Asano Mokkousho

Asano Mokkousho crafts peerless gardening tools in Japan’s Tsubame-Sanjo region, an area famous for the quality of its metalsmithing. A 70-year-old family enterprise, Asano Mokkousho is brainchild of Teisuke Asano, a farmer’s son, and his wife Sakae Sasagawa, the daughter of a Tokyo manufacturer; their first products were barbs and gaffs for fishing, delivered by motorcycle as the company grew. The elegance of its Pruning Shears reflects Sakae Sasagawa’s love of gardening: “When we make our shears, we are considering three elements to make people happy when enjoying gardening and ikebana: the blade sharpness and smoothness, the shape of the handle that considers the user, and [creating] a shaft that reliably conveys the gripping force,” says Rieko Asano, granddaughter of founders Teiuke & Sakae Asano. Those interested in ikebana, the Japanese art of rigorously crafted natural arrangements, will find a welcome ally in Asano Mokkousho’s specially made — and deceptively simple — ikebana scissors. An acute-angle blade, made from high-quality Japanese steel, ensures that stems are cut cleanly, without harming natural fibers, which ensures a longer life in the vase; the satin-finish handle is similarly both beautiful and functional. “It not only looks good,” Rieko says, “but is also slip-resistant for safety and peace of mind, and will not slip off unexpectedly during work.”.