stones and water to finish the polish over a special sink basin that felt like a small pond in a Japanese temple. It is new and happy again! My hand wrought knife restored for just $20, so very worth it - and the drive to Berkeley and the experience and learning in person was priceless. You can't have a knife in more appreciative hands, and your appreciation of your knife will grow too. Yes, they sharpen European knives and all sorts of fine tools too, and sell an amazing array of fine tools and knives too. My knife, well cared for like this, is an heirloom - and I now know can literally last hundreds of years! Check out their website for their dazzling array of speciality knives and tools. Very worthwhile - make an appointment to see Kuo and take the drive to Berkeley and be sure to stop after at the nearby also famed Monterey Market - the original that helped launch Chez Panisse and the California Cuisine movement decades ago - always rare and wonderful produce there, as a lifelong chef myself, it is truly one of the best unique private fresh artisan produce and food stores on earth! read more

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A friendly and well stocked source of high quality tools, mostly from Japan with many other items that are useful. They stock many hard-to-find items and also provide ideas and inspiration for projects based on what is on their shelves. I no longer live in Berkeley, but it's a must-visit spot every time I'm in town! Not inexpensive, but well worth the cost for a well curated selection of quality items. read more

Hida Tool & Hardware - Covid time visit - Nurseries & Gardening Near Me - Berkeley, California

I arrived in the Bay Area a little early for my 1 PM dental appointment. That meant that I had time for an order of scones and light bake pizza at Arizmendi (Emeryville), filling up the Forester with gas (for the trip home), and another visit to Hida tool. All of this (including the dentist) was possible via a relative straight shot down San Pablo Avenue. There was even a parking space available in front of Hida Tool with time left on the meter! As I've mentioned before, among the high quality and specialty gardening, woodworking, and other tools, I have little idea what I might be buying. It's all well displayed, attractive, and begging me to figure out how I might be able to use them. The shop is basically 2 small aisles, which found me going round and round as I noticed something new each time. This time around, I purchased this and that including a fruit knife for Gayle, a small blade for me, a cute (and small) decorative metal bell, a cool pair of scissors (which you can never have enough of around the house), and a 2024 Hida Tools wall calendar, that I really didn't need. I've been coming to this family business for maybe 30 years, and there's always something interesting and useful that will catch my eye. I'm already looking forward to the next time. read more

Hida is our go-to for well made, time tested garden tools. Staffed with knowledgeable, and witty, individuals you are directed to the tool that serves your particular garden need. Lately it has been where we find gifts for friends who have everything. Throw in a Hida tee-shirt and you have a unique and useful gift. read more

Hida Tool & Hardware - Hori Hori & tee shirt - Nurseries & Gardening Near Me - Berkeley, California

Amazing selection and great staff ! Helped me find the exact right tools for the job. Will definitely return.

You'd be shocked to think well made Japanese tools are expensive only to walk about with your new favorite yard tool for well under $50. My favorite place to go for well made implements I will value for years to come. There's a certain amount of security built in knowing they can service what they sell. They have replacement blades for saws, new handles for hand tools, and they sharpen tools on site for an extremely fair (almost too cheap) price. A delightful spot I often find myself looking for an excuse to visit. read more

We sharpen our knives here. It's a little time consuming but worth it (I dropped off Monday and they were ready Wed AM). I'm sure our knives came back sharper than when we bought them. Now, one of them was $25- a Cooks Illustrated anti-Henkel if you will. So at $9 a pop is it worth it? Of course. Far better than tossing an otherwise perfectly useful knife. Than not supporting a local institution. And, I got my first Japanese wood working tool there- a pull saw. This is how it starts.... read more

Hida Tool & Hardware - Just sharpened. I'm sure far, far sharper than when I bought them. - Nurseries & Gardening Near Me - Berkeley, California

Great selection of imported tools and knives. An awesome member of the community and a great hidden gem

This shop is somewhat of a hidden gem. I have purchase several gardening tools here. They offer an excellent variety of shears and pruners for bushes and trees. They are somewhat leery of who comes in the store but I imagine that's because of the security issues they must face. Also, I did use the sharpening service once and I was satisfied. There is a specific drop and pickup day. I only brought in items I purchased at Hida that I probably wouldn't try to sharpen myself. The staff there were always nice and polite. The products are always top quality-whatever you get there will last you. read more

