I grew up in Quebec City with a Japanese immigrant father and a French-Canadian mother. My father’s side of the family has been forging temple bells for over 800 years. The ancestral home and foundry are located in Sakuragawa City, in Ibaraki Prefecture.

During my childhood, I often watched my father sharpen Japanese knives on a whetstone. Unbeknownst to me, this ritual eventually connected me with my career.

I followed an unconventional academic and professional path, working as an auto mechanic, an elevator mechanic, a sign language interpreter, and as a dental technician. This allowed me to develop the skills and values necessary for knife sharpening, such as precision, analysis, attention to detail, respect for form and proportion, and a strong work ethic.

The desire to reconnect with my Japanese roots became my driving force. I began teaching myself hand-sharpening in January 2011, by trying to replicate the movements and gestures my father used. In 2014, I ventured into entrepreneurship by launching my first company, "Le Fil Tranchant". A professional turning point came in 2016 when the boutique Alambika store hired my business as a subcontractor for their sharpening services. In 2019, I set up my own workshop at the St-Ferdinand Industrial Centre in the St-Henri neighborhood and started working there full-time. I later I started selling Japanese knives and giving sharpening classes.

Wanting to give back to my community, I dedicated a few hours a month to volunteering my sharpening services for the Canadian Japanese Cultural Centre of Montreal (CCCJM). I also occasionally assisted the Canadian team training in Montreal (2020-2023) for the prestigious culinary competition Bocus d’Or.

In the spring of 2023, I closed my business and decided to embark on a new challenge as an employee at Stay Sharp Couteaux Japonais, where I worked until the end of 2025. This experience allowed me to refine my sharpening and repair skills, as well as improve my retail sales and customer service skills.

Now, on the cusp of my 10th anniversary as a professional sharpener, I felt the time was right to launch a new project to leverage my experience and serve local customers directly and personally.

My company name Harusaki (春先) echoes my Japanese name, Soshun (荘春), which also contains the kanji character Haru (春 = spring).

This revival is also made possible through a professional collaboration with Mr. Morgan Allemand, a local knife maker and blacksmith, owner of Kaizen Knives in Montreal. Our two companies share the same workshop space creating a synergy that is unique in Quebec.

Harusaki now has access to specialized equipment, allowing it to strengthen its services, while Kaizen Knives can access premium sharpening for its finely handcrafted blades.

I look forward to serving you in the near future.

Mike Soshun Otabe