20 Japanese Businesses Making The Most Expensive Products In The World | Business Insider
Foot-stomped calligraphy ink from Nara will set you back over $1,000.
Matsusaka wagyu from Mie Prefecture? A single cow once sold for about $400,000.
And say you're in the market for a bonsai tree. Well, many of those are considered priceless. Japan is full of people who've dedicated their lives to perfecting their crafts. But the skills, resources, and time needed to create goods like these don't come cheap.
Here's why 20 Japanese products and delicacies are so expensive.
00:00:00 - Intro
00:00:45 - Chef’s Knives
00:10:31 - Calligraphy Ink
00:22:41 - Wagyu Beef
00:34:44 - Chiso Simonos
00:46:47 - Japanese Swords
00:52:13 - Eels
00:58:41 - Bonsai Trees
01:04:14 - Longbows
01:11:08 - Calligraphy Brushes
01:20:11- Tiger Fugu
01:25:43 - Iron Kettles
01:36:32 - Matcha
01:47:14 - Matsutake Mushrooms
01:55:04 - Denim
02:06:00 - Porcelain
02:13:50 - Sake
02:31:34 - Soy Sauce
02:44:09 - Olive Wagyu
02:53:12 - Honma Golf Clubs
03:03:28 - Hair Shears
03:13:09 - Credits
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20 Japanese Businesses Making The Most Expensive Products In The World | Business Insider
I really admire the Japanese in that they can dedicate their entire lives to maintaining and perfecting products to perfection.
Americans are infamous for our inability or unwillingness to make long term plans like that. There's no way we could commit to a hundred or even fifty year plan with any success, we can barely give a decade to anything. We've lost our purpose and we don't know what we want out of life on an individual level, let alone as a collective. Other "less developed" countries are set up very well to take our former place over the next few decades.
which website to buy thsi products fromn london>
maybe you can check on their website.@@flag_bearertruth6257
@@phillipduvall8638 ignorant comment from someone who clearly doesn't check economic stats
@@yt_nh9347 For real.
Countries all over the world have specialist craftspeople making top of the line products which become works of art but Japan takes that craftsmanship to the next level in practically everything they do. It says something of the people who strive for perfection in all things. They even look for it in the broken and imperfect, what an admirable mindset, worthy of respect.
wabi-sabi
I couldn't have said it better!!
Take for example the craft of designing and making semiconductors which Americans have taken to extraordinary levels of craftmanship. For example the Intel or AMD processor chips.
3/4 craftsmanship 1/4 PT barnum showmanship. Japanese marketing goes more than a little over the top.
@@gortnewton4765 too bad the US cant keep up with Taiwan 😂
The most expensive resource in the world is time. That's what gives *actual value* to cultural objects. Marketing departments sometimes make you think that the value lies somewhere else..
Their attitude is amazing. Even the way they speak - you can hear love in their voices towards whats they are doing... Warms my heart.
um.... who are you even talking about? there are lots of people in this video.
Japanese attitudes are very humble. Notice how the matcha farmer refuses to ever admit his tea is good, always saying its "maa maa" or "so-so"? That is extremely Japanese, he will likely NEVER admit it's good, because that would be considered arrogance in their culture.
What a beautiful culture, full of dedicated hard working people!
ROTFLMAO!!!
@@ArabellaPottery apparently, he didn't read the history..
no.
@@Play4Vida So true.
Yes,their culture is beautiful ! It's very sad that there are many people who read fake history of Japan made up by US ,CCP and other anti-Japan evil forces. Stupidity preveils
The specialization of their craftsmen is truly amazing.
just summed up why AI is KILLttenning -(sry filter 🤞avoison =;r[) civillisasion with Slowed and LOWED - innovation (at the blooding edge outlook)_, too bad they didn't get or lose etc the inevitable, yet arguably far too, early irioniclly also likely too late =-;r[] inveintion tho rioght :[] inventing undercutting (firswt our ijncomgine then our family size and then literally our legs/lives:( is with kindlss and craftm([(]chine)smnshi[p with love and r3espedfct tp you my (sub?:)_humnan friends ❣
What a commitment of all these craftsmen as well as the people have produce such a documentary. wonderful....
Unfortunately only elite 1% can afford it.
I can't say which was my favorite. These talented happy hands create love in my heart. Thanks for this excellent documentary.
no.