"I'm glad I spent all my money there because this book is really cool!" Came to drop off my knives for sharpening when my 8 year old saw all the beautiful whittling tools. The wonderful customer service person showed them a good beginning knife, a book about carving, and he also got an affordable decorative carving tool. He's been reading the book all night. I can't wait to go back and pick up an affordable Japanese knife as well. Lovely store, I hope it stays in Berkeley for decades to come read more

Unique variety and high quality. Items you can't find anywhere else. A must visit type of store. I really have a difficult time getting into garden work. Its not my jam. I can't get jiggy with it... Not my cup of tea. It doesn't tickle my fancy... In fact, it doesn't tickle my anything. Clipping and trimming and mowing - it all just sounds like an endless cycle of a rat running around in a wheel going nowhere. As a result i've got a lot of concrete, gravel and other plants that need minimum maintenance. Still, there are city trees and stuff growing from the neighbors that need constant care and drain your time energy and money... For all those issues you will find solutions in this store that aren't offered in regular places. A very kool kat looks over the place. Furry calm and relaxing to be around. He looks over the store. Come visit him and say 'hi.' With the right tools garden work isn't so bad. Speed through it with the right tools - or maybe learn to love it - but I'm still working on that. read more

Hida Tool & Hardware - Nurseries & Gardening Near Me - Berkeley, California

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A careless move in the kitchen caused my 8" German chef's knife to hit the floor, point down. It emerged with a slight bent in the top 1/4" of the blade. Curses! The only emergency treatment for a case like this was a trip to see the experts at HIDA Tool. Upon arrival I was instantly met by an elder man who took one look at the knife and assured me they could make the repair. They would either reforge the tip back into alignment, or cut it out. I asked for an estimate for the work and was told $10-12. To save a $200 knife, I was all in. They said to come back in one week for pickup (this was just before Xmas, so they were likely pretty busy). I returned about a week later & once again was instantly greeted upon arrival. The knife was reforged and sharpened, better than new!! And the price was $9, less than the estimate. Based on their expert craftsmanship, friendly & efficient customer service, price and reasonable turnaround time, HIDA Tool deserves more than 5-stars. Thank you, HIDA Tool read more

Amazing place for Japanese knives for kitchen, garden, woodwork. They also sharpen tools. read more

Great store. Great knowledge and superb sharpening skills. The store has the best selection of Japanese tools and knives. It's staff are very knowledgeable. read more

I take all my Japanese knives and Chinese cleavers to Hida Tools to be sharpened. The work is excellent and prices are reasonable. All kinds of Japanese woodworking and gardening tools, knives, sharpening stones and more are available in this specialty shop that has been a mainstay in our community for many years. read more

Well worth a detour if you're anywhere in the Bay area and are looking for well made/ high quality Japanese cooking knives and wood working tools. A very special store with unique goods. Highly recommend! read more

Superb customer service. I ordered a knife from Hida Tools for a friend's birthday and they worked with me to find the perfect one when the one I originally wanted was sold out. I even noted that it was a gift order (I ordered online) and to my surprise it was wrapped - within the mailing box with red paper and twine. It was adorable and I loved that extra touch. Would definitely order from here again and I definitely would like to visit the storefront someday. Also in case you're wondering. Yes, my friend did love the knife I got him! read more

There's a great selection of tools and cutlery here. If you're into wood carving, or need a high quality Japanese chefs knife, this is definitely a great place to check out. read more

This shop is a real gem! Love poking around and looking at all the cool knives. They do great sharpening too -- I took some high-end Japanese knives here and they came back razor sharp with immaculate bezels. One knife -- a very thin, brittle steel -- had the tip broken clean off, and they repaired it flawlessly, looks brand new. read more

Amazing place!. Like stepping into a small hardware store in Tokyo. Japanese tools and knives fill the space.

Fantastic place; drove from south bay to buy japanese knife. If you buy a knife he rebevels it and shows you how to sharpen your knife. His technique and choice of stones is different than what you see on the internet. The qualities of the knives he sells is much better than shun. Bought a santuoku made from powdered steel. Got tired of not being able to shave deli meat; thinly sliced pieces of ham/meat you can see through. The Santouku gives me better control than a deli slicer machine. The thinness in shaved meat slices allows the fat to melt and the flavor to come out. Impt for high quality ham/cured meat or else you are wasting money. Use on pizza or hot toasted bread. The heat from the bread/pizza slice should be enough to melt the fat. If you put the meat in the oven; the heat cooks it and changes the flavor. Shun is overpriced and hard to maintain/use because of the type of steel they use. The vg10 steel is hard and the brittle metal is prone to pitting in the edge when it ages/wears. These are hard to fix. The hard steel is hard to sharpen. None of the knife sharpening services are able to bevel edges correctly to a mirror finish except here. Most knife sharpening services use machines which are designed for the softer german knife sets. Much different cutting action with this style of knife. Not as precise. The bench grinding machines and wheels create a sharp edge which doesn't last and doesn't take advantage of the quality of the Japanese steel. The advantage when sharpened correctly is the slicing action allowing you to create much thinner slices. Different than the pushing/chopping action. Great learning resource. They carry Japanese wood working tools. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3Ad6tBdLbM read more

