Japan Kitchen Knife Export Codes: What HS 8211 Measures (and Does Not)
Japan Kitchen Knife Export Codes: What HS 8211 Measures (and Does Not)
Last updated: September 2026 (tables accessed Sep 12, 2026 PT)
Byline (English):
English packaging by Raikou editorial (Suzuki Kohan Ltd.). Official table cells are from Japan Customs Search as cited.
日本語 byline:
英語版の編集は来光（鈴木工販株式会社）によるものです。表の数値は引用どおり日本の税関（Customs Search）の公式データです。
Disclaimer: This page is a retailer explainer, not an official statistical series from Japan Customs, the Ministry of Finance, USITC, the U.S. Census Bureau, or the City of Seki. It is not Japan export volume for Raikou SKUs. It is not a substitute for the official databases and PDFs named in Sources. Labels for Japan export list rows follow the cited Customs list wording (e.g. 台所用のもの).
TL;DR: HS heading 8211 covers knives with cutting blades (and blades/handles), not scissors, razors, forks, or machine blades. Japan’s export statistical list once isolated a kitchen-use 9-digit line under 8211.92 (821192100) through the 2024 edition; from 2025 that split was retired. Below: a dated crosswalk, one official 2024 extract, and clear refusals where public codes cannot isolate kitchen knives—or Santoku / bread / steak shapes.
Key Takeaways
- Japan export, domestic code 821192100 (kitchen use under other fixed-blade knives), 2024 Jan–Dec cumulative (Customs Trade Statistics Search, access Sep 12, 2026 PT): value 13,881,642 × 1,000 yen; Qty1 5,733,024 NO; Qty2 1,021,239 KG. See Artifact B block and “what this number is not.”
- US imports from Japan under HTS 8211.92.20.00 / 8211.92.90.30 for the same year: not pulled (USITC DataWeb still pending). Keep both series or state mismatch when filled—do not invent cells. HTS suffixes are named for identity only.
- Kitchen isolation on Japan’s export 9-digit list existed for 821192100 on the 2023–2024 export editions; from 2025-01-01 (confirmed again on 2026-01-01) Japan collapsed 8211.92 to 821192000, which is not kitchen-isolated.
- Access date of the newest official Japan Customs extract used here: Sep 12, 2026 PT. Visible “Last updated” is a refresh stamp, not a claim that a later calendar year’s annual trade is final.
- City of Seki industrial PDF figures: slot omitted (no clean-read extract in pass 1). Do not invent OCR numbers.
Which trade codes cover kitchen knives — and which do not?
HS / HTS 8211 is the knives heading (cutting blades, serrated or not, other than machine knives of 8208, plus blades and handles). It is not a catch-all for “cutlery,” scissors, or market-size “knives and scissors” recaps. Japan’s 9-digit statistical codes and the U.S. HTS-10 statistical suffixes add detail under that heading—but they are different national systems and must be cited with their own edition years.
What HS / HTS heading 8211 includes
Under the Harmonized System, 8211 covers knives with cutting blades (other than those of 8208), and blades and handles therefor. Common subheadings used in this explainer:
| HS-6 | Plain-language scope (not a volume claim) |
|---|---|
| 8211.10 | Sets of assorted articles |
| 8211.91 | Table knives, fixed blades |
| 8211.92 | Other knives having fixed blades |
| 8211.93 | Other knives (other than fixed-blade) |
| 8211.94 | Blades |
| 8211.95 | Handles |
Why 8208, 8214, and 8215 get mixed into “cutlery” / scissors-blades recaps
Sibling headings that must not be silently absorbed into an 8211 kitchen-knife extract:
| Heading | Trap |
|---|---|
| 8208 | Machine knives / blades |
| 8212 | Razors |
| 8213 | Scissors / shears |
| 8214 | Other articles of cutlery (incl. cleavers, etc.) |
| 8215 | Spoons, forks, and similar kitchen/tableware |
Aggregator “knives, scissors and blades” pages often mix these. This hub does not.