The ink is absurd. It is way more about cultural importance than use. It’s basically art itself. The knives were my favorite tbh. I had the pleasure to use one of their knives once when I dated a professional chef and she had three of them. The sharpness was not overrated-when I say you could cut hair off of your arms, I mean without exerting an ounce of pressure. It was literally dangerous to use
What an amazing man. I was lucky enough to see DEVO one time in Melbourne, Australia nearly 40 years ago now. Still one of the most memorable concerts I've seen.
Bro might be making knives but his salesmanship is first rate. I don’t even cook and I want one 😂
How do you eat?
@@1gbayfisher takeout and girlfriend/family. Somehow the universe always pairs me with women that cook 😅
Perfectionism made with pride. How wonderful and very Japanese. Thank you.
Beautifully executed!! editing, filming, and the sound of the voice-over girl is so soothing. beautiful music background:) this is just the most relaxing informative documentary I've seen recently thank you!
Love these compilations!
watched the entire video and its all absolutely fascinating really appreciate you sharing all of this
Thanks for a great segment once again. Much love to all!
can't say which was my favorite. These talented happy hands create love in my heart. Thanks for this excellent documentary.
every freaking they make (ink, ketle, knife, wine, soy sauce, meat...) can become gold, they do it super precisely at every step, each step takes years to master.
Incredible art of crafting. Quality over quantity. Each human can learn so much from appreciating expertise and paying the price for it. We dont need much. It keeps the mind and home clean.
no.
@play4vida - you seem to be dedicated to troll these comments with "no" as a simple argument or maybe a mean/trick to "engage" conversation...
@@shandhaula no.
@@ktakahara9145 lol - I think he's a troll Play Station 4 gamer. And Vida is Spanish. I would think about a US or South American origin. China still at war with Japan? Let's see.... Good luck with Yonaguni reinforcement.
Proudly , i can say i have one Takayuki knife with the same quality as takamura, ( with Damascus VG-10) These families has been making the best knifes in the world. The feeling of using these knifes are in another level.
日本、お疲れ様でした 🙏🇯🇵
One has to admire these folks
This was so awesome and incredibly well made!
in work and mastery culture,Japan is NEXT LEVEL,nobody compares,the country is not perfect,but in those,they will never leave the first position!
Work culture in Japan is so NEXT LEVEL people have been dying from mental exhaustion at a greater rate than even the US...
I need to learn a useful trade like these respectable masters. They are a true gem to life and many are elderly. Just to say that hopefully their life works and skill are one day passed down. I could sit and watch them for hours, days, even years and not get tired of their crafts. They are truly amazing people!!!
Wow! Japanese put in 100% effort and patience in everything they do. Thanks to the creators of this video. It's insanely informative:)
It's not expensive, it's very valuable and beautiful, it's art.
It's more then art. You look in the eyes hear the thoughts and you will see passion and hear the story of what is being carefully made. Best is made by this. lol Better then mass produced wouldn't you think?
@@ayumimoonlight6128 you're right. Thanks for your reply 👍 🙂
The culture of the Japanese is truly incredible. Come to think that to make one Sumi ink stick it takes four years!
Every time I hear "simple" I know what will follow: "but takes years to master".
Having lived in Japan I can say with certainty that "Buy quality, cry once" holds true.
love this:)
mega video!! I love japanes people and their urge for perfection! Awesome skills collected since hundrets of years and many generations!
You're amazing, a legend and a pioneer!
I really love this Japanese philosophy.
Very beautifull to watch Japanese society and dedication to hard work. Unfortunately it does not necessarily rhymes with business success or mere surviving . That is the sad part, BUT a call to pragmatism to join with quality of workmanship. When I see all these item sold on Amazon with proof of origin, I will hope for Japanese joining financial survival with their cultural treasures.
When I came to Canada from Japan, I was surprised to find that Amazon in North America was filled with various brands that looked like Japan but were actually unheard of in Japan.... Actually, they are not from Japan or some low-end products.
I use Japanese knife once and fell in love with it ever since. It has beautiful texture unlike any other and sharp! I also love that some of them still use wooden handle with no bolt vs synthetic material.
Again you make my eyes leak pea. Well done love your work.
It's not always that people don't want high quality items, it's that they're not affordable for anybody but the upper class. With the cost of living constantly increasing, nobody can afford to buy quality goods if they cost 10-20x more than the mass produced ones. It makes me mad that that's how it is, but there's only so much we can do. Sometimes it makes sense to splurge on high end items if you're going to use them frequently, like the knives. But many of these other things would be more for a hobby or to display or use a few times, and it doesn't make much sense to pay so much for something you won't use very often. I have so much respect for these craftsmen who put so much time and effort they out into everything they do.