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This store is a gem in this day and age of big box, cookie cutter shops. I've been shopping here for a decade for many of my hobbies: sewing, gardening, wood working. Even personal grooming: they sell great hair trimming scissors (for my straight Asian hair), nail clippers, etc. Did I mention there's an adorable store cat!? He's grey, does a lot of sleeping in the window front, and his name is Kotetsu which means 'Little Iron.' I've spent a good amount of pennies here over the years, and each purpose has been well worth the investment. Also have taken knives and scissors to get sharpened here; so far, so good! I went here when an elder woman would sharpen knives with water and a rock, if I remember correctly. She doesn't do it anymore, but I'd still trust their staff to do a good job. The selection for saws, pruners, snips for gardening is fantastic. Don't buy online (unless it's their online store). Come and shop in person to support the local economy! read more

Superb Japanese woodworking tools. Great collection of saws, chisels, stones, and accessories for woodworkers and arborists and bonsai gardeners and a very knowledgeable staff to help with selection. read more

My friends always talk about the wedding gift knife and cutting board from Hida. Both were so beautiful made with fine craftsmanship. In addition to getting gifts here, Hida also sharpens all of our knives. We feel very lucky to have them in our City. read more

I was gifted a knife from Japan last year and it's made a big difference when cooking--I can't really go back to a regular knife now. Sadly, it chipped pretty badly while cutting the most dangerous piece of lemongrass ever known and I was lowkey devastated. I'm talking months of dull knives and staring wistfully at my chipped knife. When I inquired about it to the knifemaker in Japan, he said to ship it over and they'd replace it--that's $50+ for shipping/handling/customs. Luckily, I remembered Hida from all my trips to the Tokyo Fish Market (is this review Japanese overkill yet?) and I brought in my knife to see what they could do for me. One of the owners said they would be able to shave it down/re-sharpen it but at least it'd be usable and way more cost effective to fix--$13 bucks! I picked it up 5 days after dropoff and I am back to happily chopping vegetables. Now eyeing the MAC Santoku knife for my next purchase... read more

Hida Tool & Hardware - Before: Chipped - Nurseries & Gardening Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Got my wonderful Hori Hori from them. Super great service and pricing. Lots of wonderful tools and goodies. Very hard not to buy the whole store :-) read more

I keep promising myself not to ever go back. They are so on point, I can't walk out without leaving an entire bank account there! As I'm licking the wounds over a recent visit, playing with my fantastic new saws and chisels I was curious on how much extra I'm paying for local EXCELLENT service from this great establishment. A Japanese pull saw I spent 23.00 on at Hida Tool, sells on Amazon for 20% MORE! That's not a small margin. Another was about the same. On the two saws I saved over $12.00. A drop in the ocean of what I've spent, but the value is excellent, and the advice is expert. When I was looking to buy my first Japanese hand planes, they refused to sell me anything larger than the block plane until I had learned how to set up, tune, and use the block plane. I felt a little humbled by this, but it takes some integrity to refuse the bigger sale. In turn they built trust and loyalty. I'm sure I speak for hundreds of loyal customers when I say, there are many people who need this business to continue to be very successful. Whether you are a botanist, chef, or woodworker, you need to come here and see what you are missing. Theee are great people, locally owned, and in the store. It's rare to see the knowledge and integrity in a retail store these days. Most expect you to show up knowing exactly what you need. Well unless you have already mastered the trade, that's hard to do. Hida Tool will work with you from beginning to wherever your journey is headed. It's also a boot comical to hear a conversation focused on woodworking and then a follow on dialog about cooking! We all love our sharp tools! read more

The best purveyor of professional tools and knives. Excellent service, including prompt shipping. Every time I visit I find some other really neat tool or knife, or other accessory that is beautifully made and calling out my name! read more