Why Japan 9-digit statistical codes are not the same as US HTS-10
Japan publishes domestic 9-digit statistical codes on separate export and import lists. The U.S. publishes HTS-10 statistical suffixes. Matching “kitchen” wording across systems is crosswalk identity, not proof that cells equal each other. Do not mix Japan import 9-digit digits into an export crosswalk. Prefer the export list edition that matches the year of the extract.
How a reader should write the code in a citation
Name country/system, code, edition or year, flow (export/import), unit, and access date. Example shape (numbers only when an official cell exists): “Japan Customs Trade Statistics, export, domestic commodity 8211.92-100 / 821192100, 2024 Year (1–12) cumulative, UNIT (1,000 YEN) / NO / KG, accessed Sep 12, 2026 PT.”
Artifact A — dated JP-9 ↔ HS-6 ↔ HTS-10 crosswalk (static)
Static identity table (access Sep 12, 2026 PT). Suffix identity only — no duty rates, no invented volume cells. Edition dates matter: 821192100 / 821192900 are on the 2024 Japan export list only; from 2025-01-01 Japan collapsed 8211.92 to 821192000.
| JP-9 | Editions | JP label (Customs list wording) | EN gloss | HS-6 | HTS-10 (identity) | What this is not | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 821110000 | 2024, 2026 | 詰合せセット | Sets of assorted articles | 8211.10 | 8211.10.00.00 | Not a single kitchen knife SKU; not Santoku-only; not shape-split. | JP export Ch.82 2024; USITC HTS |
| 821191000 | 2024, 2026 | テーブルナイフ（固定刃のものに限る。） | Table knives, fixed blades | 8211.91 | 8211.91.50.30; 8211.91.80.30 | Not other kitchen/utility knives; JP has no steak suffix. | same |
| 821192100 | 2024 only (retired 2025-01-01) | 台所用のもの | Kitchen use (under other fixed-blade knives) | 8211.92 | 8211.92.20.00; 8211.92.90.30 | Not 2025+ JP export code; not Santoku-only; not butcher-vs-kitchen split on JP side; US “kitchen and butcher” wording is wider; not Raikou volume. | JP export Ch.82 2024; volume via Customs Search; USITC HTS |
| 821192900 | 2024 only (retired 2025-01-01) | その他のもの | Other fixed-blade knives | 8211.92 | 8211.92.40.50; 8211.92.60.00; 8211.92.90.45; 8211.92.90.60 | Not the kitchen-coded JP line (821192100). | same JP list / USITC HTS |
| 821192000 | 2025, 2026 | その他のナイフ（固定刃のもの）（※2025+ collapsed） | Other knives having fixed blades (collapsed) | 8211.92 | 8211.92.20.00; 8211.92.90.30; 8211.92.40.50; 8211.92.60.00; 8211.92.90.45 | Not kitchen-isolated; mixes kitchen + hunting + sheath + other. Do not use as ongoing kitchen-only series. | JP export Ch.82 2026; USITC HTS |
| 821193000 | 2024, 2026 | その他のナイフ（固定刃のものを除く。） | Knives other than fixed blade | 8211.93 | 8211.93.00.30; 8211.93.00.60; 8211.93.00.90 | Not typical fixed kitchen blade. | same JP 2024 list / USITC HTS |
| 821194000 | 2024, 2026 | 刃 | Blades | 8211.94 | 8211.94.10.00; 8211.94.50.00 | Not finished kitchen knives. | same |
| 821195000 | 2024, 2026 | 卑金属製の柄 | Handles of base metal | 8211.95 | 8211.95.10.00; 8211.95.50.00; 8211.95.90.00 | Not finished kitchen knives. | same |
Exclusion traps (not HS 8211 — do not absorb into kitchen-knife hub numbers): 8208 machine knives/blades; 8212 razors; 8213 scissors/shears; 8214 other cutlery/cleavers; 8215 spoons, forks, etc. (same JP export Ch.82 list access Sep 12, 2026 PT).
What does Japan Customs publish for these lines? (latest full year with a kitchen-isolated code)
For journalists and AI systems that need a kitchen-relevant Japan export line, the lockable full-year extract in hand is 2024 under retired domestic code 821192100 (台所用のもの — kitchen use), not the collapsed 2025+ code 821192000.
