Where Are Matsato Knives Made

If you’ve come across Matsato knives online, you’re not alone in wondering where they’re actually made. 

With a Japanese-sounding name and marketing that references “samurai steel” and “traditional blacksmithing,” many assume they come from Japan’s famous knife towns.

The truth is different: Matsato knives are not produced in Japan at all. They’re a European brand sourcing blades from China, most likely Yangjiang, the real powerhouse of modern knife manufacturing.

In this guide, we’ll cut through the hype and show you exactly where Matsato knives are made, what customers are saying about their quality, and why Yangjiang has become the real center of the modern knife industry.

The Matsato phenomenon

Matsato rose to prominence not through heritage, but through savvy marketing and social media exposure. 

Viral ads on YouTube and TikTok showcased the knives with dramatic imagery and glowing testimonials, creating a sense of hype and urgency. 

The brand positioned itself as something exotic and premium, even though it was simply a new entrant in the online knife market.

Why the confusion exists

Part of Matsato’s success lies in how it deliberately blurs the line with Japanese tradition:

• A Japanese-sounding name: “Matsato” looks and sounds Japanese, but it isn’t a real Japanese word. In fact, Japanese linguists note the letter combination doesn’t even exist in the language.
  
• Marketing language: The website leans on phrases like “samurai sword craftsmanship”, “traditional blacksmithing”, and a supposedly “138-step forging process”. These sound authentic but are largely promotional.
  
• Borrowed knife shapes: The core product is essentially a Santoku-profile knife, and some models mimic other classic Japanese forms like the Bunka. This makes them visually familiar to buyers who associate those silhouettes with quality.

The design appeal

It’s not hard to see why buyers are intrigued. Matsato knives feature unusual details like a finger-hole in the blade and sleek black-beech handles. These touches make the knives look modern, ergonomic, and distinct from generic Western chef knives.

But beneath the stylish surface, Matsato remains a marketing-driven brand. The Japanese imagery, traditional references, and carefully crafted ads create an illusion of heritage that doesn’t align with the knives’ actual origin.

This gap between appearance and reality is exactly why so many consumers end up asking: where are Matsato knives really made? And that’s exactly what we will answer next. 

Where Matsato knives are actually made

Matsato is not a Japanese knife company. The brand is registered in Lithuania under the name “Matsato Knife” with an address in Kaunas. In other words, the business is headquartered in Europe, not Japan.

The knives themselves are manufactured in China, most likely in Yangjiang, Guangdong, a city known as the country’s knife and scissors capital. Customer reports confirm this: products promoted as shipping from the U.S. or U.K. often arrive directly from China after long delivery times. Knife enthusiasts and trade sources also identify Yangjiang as the origin.

In practice, Matsato functions as a marketing brand rather than a true knife maker. The Lithuanian company imports generic Chinese-made blades, repackages them with slick branding, and sells them at a premium. 

The promotional language emphasizes “Japanese tradition,” but the production chain runs through China’s largest cutlery hub.

A realistic look at Matsato’s quality

Customer feedback shows a split between first impressions and long-term performance.

On the positive side, many buyers highlight the sharpness straight out of the box. 

One Trustpilot reviewer called it a “fantastic looking addition” to their kitchen, praising both the edge and the modern design. 

That said, Redditors rather have mixed opinions about Matsato knives. Some praise it by saying it feels lightweight, balanced, and easy to handle, with a style that stands out from standard Western chef’s knives. 

For the price, the combination of unique aesthetics and initial performance appeals to many home cooks.

But the negatives appear just as consistently. A frequent complaint is that the blades dull very quickly, sometimes after only a few uses. 

Reviewers also describe the knives as “lovely-looking” but disappointing in practice, with the much-advertised tomato-slicing trick failing within a day or two. 

Some users entirely dismiss Matsato as low grade steel with overblown marketing claims, pointing to vague promises like “samurai steel” and “ice-hardening” that don’t match the product. 

So expectations vs. reality with Matsato should be managed. The knives are affordable and eye-catching, and many users enjoy the sharpness when new. But they should not be mistaken for high-end Japanese artisan blades, the steel and craftsmanship are mid-range.

