In Japanese, "Shun" (pronounced "shoon" and rhymes with "moon") is the precise moment during the year when any particular food is at the peak of its perfection. Shun Cutlery proudly takes its name from this Japanese culinary tradition of preparing and eating the very freshest food at the perfect "shun" moment. In the great tradition of Seki's sword smiths, every knife is handmade by highly skilled specialists and requires at least 100 handcrafted steps to complete. Every day, the legacy of ancient sword smiths serves as inspiration to the artisans in the Kai factories. Kai's 100-year-old tradition of blade-making excellence, combined with the newest technology and the most advanced materials, makes every Shun knife a functional work of art.