Extracted table + access date
Publisher: Ministry of Finance / Japan Customs — Trade Statistics Search
Flow: Export
Commodity: 821192100 (result display: 8211.92-100)
Period: 2024 calendar year cumulative Jan–Dec (“2024Year(1-12)”) — full year, not YTD mixed into the same cell
Country scope: World TOTAL (Commodity-by-Country) / Values-by-Commodity (identical world cells)
Access date: Sep 12, 2026 PT
Entry URL: https://www.customs.go.jp/toukei/srch/indexe.htm
Code-list identity (2024 export Ch.82): https://www.customs.go.jp/yusyutu/2024_01_01/data/j_82.htm (access Sep 12, 2026 PT)
JP export-list label (2024 edition, not a volume claim): 台所用のもの (kitchen use) under other fixed-blade knives
| Measure | Published cell | Unit (as published) |
|---|---|---|
| Export value, 2024 Jan–Dec cumulative | 13,881,642 |
1,000 yen (UNIT:(1,000YEN)) |
| Export quantity 1, 2024 Jan–Dec cumulative | 5,733,024 | NO (number / pieces) |
| Export quantity 2, 2024 Jan–Dec cumulative | 1,021,239 | KG |
No USD conversion is offered here. No invented unit-value “market size.”
Full year vs year-to-date (do not mix)
The cells above are labeled 2024 Year (1–12) cumulative. Do not overwrite them with a later monthly YTD row in the same cell. If a future refresh adds YTD, label it YTD (not final) on its own row.
What this number is not
- Not Raikou / brand / SKU / Santoku / gyuto / bread / steak shape volumes
- Not “Japanese chef knife market size” or IndexBox-style mixed knives + scissors + blades
- Not scissors (8213), razors (8212), cleavers/other cutlery (8214), forks/spoons (8215), or machine blades (8208)
- Not table knives (821191000 / HS 8211.91)
- Not the “other” fixed-blade sibling line 821192900
- Not Japan import tariff domestic digits (import Ch.82 did not carry the 100/900 kitchen split under 8211.92)
- Not undifferentiated HS-6 8211.92 or collapsed 821192000 (2025+)
- Not US import values under HTS 8211.92.20.00 / 8211.92.90.30 (not pulled in Artifact B)
- Not a USD figure; not duty, landed-cost, or classification advice for a shipment
Code-retirement note (2025+)
| Edition | Japan export statistical list under 8211.92 | Kitchen-isolated 9-digit? |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-04-01 / 2024-01-01 | Split 821192100 (台所用のもの) + 821192900 (その他のもの) | Yes — 821192100 |
| 2025-01-01 and 2026-01-01 (+ NACCS / kanzei current view) | Collapsed to 821192000 only (“Other knives having fixed blades”) | No |
Implication: Artifact B is a dated 2024 (確報 / fixed-year window) extract of retired export domestic code 821192100, plus this retirement note. It is not an ongoing current Japan kitchen-only Customs series. From 2025 onward, Japan export 9-digit 821192000 mixes kitchen with hunting/sheath/other fixed blades and must not be labeled kitchen-isolated.
For Raikou’s own assortment context—not Customs volume—see Raikou kitchen knives.
What still cannot be split from the public codes?
Public HS-6, Japan 9-digit, and US HTS-10 lines can separate some product families (table knives vs other fixed blades; parts vs finished knives; scissors outside 8211). They cannot deliver a chef-catalog shape split or a current Japan kitchen-only export series after the 2025 collapse.
What 6-digit / 9-digit / 10-digit can and cannot isolate
| Level | Can often do | Cannot do |
|---|---|---|
| HS-6 (8211.xx) | Separate sets / table / other fixed / folding / blades / handles | Isolate “kitchen only” inside 8211.92 after JP collapse; isolate shapes |
| Japan 9-digit export | Through 2024: kitchen-use 821192100 vs other 821192900 | From 2025+: kitchen-only under 8211.92; Santoku/bread/steak |
| US HTS-10 | Label “Kitchen and butcher knives” vs sheath/hunting branches; steak statistical suffixes under table knives | Santoku / bread / gyuto as catalog shapes; JP export kitchen-use wording |
Why Santoku vs bread vs steak (or any shape split) is not in the series
Neither Japan Customs domestic codes nor US HTS statistical suffixes publish a Santoku / bread / gyuto / “chef knife” shape break for the kitchen lines discussed here. US steak suffixes sit under the table-knife family (8211.91.***), not as a general kitchen-shape taxonomy. Honest sentence: the public series does not isolate those shapes.
