This Is Easily the Coolest and Best-Looking Knife Ever Produced by an Auto Brand

Nissan teamed up with a legendary Japanese knife maker on a stunning Z Nismo-inspired blade.

By Steve Mazzucchi

Published March 24, 2025

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Updated March 25, 2025

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Extending the appeal of a motor vehicle to another product tends to be a rather fraught proposition.

For every successful spinoff, there are far too many ill-conceived ones. (Think overpriced e-bikes, which aren’t even bad so much as they are nonsensical or unnecessary.)

nissan z nismo precision sushi knife hero — This knife manages to include multiple nods to its inspiration without being overly flashy about it.

Thankfully, the latest auto-inspired release from Nissan falls squarely in the former camp, aligning with the brand and looking absolutely gorgeous.

I speak of course of Nissan’s Z Nismo Precision Sushi Knife, which boasts not only the backing of a popular sushi chef but the craftsmanship of one ofJapan’s legendary knife makers.

Wheels, eels and steel

The Z Nismo has both a long history and a distinct aesthetic, two qualities reflected in the knife.

The original 240Z made its debut in 1969, and the knife maker Nissan Design USA approached has plenty of heritage on his resume, too.

satoshi kiryu z nismo precision sushi knife — With nearly 50 years of knife-making experience, Kiryu was beyond qualified to take on this project.

Satoshi Kiryu is the principal knife maker and a 48-year veteran of Kiryu, the renowned Niigata Prefecture-based manufacturer his grandfather founded in 1927.

While designing the knife, Kiryu consulted with Hiroyuki Terada, a Miami-based sushi chef who has garnered more than 2 million YouTube subscribers thanks to his eye-popping creations.

If that seems like a lot of influences to imbue into a single knife, relax, Kiryu knows what he is doing, and how to be subtle about it.

nissan z nismo — The Z Nismo’s silver roof accent and red details are both represented in the knife.

Growing up a fan of the 240Z, Kiryu drew a kiritsuke-style silhouette with katana vibes that mirror the Z Nismo’s silver roof accent, complemented by a buffalo horn handle featuring a red spacer that reflects the car’s unique red bodywork accents.

Each knife blade has been laser-cut by Kiryu, then quenched, tempered, grinded and polished.

Finally, Kiryu applied the kuro zome (black-dyed) finish using oxide film, fitted the handle and sharpened the VG10 stainless steel.

nissan z nismo precision sushi knife in hand — This formidable blade is at least as purpose-driven as the vehicle that inspired it.

Measuring nearly 8.3 inches, the double-bevel blade is quite intentionally not a multipurpose kitchen knife but rather one ideal for precise slicing of raw fish.

Not unlike the Nismo, this is a performance instrument, after all.

In another nod to the original 240Z, this knife is limited to just 240 individually numbered units.

nissan z nismo precision sushi knife detail — The individual numbering of each knife makes every single example unique.

The number appears on the off side of the blade above the words “Made in Japan” and next to Terada’s signature.

The display side of the blade features the Z logo and Kiryu’s insignia, while the inside of the black-lacquered box features the six generations of Z logos.

Should you use the knife on a daily basis, however, you’ll find that only the most hardcore of Nissan fans might pick up on its inspiration — the surest sign of the rare classy car spinoff.