“Nobody can afford quality goods” Some of these things have YEARS-LONG waiting times. So yeah, plenty of ppl can afford it, and you just sound like a broke crybaby
No one in a single industry uses any of the items shown, for simple fact of they are literally sub part to modern cheap made equivalents. The only people buying this garbage are rich people who like to talk to their friends about how this dog shit piece of ink stank actually took many hours to make lol.
I really admire the dedication that these Japanese put on to their crafts, i used to work in a Japanese company in Cavite they always aim for perfection!
I believe that old man is still getting them cows drunk 🤣
Inspiring, thanks for sharing.
Absolutely incredible 3 hour special. I would love to check out the jeans and porcelain :). Thanks for a wonderful eye-opening documentary.
Yes, you’re absolutely right but since my wife and daughter are my caregivers since I am disabled, I’m 56 years old and probably won’t make it to 60 so I just wanted to give my daughter something really nice so when I’m no longer here she can always look at it hold it in her hand and think of me getting that for her. I have nothing to leave my daughter but memories so that’s why I was saying if I could get her something nice I know it’s expensive and I can’t afford it but I wish I could, just so she would always remember me when she’s using it when she’s cooking or doing anything so this way she remembers that I did what I could with what I had in the short time I have left so thank you for responding. I totally agree with you. It’s just having nothing to leave your daughter, but she takes care of you since I’m disabled, I just want to something nice for her. Thank you for reaching out to me. Stay safe, everyone.
i just love the bonsai lady!
Japanese people always create interesting things😊
no.
@@Play4Vida 😁😁
Thank you for your comments. Please like and subscribe if you enjoy this video.
fantasticaly interesting video!!!.. THANK YOU!!!!
Great video Business Insider.
Japanese craftanship just cant be topped i have to say. I know good stuff comes out of Europe but Japan has turned excellence into a philosophy. Something western car manufacturers will never understand.
look at all those hard working people. they arent trying to enrich themselves. And while they have done well fro themselves, obviously, it looks like they are very dedicated to fullfill their legacy by creating/crafting their produtcs and became legends while doing it.
What amazing nation , honor and traditions above all.
You gets what you pays for but quite frankly the craftmanship of some Japanese products is so beautiful money is secondary.
Japanese knives are amazing. I own and use them for work and seldom sharpen them.
Greetings from Tricity in Poland. Thx for this interesting video
2:00:00 id like to correct the narrator here. Toyota are still producing the weaving machines. I work with their latests air jet weaving machines, and ive worked many years with denim. Other than the natural dyeing method they use in this video, denim can be produced very efficiently and with high quality compared to what i see in this video
Same Toyota that produced cars with fake engine test results and extremely dangerous acceleration pedals? Such delusion.
That moment when you realize, Yep, it’s worth the price.
Eye-opening!
The love shown for a culture with no regards to animal cruelty is astounding.
Japanese people are well known for the efforts they give in everything they do wether it's food, crafts, or electronic products. They have this term, kodawari (relentless pursuit of perfection), which they apply in their craftsmanship. I've always been at awe at the Japanese strive for perfectionism and dedication to work. This Japanese concept of “kaizen” of continual improvement throughout their lives are their pursuit of perfection.
Loving the IPL-themed games at 4 RABBIT. Points, prizes, and cricket - what more could we ask for?
Interesting 😮
AMAZING GREAT VIDEO THUMBS UP 10 OT OF 10
One of the most creative nations in the world. I am 60 and I am thinking to learn Japanese, for I like J-rock ballads. I just wonder if it is possible to do at such age?
I'm learning Spanish at 57. Learning languages is good mental exercise. The challenge with Japanese is the Kani writing system, but it's fairly easy to learn the two Japanese alphabets (hiragana and katakana), and then it's not that much more difficult than, say, Spanish. The key thing is to use the right learning tools (hint: don't use Dueling for Japanese); there are some Reddit groups with pretty good overviews of Japanese learning resources (I'd be more specific but I'm hardly an expert polyglot.)
@@davidhaller7306 yep, I invest a lot of time now in Korean. I did French, started at 40. At 42 I taught Matlab in French, and microeconomics. Granted, I had only Norwegian students, but in Matlab class I had African students. English I stated at 34. At 60 I started Korean but im thinking about Japanese simultaneously. Zut, that’s me. I did some Spanish recently but I hooked on Korean dramas nowadays.
Yes, age has nothing to do with it.
