This is the place for the serious woodworker and tool aficionado. Japanese woodworking tools are the best anywhere. Yes, Danish and other european toolmakers produce good products too, but if you have never used Japanese tools you have been missing out!. In addition to being much sharper, they are also better designed. Japanese saws, for example, cut on the pull stroke and the teeth are set straight. This gives a narrower kerf and less waste. Traditional saw teeth are set so that they are bent out slightly so the saw blade does not bind, even on bow saws. Saws that cut on the pull stroke eliminate these problems completely. They will cut through the hardest maple effortlessly. Japanese chisels, scrapers, and planes are also a joy to use, and Hida has a huge line of them. They used to have a shaving in the store from one of their planes that was thinner than a piece of paper (a lot thinner) and several feet long. Ive never used a plane sharp enough to do this and probably wont: the highest end Japanese planes and chisels can cost thousands of dollars. They also have a large selection of Japanese knives. I have a lot of good knives but Japanese knives are as special as Japanese woodworking tools. They are far sharper than the sharpest German knives. There are a lot of different types and the employees here are very helpful in selecting the best ones. Hida has a great selection of amazing tools and knives. They are expensive but if you can afford it and havent used them before, it would be worth giving them a try. read more

Great staff, they answered questions about various knives, let us watch while they sharpened knives on a stone, etc. Indeed you can probably get cheaper knives on-line but it was hard to not buy a couple things there after all the help. read more

Where else are you going to get world class Japanese cooking and gardening tools? Japanese steel and workmanship have a reputation for being a cut above the rest, and many people would not be able to experience this unless it were for a shop like this. These tools are not easy to find outside of the internet, and you can't feel a tool in your hand on the internet. The other cool thing about this place is that they: a) sharpen and repair Japanese tools; and b) will teach you how to sharpen and care for the tools. When my housemate gave me a knife from here for my birthday, it came with a complementary sharpening lesson. I've bought loppers, a hori horis, sharpening stones (1000 and 6000 grit), and knives here -- all are top quality. They do have a full range of prices -- from $8 paring knives to $800 kitchen knives. read more

Was looking for a place to have a few knives sharpened (2 global kitchen knives, a carving knife, a chicago cutlery knife)--they hadn't been sharpened in quite some time. I wanted to go to a highly recommended place for knife sharpening--and after some research, found that Hida Tool was the most oft-recited place for knife sharpening recommendations. And thus, I was off to Hida Tool. The building is this little place on San Pablo near Gilman--if you blink you might miss it! The place is wall to wall knives! Gardening knives, kitchen knives, wood planes, etc, etc. What a gem. I dropped off my knives and picked them up a few hours later. I forget the price, but I think it was either $8, $10, or $15 (sorry! my memory sucks!) to sharpen all 4 knives, one of which was in really bad shape beforehand. They're sharp and wonderful, like brand new. The globals are supposed to be tricky to sharpen, and Hida got them super sharp again, like new. I'll be going back there again. read more

I should not be allowed into this store!! Please lock the doors if you see me coming... Whenever I set foot in here, my wallet gets thinner. So many awesome Japanese knives and sharpening stones...I can't resist. Ok...just one more knife. Arghhh! read more

This place has it all... for cooking professionals.... They have whet stones as high as 5000grit ... and a very expensive stone .... they knives they have range in price from 40 on up. You can find sashimi knives as well as all purpose knives .... the store is very attentive and as a bonus they even offered me to talk to the person that sharpens blades so that they could properly teach me how. Super impressed. Been going there for a few months just looking at knives and tools. The 5 stars is truly meant for this place. read more

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

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Well, sorry to change the vibe from other reviewers but my reaction after stumbling upon this place while looking for parts for our propane gas grill was - what an odd little Hardware store. This is a very small place stacked floor to ceiling with Japanese woodworking tools of every variety, knives, teapots, and gardening tools. The propieter seems friendly and the prices are high. If you're into it, it's obviously a great place, but we won't be going back. read more

Believe the hype! This place is 100% fantastic. I can't believe I've never known this was here. It's right across the street from the REI(Berkeley) and I'm a member there! I have to give major credit to all you YELPERS. You've really helped me on this one. I have a Ginsu knife set that I took to Hida Tool for sharpening. These folks could not have been nicer or more efficient. I dropped off a 3.5 inch paring knife, 5 inch utility knife, 5 inch serrated knife, 7 inch santoku and 8 inch chef's knife. The total cost was only $22!! I couldn't believe it. What a great deal! Anyway you just know as soon as I got home I started slicing and dicing everything in sight. They did a wonderful job sharpening my knives. It kind of caught me off guard that they didn't ask for a deposit up front but I guess that's just the sort of trustworthy folks they are. I wouldn't have had a clue as to where to go to get my knives sharpened if it wasn't for all of you folks on YELP. Keep up the good work and thanks. read more

