Tsushima Island: Where Nature’s Splendor Battles a Tide of Plastic

Nestled in the cerulean embrace of the Korea Strait, halfway between Japan’s Kyushu Island and the Korean Peninsula, Tsushima emerges as a realm of untamed beauty. Rugged mountains carpeted in emerald forests cradle ecosystems found nowhere else on Earth, including the critically endangered Tsushima leopard cat.

Along its dramatic coasts, tides carve poetry into cliffs, while hidden coves whisper secrets of marine life. Yet this island paradise faces an existential threat: unrelenting plastic pollution.

The Ocean’s Unwelcome Gift

Each year, Tsushima’s shores endure 20,000 to 30,000 cubic meters of plastic debris, bottles, and fishing nets on its beaches. Despite relentless cleanup efforts by locals, only 30–40% (8,000 cubic meters) is reclaimed annually. The rest remains, fracturing into microplastics that disrupt ecosystems, choke seabirds, and poison the fisheries sustaining both Tsushima’s communities and global food chains.

Forging Solutions: The Ocean Knife Project

Since 2022, MUSAHSI JAPAN and environmental pioneers Buoy Yokohama have transformed Tsushima’s plastic waste into symbols of hope. Our Ocean Knife, a tool whose handle is crafted entirely from recycled shoreline debris, is a unity of traditional craftsmanship with an eco-conscious vision. Each knife tells a story: once-polluting plastics are reborn as functional art, proving that sustainability and industry can coexist.

Using plastic waste collected from Tsushima’s beaches, we began developing knife handles that were not only functional and beautiful but also carried a deeper story. After relentless prototyping, the second-generation Ocean Knife comes with improvements to better match its virgin plastic counterpart. Additionally, each handle includes an NFC chip to verify your blade’s journey from polluted coastlines to your kitchen.

Preserving the Craft — and the Planet That Nurtured It

At Musashi Japan, blades are not forged but breathed into being.

For generations, artisans have honed the ancient dance of fire and steel. Crafting knives that transcend utility to become heirlooms. In a world of fleeting trends, a Musashi knife stands defiant. Imbued with over 1% carbon, transform into blades so hard, so precise, they outlive their owners. Chefs wield the same knife for decades, not out of habit, but reverence. Each slice is a testament to intentionality: own only what you cherish, care for it deeply, and let it serve lifetimes.

Our Ocean Knives come in a variety of models:

• Santoku AUS-8 Polished Ocean Sakura Handle— versatile, sharp, perfect for everything from vegetables to proteins　

• Nakiri AUS-10  Tsuchime Damascus Ocean Black White Gold Handle — a reliable everyday knife rooted in Japanese home cooking　

•  Santoku AUS-8 Polished Ocean Black Handle — a chef’s knife, perfect for precision meat work and Western cuisine　

We want our knives to trigger global awareness of ocean plastic, not just in Tsushima but in all our oceans and coastlines. Through conversation or social media,

Awareness is the first step in taking action.

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