It seems that the rise of the celebrity chef has created a demand for equally celebrated blades in the kitchen. And the brightest, steely stars on the chopping board now? They would be Japanese.

Knife exports are defying the country’s recent dive in sales abroad.

It is not just the Japanese who are reaping the benefits. Sales of knives costing more than $150 are up 15 per cent on last year in the US, although sales of cheaper knives are down.

But what makes Japanese knives so special? Jay Patel, owner of the Japanese Knife Company London, says: “It’s the hard steel the Japanese use and the way that steel is forged in multiple layers.”

So sharpness is the key. Added to this is the appearance, with the aggressive, menacing dropped blade point and no-nonsense straight handle. It sends a message of exotic, masculine cool. No wonder sales figures suggest that most buyers of upmarket Japanese kitchen knives are men. Treated right, the knives also last a lifetime, says Patel. And well they might, with an average knife costing £125 at his shop. Many sell for about £250 and not a few cost more than £500. Watch out for Chinese imitations, though.