I have been purchasing tools here for years. They are also great at repairs and sharpening of my tools. Very personable and helpful with tips on maintaining my tools between repairs. I live in SF and they are very, very patient with my being tardy to retrieve my tools that have been repaired. They don't use guilt or coercion like my mom does to motivate me! read more

Amazing source of fine gardening tools. From the look of it they have fine and extensive array of hand woodworking tools as well, but my place in is the garden, not the wood shop so I don't really know. What amazed me was the highly unusual, well-designed, and perfectly useful Japanese gardening tools. Not being knowledgable about such tools, I asked the staff for suggestions for some specific jobs I had in mind. They were incredibly helpful, knowledgeable, and steered me to the right tools for the job. I was a little dubious, but when I got them to the garden my doubts were laid to rest. Of particular joy is the thick, serrated-edge digging knife/hand spade that a woman at the shop recommended (I know it has a cool Japanese name but, as I said, I am no expert). Blackberry roots beware! Even in the hard clay soil where shovels fail to penetrate well, this tool makes short work of uprooting those tenacious vines. I also got an excellent if pricey snipper/pruner that I am very happy with. Prices are not cheap here, but neither are these cheap, disposable tools. Well worth it in my opinion. read more

I don't even do woodworking or the kind of gardening that requires sharp things but I do admire all the amazing tools at Hida - it's fun to go in there and browse and admire. The staff are really nice and will tell you about anything you ask - the products are super top notch. Don't cut yourself! read more

I'm with Max A. who said it best...this is where us chefs go. Get your gorgeous Japanese knives here an slice a tomato like you've never sliced before. Chop and dice like a master. Feel a real knife in your hand and you'll be a convert for life. Your German knives will fall by the wayside. Then, get back to your kitchen and realize that all your Western knives suck and take them to Hida to be sharpened. This place is awesome and the staff is so knowledgeable. They take real time with you to make sure what you buy really suits your needs. I go in for knives, I come out with something mind-blowing. read more

If you're looking for great cutlery or tools for landscaping this is your place to shop. They have everything from knives, scissors, sheers, sharpeners, extended pruners, hand pruners and a lot more. We're just a fell doors away from Hida Tools and we go there all the time. Go see "Kosuke" he will sharpen you up. (On Tools This Is) read more

Hida Website makeover is very complete for online ordering of everything they've got and works well. I still like to go to their ramshackle store in Berkeley and hang-out. It's cool. They're nice. read more

Koe, stocks fine Japanese tools for construction and gardening. If you appreciate the difference Japanese tools can make in reducing effort on any project this is the place for you. Beyond this, he also stocks exceptionally fine examples of Japanese kitchen cutlery which he will custom sharpen ($10) once your personal useage pattern with a given knife is established about a month after purchase. Do this, it helps performance a lot. Some of his best kitchen knives are utterly unfindable anywhere else outside of Japan, although there may APPEAR to be knives of similar quality on the net. If you are a chef, professional or otherwise, you'll want to come and drool over the knives. The best knives are not mass produced. The one in my household is an unimaginably fine piece of utilitarian art in modern Damascus steel (no stainless steel core). The incomparably sharp edge on Damascus steel requires a certain style of use to avoid chipping the blade. Ask how to use the highest end knives properly or they won't be of service to you. Please be certain Koe himself does any sharpening on a Damascus blade, Few know how to sharpen that metal to it's full potential because it's so rarely produced now. Koe, also has many very fine and affordable stainless steel knives (V10 stainless), that are excellent for hard general use. read more

Gardening has not been the same since I discovered the "hori-hori" or as we call it, the "hurry-hurry". This is the most fabulous weeding tool ever. Way stronger and sharper than a trowel. This is now my favorite gift for any gardener or non-gardener who wants to weed! Love this place, lots of great gardening tools. read more

My friend took me by Hida tool today. I was in tool guy heaven today. I collect Japanese Maples and they have a large selection of edged pruning shears and gardening tools of Japanese origin. They even had Bonsai tools!!! They have a cool selection of Chef Knives and Wood working tools. They also carry these cool 3 legged Aluminum ladders for working on trees in unstable terrain read more

This place is an absolute find. They stock an amazing variety of Japanese woodworking hand tools.You will see more kinds of wood chisels, saws, and planes, than you ever thought existed (unless you happen to be a Japanese carpenter). If you want to do really careful, beautiful carpentry, this is the place. They also have a small selection of books on Japanese carpentry, including a nice one detailing different methods of joining wood). They also carry a small but nice selection of Japanese tea pots. Staff are friendly, and I think all one family. I have a very good feeling I'll be back. read more