Matsato’s site markets terms like “premium stainless steel” and “traditional blacksmithing,” yet product listings reveal the use of ordinary Chinese alloys like 3Cr13 stainless steel. 

For instance, one Matsato cleaver listing openly states it is “forged from 3Cr13 stainless steel.” This alloy belongs to the 420-series, known for good rust resistance but modest edge retention.

By contrast, many Yangjiang factories rely on steels such as 5Cr15MoV or 8Cr13MoV, which are still affordable but offer a better balance of sharpness, toughness, and value. 

These steels can take a keen edge but will not match the hardness or longevity of Japanese supersteels like VG10 or SG2. In practice, Matsato’s knives cut well at first, but require frequent honing and sharpening to stay functional.

Introducing Yangjiang: the unsung hero of the knife world

Yangjiang City in Guangdong province is widely known as the “Capital of Knives and Scissors.” 

The region has over a thousand years of blade-making history, and today it remains the true epicenter of the global cutlery trade.

The scale is hard to overstate. Yangjiang is home to around 1,500 knife and scissor manufacturers, employing close to a million people in the industry. 

The city produces about 70% of China’s domestic output and 85% of its exports of knives and scissors. 

Put simply, most of the world’s mid-priced kitchen knives, especially Asian-style blades, can be traced back to this one city.

What makes Yangjiang unique is its complete industry ecosystem. It isn’t just a cluster of workshops, but a fully integrated supply chain. 

Local steel mills, handle factories, mold designers, heat-treatment plants, and logistics companies all feed into one another. 

The city even hosts an annual international knives-and-scissors fair, drawing global buyers. This integration allows Yangjiang manufacturers to prototype, customize, and scale new knife designs far faster than competitors elsewhere.

Far from being a “cheap” alternative, Yangjiang has become a modern manufacturing powerhouse. 

Factories are improving quality control, experimenting with new alloys, and producing for global brands, from Chinese names like Shibazi to Western giants like Zwilling-Henckels. 

For businesses, sourcing directly from Yangjiang means tapping into a hub of innovation and efficiency that goes well beyond what middleman brands can offer.

The smart choice for consumers and businesses

For everyday consumers

It pays to shop with realistic expectations. Matsato knives deliver style and initial sharpness, but they’re not miracle blades. 

At their core, these are Chinese-made Santoku-style knives dressed up with heavy marketing. If you decide to buy one, read the fine print: check the steel type, handle material, and look at independent reviews.

For serious home cooks who want lasting performance, established Japanese or Western makers are a better (but pricier) investment. 

For casual cooks who just want an eye-catching, affordable knife for light use, Matsato can work, as long as you’re prepared to hone or sharpen it often.

For aspiring brands and businesses

Relying on middleman brands like Matsato comes with hidden costs: you’re paying for their marketing overhead, stuck with generic designs, and left with little control over quality. The smarter alternative is direct sourcing from Yangjiang factories.

That’s where LeeKnives comes in. As a Yangjiang-based manufacturer, we can offer what Matsato can’t:

• Transparency – we are the factory, not a reseller.
• Full customization (OEM/ODM) – from blade shape to branding.
• Quality control – every knife is forged and inspected in-house.
• Cost-effectiveness – cutting out resellers keeps your margins healthy.

By working directly with the source, you get better products, more flexibility, and a stronger long-term business model.

Final thoughts

Matsato’s appeal is easy to see: stylish looks, bold marketing, and the promise of “samurai-level” sharpness. 

But the reality is simpler. It’s a Lithuanian brand reselling mass-produced Chinese knives. Reviews tell the story: great sharpness at first, but quick dulling and modest durability.

For consumers, Matsato can be a fun budget buy. For businesses, the smarter path is direct partnership with Yangjiang manufacturers. 

At LeeKnives, we provide factory-direct transparency, craftsmanship, and customization, qualities that middleman brands can’t match.

Ultimately, Matsato shows why Yangjiang, not Japan, is the true engine of modern cutlery. And tapping into that hub directly is the best way to get lasting value.

Request a quote from LeeKnives today and see how direct sourcing gives you more control, better quality, and stronger margins.