Choose by the job

Japanese Sickles & Weeders

Compare eight Japanese sickles and weeders by blade shape, reach and handedness.

Choose by blade shape, reach and handedness. A thin sickle suits soft grass and harvest cuts; compact models give control in tight beds; the SHOZO Konkon reaches walls and grooves; Takemoto Sakle adds serrated stem grip. Two dedicated left-handed options are included.

For woody growth, compare Japanese secateurs and pruning shears. Keep carbon and composite blades clean with Japanese tool care and sharpening.

Find the right sickle

Which sickle suits the job?

The useful differences are blade shape, reach, handedness and edge type. Choose the job first, then the model.

Start here

Choose the Takemoto 180mm as the clearest right-handed all-round option, the Takemoto 165mm for equivalent left-handed work, or the Hounen Kazekari for more grass coverage.

Showing all models

Takemoto Kikumatsu Thin Sickle
Best all-round right-handed

180mm blade · 330mm handle

Takemoto Kikumatsu Thin Sickle

Thin steel-backed composite blade

Choose it for: Soft grass, general weeds and light harvesting with a standard-length blade.

$40.00
SHOZO Konkon Weeder
Best for walls & gaps

110mm · stainless steel

SHOZO Konkon Weeder

Pointed, saw-toothed edge

Choose it for: Weeds beside walls, in grooves and in other recessed garden gaps.

A specialist weeder rather than a broad-area grass sickle.

$45.00
Takemoto Sakle Harvest Sickle
Premium harvest option

180mm blade · 330mm handle

Takemoto Sakle Harvest Sickle

Back-toothed serrated edge

Choose it for: Vegetable harvesting and grass cutting when the teeth need to grip stems.

Do not reshape the serrations with a standard whetstone.

$140.00
Sakai BONSAI Small Sickle
Best-value left-handed

122mm · left-handed

Sakai BONSAI Small Sickle

55C all-steel carbon blade

Choose it for: Soft weeds, flower beds and tight corners where a larger sickle is awkward.

Choose the Takemoto 165mm for more reach.

$25.00
Hounen Mitsuyama Kazekari
Best for wider grass work

195mm blade · 360mm handle

Hounen Mitsuyama Kazekari

CroMax steel round blade

Choose it for: Soft to moderately firm grass when you want more reach and wider coverage.

$65.00
Takemoto Kikumatsu Mulberry Sickle
Best compact harvest sickle

90mm blade · 240mm handle

Takemoto Kikumatsu Mulberry Sickle

Deep-curved compact blade

Choose it for: Small-stem harvesting and close cutting with more handle reach than the Piccolo.

$35.00
Takemoto Kikumatsu Piccolo Sickle
Most compact

90mm blade · 135mm handle

Takemoto Kikumatsu Piccolo Sickle

70g · suki-finished composite blade

Choose it for: Soft weeds and small vegetable beds where close hand control matters.

$35.00
Takemoto Kikumatsu Thin Sickle
Best all-round left-handed

165mm blade · 315mm handle

Takemoto Kikumatsu Thin Sickle

True left-hand composite blade

Choose it for: Soft grass and harvesting when you want more reach and dedicated left-hand geometry.

$40.00
Compare the model matrix
Model Dimensions / hand Blade / defining feature Best reason to choose it Edge care Price & status
Takemoto Kikumatsu Thin Sickle 180mm blade / 330mm handle / right-handed Thin steel-backed composite blade; suki finish The clearest right-handed all-round grass and harvest option Smooth single bevel; maintain the bevel and lightly deburr the flat side $40.00In stock
SHOZO Konkon Weeder 110mm blade / 260mm handle / 365mm overall Stainless, fully hardened, pointed saw-toothed edge Walls, grooves and recessed gaps Clean and dry; do not flatten or freely grind the teeth $45.00In stock
Takemoto Sakle Harvest Sickle 180mm blade / 330mm walnut handle Back-toothed serrated edge; brass fittings Harvesting and repeated cuts where teeth help grip stems Clean, dry and oil; use appropriate serrated-edge servicing $140.00In stock
Sakai BONSAI Small Sickle 122mm blade / 281mm overall / left-handed 55C all-steel blade; beech handle; 120g Compact left-hand control and lower price Smooth single bevel; clean, dry and oil $25.00In stock
Hounen Mitsuyama Kazekari 195mm blade / 360mm handle / right-handed CroMax steel composite round blade More reach and coverage through grass Smooth single bevel; clean, dry and oil $65.00In stock
Takemoto Kikumatsu Mulberry Sickle 90mm blade / 240mm handle Compact, deeply curved cutting blade Small-stem harvest work with a longer compact handle Clean, dry and oil after use $35.00In stock
Takemoto Kikumatsu Piccolo Sickle 90mm blade / 135mm handle / 70g Suki-finished composite blade; HRC 60+ Maximum control in small beds and close weeding Clean, dry and oil after use $35.00In stock
Takemoto Kikumatsu Thin Sickle 165mm blade / 315mm handle / left-handed Suki-finished composite blade; HRC 60+ A true left-hand blade with more reach Smooth single bevel; maintain the bevel and lightly deburr the flat side $40.00In stock

