See Why This Pair of Scissors Costs $35,000 USD

When discussing Japanese craft, most people will think of umami-enriched food, ukiyo-e woodblock prints or perhaps tea ceremonies. Great Big Story shines a light on an oft-neglected area of Japanese handiwork: scissors. Yasuhiro Hirakawa is the last artisan of his kind. The blacksmith's hand-crafted scissors, sold under his brand Sasuke, require a week of 10-hour-days to create, with ancient techniques informing the precise designs. Weighing in anywhere from $1,100 USD to $35,000 USD, the cutler...