Tojiro
On Track. Pays or is working towards a living wage, with gaps still to close.
Last researched 2 November 2026 · 6 sources
Japanese kitchen knife maker.
Tojiro makes its steel kitchen knives in its own factories in Japan, where labour laws are strong and legal wages are close to a living wage.
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Why it's graded On Track
- Not met: Meets 6 of 7 Good requirements.
- Met: No red flags.
Good requirements 6 of 7
- Met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: presumed because legal wages in Japan are close to a living wage, not checked at the company
- Met: Respects worker rights
- Met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standardsPresumed from where it's made, not audited
- Not met: Shows where its earlier production stages happen, not just the final oneA "Made in" claim can cover only the final stage. Earlier stages to show: materials and parts such as fabric, timber, glass, metal and ceramics
- Met: No child or forced labour findings or links
- Met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that listMakes its products in its own factories
- Met: High-risk raw materials (timber) traced or certified, or not a major part of its rangeOnly in a few products: timber
Red flags 0
None found.
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
From Tojiro's own disclosure: it makes its products in its own factories.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | Strong protections | Close to a living wage | Low |
Evidence
What we found
- Uses timber in only a few products, so the raw-material check doesn't hold it back for Good. It doesn't show where its timber comes from. The "Open supply chain" star needs all of it traced, certified or upcycled.
- Owns or runs its own production
- "Made in Japan" only means the last major stage happened there: under customs and consumer law, materials and parts such as fabric, timber, glass, metal and ceramics can be made elsewhere. It hasn't shown where those earlier stages happen, so where it's made counts towards On Track but not Good. Source
Research notes Tojiro says it makes all its own-brand knives in-house in Tsubame, Niigata, Japan, at its head office and Yoshida factories and a hand-forging atelier, with about 140 staff; the factory has been open to visitors since 2017. Wood handles (magnolia, chestnut, teak, ebony and others) are used on some lines only, with no source given for the timber. Tojiro publishes no code of conduct, audit results, supplier list or wage information, and no labour abuse reports involving the brand were found.
What independent sources say
Sources and actions
Sources 6
Show all 6 sources
- TOJIRO Co., Ltd. company profile (JETRO Discover Niigata) · search the archive · Head office in Tsubame, Niigata; 101-1,000 employees; cutlery and kitchen utensils
- TOJIRO 2026 catalogue (via distributor Extrametal) · search the archive · TOJIRO products made in house in Tsubame-Sanjo; 140 employees as of Dec 2024; wood handle materials listed, no timber certification
- TOJIRO (KOUBA open factory festival 2023) · search the archive · Knife maker in Tsubame, Niigata; one of the few Japanese composite knife makers with integrated production; open factory since 2017
- Who makes Tojiro knives? (Cutting Edge Knives) · search the archive · Founded in 1955 in Tsubame-Sanjo; production has stayed in the area, with certified Niigata Traditional Artisans
- Tojiro DP3 Gyuto 210mm (Knives and Stones) · search the archive · Manufactured in-house by Tojiro in Tsubame; sold at Knives and Stones showrooms in Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne
- Tojiro Handmade J6 Gyuto 21cm (My Good Knife) · search the archive · Made at Tojiro's workshop in Niigata, Japan; rosewood and buffalo horn handle on this line
Company details
- Headquarters
- Japan
- Employees
- About 140
- Last researched
- 2 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Tojiro ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/tojiro, last researched 2 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What On Track means
Better-graded cookware and tableware
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Tojiro.