Summary based on several visits: --Selection is very good --Helpful service --Prices are somewhat high, but there's no competition, so things cost what they cost --Parking is ok, though you may have to park in the REI lot Extra star for being a unique resource read more

A true diamond in the rough...Hida tools is the place for everyone in need of cutlery including knives, scissors, chisels and all sorts of tool for landscaping and gardening. We've been neighbors of Hida Tools for centuries, stop in and ask for Kosuke. He'll answer all of your questions and point you in the right direction. read more

For woodworking nerds, especially those interested in using traditional Japanese woodworking tools, this is an amazing and dangerous place. Amazing because they are so well equipped. Dangerous because the selection of high quality items is so tempting. The prices I thought were quite reasonable considering the very high quality of the wares. The wait staff is very friendly and helpful, and more importantly for a place like this, they are knowledgeable and willing to share that knowledge. They also seem to have a great selection of pruning and gardening tools. read more

We bought our kitchen knives here and get those sharpened here whenever they dull. We used to just bring them in but apparently word got out that they have ninjas in the back that do the sharpening and now you have to call in advance to make an appointment. It was about $18 for three kitchen knives. They have all sorts of ninja gardeing tools as well that I would probably buy if I knew how to use them. I just bought a machete fom Amazon and the sharpness is not to my liking... I will have to make an appointment to get a samurai edge on the sucker and will report back on the results. read more

It's like stepping back in time, walking into this tiny gem; it's great to know that such craftsmanship still exists. The photos on the wall of someone shaving a slice of wood so thin it looks like sheer silk says everything about what Hida Tool does: beautiful, precision tools. I'm tired of buying cheap, disposable tools from Big Box hardware. They sharpened all my old, beat-up gardening tools and made them seem new. Great place! read more

Hands down the best place to get Japanese woodworking tools and Sharpening stones. Awesome selection and great staff. The main focus here is japanese carpentry tools but they also have a small section of japanese kitchen knifes. The're selection of Wetstones is amazing. Staff was very friendly and even taught me how to sharpen my own knives and tools. They also offer sharpening services for $5 a blade if you dont want to do it yourself. read more

Had Hida sharpened 3 of my Japanese Kai Shun knives (2 Shun Chinese Chef knives and 1 paring knife) and 1 Henkel Santoku knife in early December. The total cost was very reasonable at $21, and the blades came back super sharp. They were even sharper than the original factory conditions. Considering the cost of each of these knives, the cost of the sharpen is chump change (I don't understand why people complain about the price, and you get what you pay for). After using most of the knives almost everyday for an entire month, they still remain super sharp. The people working here are very nice and experienced services, but make sure to call for an appointment beforehand for sharpening drop off. Definitely will come back to sharpen my knives again. I still have 3 more other Shun knives that will need sharpening eventually (a 8" chef knife, a sandwich knife, and a vegetable knife). read more

I stumbled across this place after I went online looking for a blade for my tree saw. From the moment you walk in you know you are not at any hardware store. There is a calm serenity to your shopping experience - the staff is very knowledgeable and the tools/equipment are outta this world. There are centuries of know-how in Japanese tool making and the proof is in their design and steel quality. If you are building something out of wood and want a different approach - looking to be the finished craftsperson you always wanted to be or want the right tool for your garden Hilda is the place. To top it all off they have a most excellent T-shirt. Browse, ask, and enjoy. read more

I am a woodcut printmaking artist and I love Hida tool. They have a mind boggling range and variety of carving tools. If you can imagine a mark you want to make you will find the tool here to make it. I have also availed myself of their very affordable tool carving service and was justifiably scolded for the care of my tools. If you are looking for a high quality, affordable woodcarving tool sets this is the place. I teach printmaking at SFSU and send my student here for either the power grip or Michihamono knife sets. If I ever get heavy into gardening will be all over this place for their pruning shears and other great items. read more

I love just stepping foot into Hida Tool. Wonderful helpful staff and an endless collection of fantastic knives and gardening tools. Blade sharpening here will be a wait (sometimes months). But this is because, contrary to what another reviewer wrote, knife sharpening doesn't just take 5 minutes. They take their time and do it right. If you've not visited Hida Tool, you're missing out. read more

I just managed to escape this place. For me, this is the type of shop where i could max out the credit card buying small pieces of incredibly finely crafted pieces of steel in the form of japanese tools. They have a glorious selection of woodworking and gardening tools, all in the no-nonsense Japanese aesthetic. If you like tools, visiting this place is homage. Wonderful. If you know me, buy my presents here. read more

