The sun came out on the day on which Tim Mälzer and the European kai team stepped onto Japanese soil.

For ten days kai and its star chef toured the land of the Shun Classic and co. kitchen knives. They gathered culinary inspiration on fish markets, in speciality restaurants and from Japanese star chefs. After a warm welcome from a 91-year-old owner of a traditional factory that manufactures fish flakes in the coastal town of Yaizu, this year the travellers once again visited a venerable samurai swordsmith’s and they watched the masters of the sharp blade practising their craft in the kai headquarters in Seki.

This year’s autumn trip to the homeland of kai kitchen knives was the fourth journey to Japan which kai and Tim Mälzer have undertaken together. This time they were accompanied by a guest: the model, catwalk trainer and presenter Jorge González. The kai team has brought a large number of fresh ideas for 2015 back to Germany after their inspiring culinary and cultural trip to this multifaceted country of stark contrasts between Japanese tradition and modernity – because, of course, excellent ideas are born from authenticity and experience. You can find some impressions of the kai trip to Japan 2014 here.