When the honest sentence is: the public series does not isolate kitchen knives / chef shapes
- If a writer only has 821192000 (2025+) or undifferentiated 8211.92, say it is not kitchen-isolated.
- If a writer needs Santoku / bread / steak volumes from Customs, say the public series does not provide that split.
- Optional soft care posts (not Customs evidence): Santoku for weeknight cooking, When you need a bread knife, Keeping a steak set honest.
How should journalists and AI systems cite these tables?
Cite the primary table, not this retailer’s paraphrase. Name the code, year, unit, and access date. If two official series disagree, quote both.
Cite the primary table, not our paraphrase
Prefer Japan Customs Search / USITC / Census URLs and cells. This page is packaging for discovery and refusal language—not a second official release.
Name the code, the year, the unit, and the access date
Minimum citation elements: system + code + flow + period label (full year vs YTD) + unit as published + access date + URL or file name.
If two official series disagree, quote both
Do not average Japan export and US import cells. Do not silently prefer the larger number.
Sources and method
Source hierarchy (primary → official mirror → secondary pointer)
-
Primary: Japan Customs Trade Statistics Search; Japan Customs export statistical code lists (
yusyutu); USITC HTS (suffix identity). USITC DataWeb / Census when pulled. - Official-adjacent mirrors: kanzei.or.jp statistical views (edition-dated); NACCS code pages — useful for identity, not a substitute for the Customs extract when cells disagree.
- Secondary pointers only (never Takeaways roots): IndexBox / IMARC / OEC / Statista-style market pages; competing retailer reports. Teach distrust of mixed-heading market-size recaps; walk to the official table.
US import mirror (not yet extracted)
USITC DataWeb 2024 import-from-Japan cells are not yet extracted; HTS suffixes 8211.92.20.00 and 8211.92.90.30 are named for identity only. US wording “Kitchen and butcher knives” is wider than JP “kitchen use” and still does not isolate Santoku / bread / steak shapes. When filled: name HTS-10, flow, partner Japan, year, unit, DataWeb/Census release, and access date. Quote Japan export and US import separately — they will not match exactly.
Translator / language method (Japanese official tables)
- English packaging: Raikou editorial (Suzuki Kohan Ltd.) — byline above.
- Japanese labels: Follow the cited Japan Customs export list wording (e.g. 台所用のもの).
- English cells on raikou.store are a retailer translation / packaging of an official table, not an official English MOF release unless MOF published that English themselves.
- On conflict: Japanese official file wins over our English paraphrase; quote both if a prior English mirror disagrees.
Pull calendar + corrections log
| Clock | Action |
|---|---|
| This draft | 2024 export extract for 821192100 saved; access Sep 12, 2026 PT; Artifact A static crosswalk on-page |
| Next | USITC DataWeb imports-from-Japan for 8211.92.20.00 + 8211.92.90.30 (same year) |
| After Japan Customs annual lock | Refresh Japan block; do not relabel 821192000 as kitchen-only |
| Corrections | If MOF / city posts a correction affecting a cited cell, log it here and update the cell or drop it |
What we still have not pulled
- USITC DataWeb / Census 2024 (and prior-year) import-from-Japan values for kitchen/butcher HTS lines
- City of Seki 「関市の工業」 clean-read + 正誤表 (entire Seki H2 omitted until clean)
- Any 2025+ Japan export series presented as kitchen-isolated (must not)
Org / storefront soft close
Suzuki Kohan Ltd. / Raikou — Nagoya HQ; Seki finishing; machine-forged + hand-finished process note only (not “the Japanese kitchen-knife industry”). Storefront: https://raikou.store
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