Proper maintenance of your Japanese knives will ensure a lifetime of enjoyment. Here are some tips that will help keep your knives in good shape.

Cleaning your Japanese and Sushi Knives
Keeping your Japanese knives spotless is just as important as sharpening them. Apply cleanser on a sponge or wet cloth to clean and polish. You may want to use a little brush on the joint area where the blade and handle are connected. Pour hot water on both sides of the sushi knife to disinfect it. Do not use bleach. Use a clean dry cloth to wipe and dry it. For less frequently used knives, apply oil very thinly after the knives are sharpened, cleaned and dried. Wrap the knives individually with desiccant and paper towels or newspapers.

Sharpening Japanese and Sushi Knives on Water Stones
Sharpening Japanese knives professionally calls for three different grades of knife sharpening stones: rough grain (arato), medium grain (nakato) and superfine grain (shiageto). Rough grain is used for adjusting the angle of the edges and reforming the shapes. Medium grain is used for further shaping and sharpening the blades. This is the most frequently used stone. Superfine grain is used for eliminating fine scratches caused by medium grain stone and for obtaining a razor sharp edge. The surface of the stones will deteriorate over time.

How to Sharpen your Japanese Knives correctly.
The following instructions are a typical routine for sharpening knives with medium grain and superfine grain stones.

Knife Sharpening Do’s and Dont’s
Well, Japanese knives are sharp, and your knives are precious. Here are also some do’s and dont’s in how to handle them.

• Wet stone well before each use. Use droplets of water to reduce temperature from friction.
• Apply long and even, straight back and forth strokes.
• Do not use circular or diagonal motions.
• Place fingers over the portion of the blade to be sharpened.
• Always keep fingers on the blade within the width of the whetstone, and never outside, (hanging over the whetstone).

Useful links:
MetroKitchen - Where I found these tips and a place to buy your knives and whetstones