We walked all along the restaurant/kitchen-supplies strip on our first day in Tokyo, looking for a particular type of whetting stone for a friend who does woodworking back in Brooklyn. After many stops and inquiries that came up dry, we found this interesting and welcoming shop, which had exactly what we were seeking and at a price that was nearly half what our friend had told us to expect. We had not yet gotten cash in yen, but the proprietor generously waived his credit card minimum so that we could buy the stones that day - which was critical, since his store (like most others) was closing that evening for the week around New Year's. He also thoughtfully and expertly wrapped the stones individually and then threw in a gift pair of tiny folding scissors. This place is great, and I would come back for actual knives on a future trip to Tokyo.

I have been going here for three years and always take our guests to Union Commerce if they are in the market for a Japanese Kitchen knife. The two older gentlemen are very nice but don't speak much english - don't let that intimidate you from buying or shopping here. They will let you hold any knife and will give you a small gift if you decide to purchase one of their many top brands - they carry all the top brands in Japan. They will also give you english versions of caring for your new purchases. Highly recommend a stop by this small little shop, packed with the best Japanese knives in Tokyo.