Fluency may come second. Lots of people appreciate your attitude speaking/writing in a foreign language. Japan is at least one of such places. I was born 60 years ago and am living in Japan, one of so many to feel happy to communicate with you in Japanese, too!
The bonsai woman looked like a funny person!
Thanks For Sharing. So Creative. Awesome. > Toronto, Canada
and here i am, eating my ravioli.
I spent over $200 buying Wagyu beef and was surprised to find that it really doesn't tast much better than Spam. Just less salty
Amazing. Shame they didn't include fountain pens. Japanese brands like Pilot/Namiki and Sailor make absolutely gorgeous pens.
I don't like Pilot at all; Uniball is better in my opinion and of course that brand is made in Japan also.
I would love to be able to purchase those knives from that gentleman for my daughter who’s just learning how to cook that would be an awesome gift but the pricing which it’s well worth the money for me I cannot afford, but it’s great watching this video. I’m learning so much. Thank you very much for the video, and as soon as I win the lottery or come into money, I’m definitely going to buy a knife set from that gentleman for my daughter. I’m gonna give her the best knife at out there for her to become the best chef. Thank you again for the video, your knives are awesome very very well. Crafted like an video just like a samurai sword, a lot of heart and soul goes into those knives. I can see happy holidays to everyone.
There are a lot of other less pricy knives that still make an awesome present. Try a good knife shop and let them advice you
Wusthoff is a very good knife. I believe it's German. I have one. It's a filet knife.
@@arfriedman4577 thank you very much I’ll look it up on the Internet. I won’t be able to give it to my daughter for Christmas and at least I’ll be able to give her a good knife. She’s such a good girl. Going to the University to stay home to take care of her father me lol since I’m disabled, she’s the best daughter and father can ask for to do a sacrifice like that because it’s taking her longer. I’m so grateful that I have her in my life and thank you very much for letting me know about that knife. I’ll look into it I just want to give my daughter the very best and I can afford, she’s been giving me the very best of herself being my caregiver the sacrifices she has made for me I could never repay her for that.
@johnsihr4498 your welcome. My Wolfgang puck 3 piece kitchen set was made by wusthoff too. Gordon ramsey uses wusthoff knives I think. There's also zwilling, and Henkels. She may need to see which brand is more comfortable for her to use because they are different weights and thickness.
Are you honestly comparing a mass produced Germany-style SS knife (with a hardness of 58) to a handmade Japanese knife (with a hardness of 63)@@arfriedman4577
Everything in Japan takes 100 years to master
Love the skill wish i could afford these knives
Yes, there is such thing as "craftsmenship", and Japanese are known for it.
Excelente como preparan todo eso
i love the weaving
Casio is amazing
Awesome
japan, where suffering from OCD is financially rewarded,
I lol'd when the young woman brewmaster was asked if she was a very diligent worker and she replied, "not at all. I want to go home as soon as possible." 🤣🤣🤣🤣
how sad it will be when the people of the future do not know these wonderous craft's and skill's. skill's and knowledge is not handed down like it once was.
Japanese whiskey should be on this video
You may be a Japanese whisky fan, but I don't think it is the most expensive product when shipped. The market only makes the price higher and higher. Such large amount of money mostly goes to the market guys.
amazing
For your health organic grass feed start to finish is by far the best.
Japanese woodworking tools: hand planes and chisels. the best in the world.
The Japanese craftsmanship, feeling and attention to detail is something I wish the rest of the world would learn from! I have to say I was a bit disappointed in seeing the raising of the cows, after hearing these cows have a better life than most people, definitely a tale more than anything - not surprising though as the Japanese culture is not very kind to either animals or women. No one is perfect, but we all have lots to learn from this fascinating little country.
Most people don't have a dollar value assigned to them of $300k plus. Its not about the cow, its about the money that can be made from it.
The Japanese tend to be really good at processes that are always done the same way and can take entire generations to perfect and maybe find a slight improvements at the technique. They arent the kings of creativity but whatever they do is taken as close as possible to the point of perfection with rigorous quality controls.
Message: no one needs to be special: yet every one must be special at their own job.
