This Thing’s Incredible
A series where we share products that are so good we would do an entire infomercial about it. (But instead, we published this review.) Read more here.
Photo: Alison Freer
I first became aware of the hori-hori knife — a true marvel of Japanese reliability, simplicity, efficiency, and ingenuity — on a trip to Home Depot, where they called it a “Multi-Function Garden Knife.” I loved mine so much that I bought one for my dad as a gift — and when my mom saw it, she exclaimed, “Oh! A hori-hori knife!” Of course moms always know everything, but if you, like me, were new to this clever blade, a bit of quick research revealed it is is much, much more elegant and useful than just a garden-variety garden tool.
The hori-hori knife dates back centuries, to a time when agriculture was central to Japanese mountain life. Cleverly designed to harvest root vegetables and bonsai trees, it also cuts through dead stalks, roots, and mulch bags like butter. Adding the hori-hori knife to my tool bucket has replaced my constant grabbing for multiple tools. Instead of separately using my scissors, hand shovel, trowel, utility knife, and handsaw, I simply use my hori-hori knife for scooping, digging, cutting, seeding, sawing, and even measuring (the blade is marked in inches so you can easily deduce how much farther down you need to dig for planting).
The serrated edge hacks through dead branches while the long, narrow, pointed blade loosens dirt and digs around plants and weeds far better than a hand shovel. If you are pulling out a dead plant or weed, sink the blade into the dirt surrounding your target, scoop out the roots with the pointed end, and use the serrated blade to cut through any particularly woody stems. (The pointed end allows you to easily extract the whole root of the weed, not just the top foliage, lessening the chance that said weed will just pop right back up next week.)
Instead of putting your hand shovel down beside you to find the scissors to cut open a bag of mulch or soil, you can use the sharp edge of your hori-hori knife to slice through the packaging. I simply never put it down while I’m working in the yard, bringing a level of efficiency to my yard work that I had not previously experienced.
My Home Depot version of this knife is still available, but there are far more traditional-inspired, almost artisanal versions of this cleverly designed tool out there. After a few uses, you’ll easily understand how the hori-hori knife has been delighting gardeners for over 400 years.
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The Strategist is designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read about here. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.