What do you imagine when you hear the word “kajiya”?“

As someone who uses knives, the fifth-generation owner immediately thinks of a blacksmith.

Or perhaps you might think of someone named Kajitani.

The other day, while speaking with a young person, the subject turned to knife sharpening, and I casually used the term kajiya, or “blacksmith.”

I have forgotten the details, but I think I said something along the lines of, “Blacksmiths are good at sharpening knives.”

However, for that young person, “kajiya” did not bring blacksmiths to mind, but rather a housekeeping service, so we were somehow talking at cross purposes.

When I asked more closely, it seemed that the kajiya I had mentioned sounded to him like a household-help service.

Hmm, certainly—if it were a housekeeping service, perhaps they might offer knife sharpening as well.

Incidentally, that young person did not know that blacksmithing was a profession. I suppose that, too, is simply a sign of the times.

But what I find wonderful is that, upon hearing kajiya, he instantly came up with a word that seemed fitting based on his own knowledge.

Having a flexible mind is a good thing.

Now then, enough idle talk—shall we sharpen some knives today as well?