This place is a treasure. If you are in the market for excellent quality Japanese hand tools look no further. It's a tiny space, packed full of wonderful old world style tools, and modern technology. I have small clamps purchased here over 2o years ago, and brand new kitchen knives purchased just days ago. Anytime I am in the area I make a stop into Hinds Tool. Browsing the selection of tools makes wish I had more time to work with wood, garden, kook, or take up bonsai. While you can buy much of their product from them online, there is no substitute for handling the tools and getting expert advice in person. read more

A one of a-kind-store I have purchased garden and Ikebana tools and supplies here that I simply could not find anyplace else in the East Bay. I don't think the prices are really that expensive they carry quality merchandise. read more

I was cooking with a friend in San Diego and I asked where they bought their knife because it was incredible and they mentioned this place. I had to stop by when I was in town. It kind of felt like I was in that wand store in Harry Potter, so many knifes to choose from but which one was for me? Basically I asked the employee and he decisively told me what fit my needs. I asked "what about this one" a few times because I'm annoying like that and he explained why his first recommendation was better suited for me. Super happy with my purchase of 2 knives and 1 cutting board and with the instructions I received from the employee. I was in and out in less than 10 minutes with exactly what I needed. Thanks! read more

Hida Tool & Hardware - Nurseries & Gardening Near Me - Berkeley, California

Amazing selection at the store. Really enjoyed seeing all the high quality knives and chisels. If you are into wood crafting this is the place for you read more

If I could give negative stars I would. I took a Japanese knife in for sharpening about 6 months ago, and it came back fantastic. My new favorite knife! So 3 weeks ago I took in that same knife, and my very expensive Shun Kaji Sandwich knife and a pair of scissors. I got a note that he couldn't get the scissors sharp, and the sharpening of the Shun is a total disaster, photo included. I'm all for supporting our local small businesses, so I decided to let it go, till yesterday, when my Japanese knife couldn't slice through a boneless chicken breast. I called them today, to ask if they've changed the knife sharpening person. On hearing of my issues, the manager(?) denied having a new person, and then just said:" Unfortunately you're out of the warranty period" wtf! Wouldn't you want to make it right? I'll never set foot in the store again, and I'll have to send my knife in to Shun. Why mess a knife up if you can't handle it? read more

Hida Tool & Hardware - Knife after 'sharpening' - Nurseries & Gardening Near Me - Berkeley, California

This review is specifically for knife sharpening services: I dropped off two high end knives with Hida Tool, neither of which was purchased from them, and they did an excellent job of sharpening them. Their turnaround is faster than the other places I inquired (drop off Monday, pick up Wednesday) and while it's not the least expensive option, I thought it was a good balance of reasonable price and quick turnaround. Most importantly, my knives look great. I definitely recommend them for knife sharpening. read more

Very friendly and excellent service, but one small warning: Back in 2008 I took an armload of utility, hunting and and kitchen knives to Hida to have them cleaned up, sharpened and polished. They did an excellent job, putting clean and razor-sharp new edges on all but one of them and polishing them to a point of looking better than they did when I first bought them. I also found the person who served me to be very friendly. The one thing that did not go quite as expected was, I had a kris blade (a.k.a. flame blade; wavy shape to the blade) knife that I asked him to put a sharper edge on and he did not accomplish that, but he charged me anyway. If he had told me in advance that it was not likely that he was going to be able to put a sharper edge on it, I simply would not have had him work on that blade. He charged me for the work he put into that blade, even though he did not accomplish what I asked of him. So, I would recommend that, when you bring your knives to Hida to have them sharpened, ask them in advance how feasible it is for them to accomplish what you want for each blade you give them before letting them get to work on them. Outside of the one issue, their service and friendliness were noteworthy and I would easily use them again. Note: According to another reviewer, Hida no longer offers sharpening service for all knives. Apparently they only offer this service for knives purchased from them. My experience with them is from back before they made this change in their policies, when they would sharpen any knife you brought to them. read more

