In a town in central Japan renowned for producing kitchen cutlery, an artisan has devoted himself to painstakingly honing the sharpest blades imaginable, an obsession that has earned him a clientele made up of the world's top chefs.Hiroki Kobayashi, 42, is the chief executive officer of Raicho, a company located in Seki, Gifu Prefecture that specializes in producing professional kitchen knives. Like the glistening blades he crafts, Kobayashi has a twinkle in his eye.The knives cost from 40,000 yen to 160,000 yen each ($300-$1,230) and there is a two-year customer waiting list, meaning most …READ FULL ARTICLE