FROM THE VIDEO I LEARNED THAT THOSE THINGS AREN'T EXPENSIVE ITS THE TECHNIQUES & SKILLS WHICH MAKES THEM VALUABLE & EXPENSIVE
Yes, there are a lot of other places to buy knives, but I’m sick and tired of buying junk. I would rather spend the money on quality product that will last me forever instead of buying this junk from China, Taiwan, and all that crap the knives this gentleman makes is unbelievable the amount of time Amount of love in the soul that is put into these knives is like a samurai sword. I would wait 34 years to get knives from this gentleman if I could afford it because quality beats quantity and price every time with me why spend $20 on a piece of crappy knife from China when you could spend a couple hundred dollars on a knife that would last you a lifetime And will probably be sharper than the $20 knife from China as all China does is push out crappy products for the world to buy. I’m sick of it. I just want to buy quality products for a decent price now this man is charging every penny that he deserves for those knives because of the workmanship, the quality that goes into those knives, so whoever can afford knives from this gentleman order them and let me know what you think please and anyone that has a kind heart would love to buy me a couple knives. I would greatly appreciate it to give to my daughter who is my caregiver I’m permanently disabled 17 years now, so she does all the cooking and everything in the house so I would just like to give her a great gift sadly a gift I cannot forward myself. Thank you to everyone that’s reading this. I’m sorry if I brought anybody down I’m just trying to be honest honesty gets far in this world, thank you to everyone happy holidays to everyone stay safe and I hope you get lots and lots of presents John
Wusthoff is a good knife less expensive. I have a filet knife. I think its german.
Well, a $20 knife Made in China can have many many customers around the world. People from poor developing countries and developed countries as well would be happy to spend $20 on a knife. It also depends on what your local shop was willing to pay to buy the product. If they paid the Chinese factory a measly sum, then they can make cheaper products with cheaper quality too. Your local shop could have bought the cheapest quality knife for $1 from China and still try to sell you the knife for $20. China can also make real quality stuff as evidenced by the many technologies they have achieved these days in many fields which has caused the ire of the West. By the way, by not overspending on your knives and buying a $20 knife, you also have more disposable income to spend on many other material stuff to enrich your life or just save up. So don't fault the Made in China knife. You choose to buy a cheap knife. I don't think you would like it if everytime you buy something from your shop it costs as much as all these products in this video...like expensive watermelons and grapes from Japan. They can of course, one just has to go to Erewhon to shop and feel exclusive and exceptional.
knife maintenance itself is a skill (like general care, honing, sharpening and using proper cutting boards). serious (expensive) knives are for serious cooks. an amateur cook can easily wreck an expensive knife (worst case hurt themself) and a skilled cook can perform with a cheap knife, it would just require extra maintenance. leave your daughter to discover what she likes and level up her skills and tools naturally. the best thing you can do is support her every step of the way (including financially), but let her take the lead. let her tell you what she wants or needs. I wish your daughter all the best on this beautiful journey.
japanese products aren't simply better because they are japanese , and not all chinese products are low quality . i can hear the xenophobia talking .. research the products and look at the materials used . a handmade knife that is the same quality as a factory knife but is 200 usd more expensive .. is not worth it or atleast not worth the extra cost . something being handmade doesn't change its intrinsic value
You just gotta know what to buy where. I bought a hand made (hammered) wok from China for like $50 and brought it back to the US in my checked luggage. Better than anything I've ever used or seen on Amazon and even better than my made-in-Japan (but still mass produced) wok. You can buy something similar in the US, but it'll cost like $200-$300 due to shipping weight.
Japan is not only good at traditional manufacturing, but 40 years ago, high-quality Japanese-made appliances were selling all over the world.
quality over quantity
NICE
2:42 NICE!
it is very interesting
Japanese manufacturing dedicate their efforts to ensure minimal to no compromises.
These are crafts that AI will never be able to replace
The knives are cheaper than I thought they were. I’ll take three please. 😂
Tetap Semangat dan sukses selalu..
I often worked in Japan and bought knives but I obtained the same result on tomatoes and carrots as in the video with a ceramic knife from the supermarket bought for 18 euros!
The thing about restaurant kitchens and the knives used is that cutting skills and speed and safety are required. And that requires practice and concentration. It also requires an ability to keep your knives very sharp. If you've ever watch cucumbers being thinly sliced at blinding speed by hand, that skill set is what is needed. FWIW, we owned a Chinese restaurant and food prep was what made Chinese fast food a possibility. Our Chinese cooks were young, rail thin, strong, and very well organized and fast.
What brand of knife would you recommend for the homeowner? I'd like to get a really good Utility knife to cut veg. and fruit etc. but so many to choose from.
the Japanese are very passionate.
3:35 I'm pretty sure that this would be annealing the steel - making it softer to work with. It basically involves heating up the steel and then letting it cool down slowly rather then dipping it into water/oil.
THIS IS TURTLE ISLAND 🏝 ❤❤❤❤❤🎉🎉😊