About a month ago, I rescued a knife from my parents knife drawer. It's a beautiful, heavy weight, wood handle 7 inch Shogun Santoku knife that they got for their wedding 28 years ago. Because they don't cook, they don't know how to take care of their knives. It was as dull as a damn butter knife and since I didn't own a stone, I had to take it to Hida to have it sharpened. Hida specializes in Japanese knives and garden tools. They are very helpful and well informed about the products and their uses. They will even show you how to properly use all the equipment. They have a gorgeous selection of knives, water stones and imported Japanese slicers. I don't know much about gardening, but I'm sure their tools are great too. I was able to drop off my knife on Monday and pick it up on Wednesday (and that's only because their sharpener was on vacation) The only problem with Hida is the price. Their knives and stones are quite expensive, but there is no denying the quality of products they offer. They also charge $6 to sharpen a large kitchen knife (which is about twice as much as some places) but this knife now cuts paper thin slices of tomato with ease and goes through carrots like butter. If you have any knives in horrible condition, take them to Hida to get repaired. They'll do a fantastic job. read more

Now, I love woodworking as much as the next guy, but that's not why I go to Hida Tool. Nor do I go there for my general hardware needs. No no no. For people who cook, Hida Tool is where you go to keep your knives in shape, fine craftsman style. We just took 16 knives there. We left them overnight. And now, for the grand total of 50 smackers, they are all pristine and razor sharp, better than new. I don't believe you'll find knife sharpening this good or this cheap anywhere in the east bay. If that's not 5 stars, I don't know what is. read more

I've always wanted a Fujitake chef's knife, and this is the place to get them. My husband and I listed one on our wedding registry, and a good friend gifted us the cash for it so that we could come to the shop and pick out the one we wanted, along with the sharpening stones and a few other random accessories. I've never driven a Ferrari, but I think chopping veggies with a Fujitake is as closest as I have come. I'd now compare chopping with my standard Wustof akin to driving a Ford Focus. Both will get you where you're going, but the experience with a Japanese knife is beyond compare (Disclaimer: I drive a Ford Focus.) I was a bit intimidated walking into the shop, even knowing what I wanted, but the young gentleman was very helpful without being overbearing, which can be a balance hard to strike. We were given a handy guide on how to use the stones to sharpen the knife, and an invitation to return to the store for some help if needed. I am now slicing and dicing up a mess in my kitchen with my trusty (and super sharp) Fujitake! read more

Your source for Japanese obsessive-compulsive woodworking tools. Want a traditional hand-plane? Those tiny chisels for hand-carving miter joints? Want to build a house without using any nails? Hida Tool is your place. They also sell forged-iron "Gardening" tools. You could buy the last axe your family, nay, your entire dynasty ever need own. Your decendents will say "Grandpa bought this axe over sixty years ago." Walking into this store is a minefield for me, because I know if I start buying stuff I'll never stop. Look, I made my own tansu! My own wooden gate without nails! My own roof where all the boards are in the exact orientation they were in while still part of a tree! read more

I've been going to Hida Tool for probably 20 years. I don't go often--while they charge very reasonably for their wares, the products are so outstanding that they cannot be cheap--but when I do I am always knocked out, again, by the sheer range, quality, and quantity of what they offer. Other reviewers here have pointed out that you can find wonderful things at Hida whether you're primarily a cook, a craftsman, or a gardener--all true. They also have some unexpected things that are just fun or lovely--traditional heavy metal Japanese teapots, sun-powered miniature strings of lanterns, Japanese workers' bandanas(!), frogs for flower arrangements, various Ikebana implements, the occasional bowl, T-shirts from time to time . . . Hida is, as somebody here has already said, one of a kind. As for the knife-sharpening--yes, yes, they have a long waiting list. This is because (a) they're so good that people come from all over to get their knives sharpened there, and (b) they've been down a knife-sharpener or two in the recent past. They are training at least one new person, and turnaround will be improved when that happens. I can't imagine how to account for one or two reviewers below who say Hida did a poor job of sharpening their knives. People, these are traditional Japanese craftsmen who view their work as a dedicated art. Of *course* they're not going to sharpen a knife in five minutes, and I'm also fairly sure they can't raise the dead, either, so if you bring them a knife that's beyond help, it's probably beyond *their* help, too. I can't say enough about how wonderful Hida Tool is. I've bought knives, a teapot, clothes, scissors, frogs, a mortar and pestle, a pruning saw, a traditional twig-type outdoor broom, clippers, shears, scissors, and who knows what all else there. There is simply no place better. The ownership of the store has changed in recent years, but the new owners continue the outstanding expertise and courtesy of the founders. While you're there, pet the cat. His name means "Little Iron," and he's utterly unflappable. Addendum: As it turned out, they managed to get this latest knife sharpened for me in three *days* despite their original statement that they wouldn't be able to get it to me until March 15th . They'd had a slow day one day, apparently, so they got it done more quickly. Hooray for Hida! read more