Cut to: Perfect Knives

Across the High Street Bridge that connects Oakland to the island of Alameda, there's a store you've probably never heard of.

Its name, The Japan Woodworker, belies the heart of this retail operation: knives. And not just any knives, but the most carefully crafted Japanese knives available, ranging in price from under $50 to several thousand dollars for a single hand-forged blade.

Consider the 8¼-inch meat-slicing (Butakiri) knife ($45), hand-hammered from high-carbon steel on the island of Shikoku. A kitchen workhorse for heavy-duty cutting jobs, it's an ideal gift for the novice cook.

For the connoisseur, a cool $1,300 buys a 14-inch sushi knife made by celebrated swordsmith Teruyasu Fujiwara IV. Deemed "Maboroshi no Meito," which translates to "Visionary Sword Celebrated in Victory," the knife is made from Izuha-kou, a proprietary type of steel revered by the Japanese for its durability.

A bonus: The store will sharpen any knife purchased there--including those bought from the catalog--free for life.

The Japan Woodworker, 1731 Clement Ave. (at Minturn St.), Alameda; 510-521-1810 or japanwoodworker.com