What changes between models

Choose by growth, reach and edge—not by price alone.

  • HandednessA dedicated single-bevel blade gives left- or right-handed users the intended cutting angle.
  • Blade shapeThin, round, compact, pointed and serrated edges solve different garden jobs.
  • Reach & controlLonger blades cover more grass; compact patterns place the edge accurately around plants.
  • Edge careSmooth single bevels and serrated edges require different sharpening methods.

Prices and availability update from the current product listings. These are cutting tools for grass, weeds, crops and soft stems; use secateurs, loppers or a pruning saw for woody growth.

Choosing a Japanese sickle or weeder

Start with the work rather than the blade length. The Takemoto 180mm is the clearest general right-handed option, while the Takemoto 165mm provides equivalent left-handed geometry. Hounen Kazekari adds grass coverage; the Piccolo, Mulberry and Sakai small sickle trade reach for close control.

Choose by job

  • General grass and weeds: Takemoto Kikumatsu 180mm right-handed or 165mm left-handed thin sickle.
  • Wider grass coverage: Hounen Mitsuyama Kazekari 195mm.
  • Tight beds and close detail: Kikumatsu Piccolo, Kikumatsu Mulberry or Sakai BONSAI 122mm left-handed.
  • Walls, grooves and recessed gaps: SHOZO Stainless Konkon Weeder.
  • Harvesting with serrated stem grip: Takemoto Sakle.

Handedness matters

A smooth single-bevel sickle is built to approach the cut from a particular side. Left-handed gardeners should choose one of the two dedicated left-handed models rather than adapting a right-handed blade.

Care by edge type

Clean and dry every tool after use. Lightly oil carbon and composite blades before storage. Maintain smooth single bevels on the bevelled face and remove the burr from the flat side with only light passes. Do not treat saw-toothed or serrated edges like a plain bevel; use appropriate serrated-edge servicing if the teeth need restoration.

For oil and sharpening supplies, browse Japanese tool care and sharpening. Use Japanese secateurs, shears or saws instead of a sickle on woody growth.

Japanese Sickle & Weeder FAQs

Which sickle or weeder should I choose?

For general grass and weeds, choose the Takemoto Kikumatsu 180mm right-handed thin sickle or the 165mm left-handed version. Choose Hounen Kazekari for more coverage, Piccolo or Mulberry for compact control, Sakai BONSAI for a compact left-handed option, SHOZO Konkon for walls and grooves, and Takemoto Sakle for serrated harvesting cuts.

What can these tools safely cut?

These sickles and weeders are intended for grass, weeds, crops and other soft green stems. They are not made for woody branches, hard canes, roots, digging or levering. Use secateurs, shears, loppers or a pruning saw for woody growth.

How should I sharpen and care for these tools?

Clean and dry every tool after use, and lightly oil carbon or composite blades. On a smooth single-bevel sickle, maintain the bevelled face and remove the burr from the flat side with only light passes. Do not treat a saw-toothed or serrated edge like a plain bevel; use appropriate serrated-edge servicing if its teeth need restoration.

Tools that sharpen, not replace

Built for longevity. Proper care reduces waste and improves performance over time.

Care guide

Crafted in Japan

Forged by skilled makers using time-honoured techniques. We buy direct from small workshops.

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Orders placed before 12pm ship same day from Perth. Delivery times vary by location.

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