I spoke to two people on the phone to inquire about knife sharpening (at different times), both were helpful. Dropping off my six Global knives was easy (these were knives I did not buy here) and I was able get them in and sharpened within a few days. Pricing was super reasonable, and they look great. No complaints here. (Also they have a ton of cool sharp objects in the store). read more

I tried to drop off my knives here for sharpening today and I was asked if I had an appointment. When I said no, I was told I'd have to wait. I asked "how long? a few hours?" "oh no!" she laughed at me "You'd pass out!" and flipped to the next available appointment in her book. 11 weeks out. You need to call for an appointment. You need to be prepared to wait. They need to tell you that on the website. If I wasn't treated like some kind of lunatic who thought her knives could actually be sharpened on the same day, I might have made an appointment for October, but this was so disappointing I won't be going back. read more

I learned about this place while taking a Landscape Horticulture class over at Merritt. The professor's obsession with Japanese tools was evident, he stated that if he only had one gardening tool it'd be the 8" long "hori-hori." "What's that?" we asked. As he slowly pulled out this wicked looking dagger, which seemed fit to be on a Roman Legionnaire's belt, I was reminded of that scene in Crocodile Dundee -- you know the one: "now THIS is a noife!" How could I resist such glowing enthusiasm and a chance to shank the other gardeners at the community garden when their stuff invades my plot? He stated he had gotten his at Hida tools, conveniently located in Berkeley! For some reason, I never made it over there until I moved to Los Angeles a few months later. Now I had my own plot of land to garden in and suddenly, I grew remorseful with the ineffectiveness of a hoe with slicing the taproot of weeds. Memories of that professor sprung up... and...well.. So yeah.. I drove the 500 miles to Berkeley from LA, went to Hida and bought two hori-horis. One was priced comparably to other ones on the internet, the other I had never seen before (it has an extra long handle for two handed stabbing). The staff was pretty helpful, and I hear that they will recommend tools for you based on your build -- there are apparently some hedge clippers that work better for women than others, ladders which are lighter, etc etc. I'll agree with the other posters that the prices here are pretty high. You just need to realize that Japanese tools are in a different league apart from western mass-produced stuff. I'm not saying everything here is beaten on a hot forge and assembled by hand, but there's a quality and precision there that I don't always see in stuff from Home Depot. For a store with a great selection of Japanese tools, this is the place to go. read more

I love this store. I think I first went here to get a Japanese wood saw (thin blade, cuts on the pull stroke, simply awesome), and they have a bunch, plus replacement blades. Since then I have replaced most of my kitchen knives with Japanese ones purchased here - even the moderately priced ones are better than the European ones. The cheap carbon steel ones are great for the price, and the expensive ones will make you drool with how beautiful they are. Plus cool Japanese chisels and wood carving tools and gardening tools, and a cat that sits in the window. read more

I found Hida Tools while traveling in Japan. I ran into a terrific tool shop called Minamoto no Hisahide in Kyoto. Owner taught me many things about setting up a plane or kanna. At the end he highly recommended Hida Tools and said they are some of the most knowledgeable people in the US. When I got back I emailed them and they have been most helpful. They will fit the tool to your needs and level of expertise. Also your budget. I can only give them my highest praise. Regarding prices quality costs more and is worth it in the results and time of your projects. I also have carpal tunnel and using better tools has helped alleviate it to some extent - less strain and not having to repeat stuff is great on the wrists. read more

great specialty hardware store. nice selection of gouges, knives, woodwork tools. excellent customer service.

If you are looking for Japanese tools, this is the best place to go. The staff was so helpful and kind. The owner even gave me a ride to the train station because I had a lot to carry! I felt like I was back in Japan. Yes, it is expensive. But, they are all imported tools from Japan, many which are handmade and really amazing quality. It is not a typical hardware store, definitely more of a specialty store, but I think anyone would really enjoy a look around the store to check out all the interesting things they have. read more

I had an old rotary pushmower's blades sharpened here. They charged less than anybody else by far, did a great job, and they did it the same day. And they have a gorgeous cat that sleeps in the window. read more

Just be aware the prices are VERY high. Generally about double the suggested retail price. Yup, a hefty mark up. The staff is very nice and they should be because they make a lot of money. read more

He's back , the great knife sharpener has returned to Hida

Hida tool has been around for a long long time. It has been my favorite spot for garden tools for 20 or 30 years. Their tools are made to last a lifetime. Not to mention how well they work....... Also a wonderful shop, filled with beautiful things - I have bought rice paper for shoji screens as well as ebony for the for the handles..... read more