The $35 Japanese Sickle That Makes Gardening So Effortless You’ll Actually Do It

On first look, they might seem antique. Indeed, some come from companies with centuries-old histories. But contemporary American gardeners are wising up to just how great old-fashioned hand tools can be. This includes millennials, who, with their love of heritage brands, are now entering the prime gardening years of middle age. And while these tools might cost more than your local gardening center’s wares, they are so effective you might find yourself calling up the landscaper less often.

1. Japanese garden tools are to serious gardeners what Japanese knives are to obsessive cooks—they have extremely sharp blades that hold their edges well, which makes them great for a variety of outdoor tasks. The Niwaki Garden Shears (from $86) are fitted with Japanese steel blades that are tough enough to cut back an unruly hedge, but also offer the finesse you need to go “Edward Scissorhands” on some topiary.

2. The Sneeboer Stone Spade with Steps and Openings ($200) is a rocky-garden specialist. Rounded cutouts help the blade hug onto the stones common in the Northeast’s soil, making them easy to pry out. Sneeboer, a Dutch company founded in 1913, also makes more-traditional shovels. You can find them at Gardenheir, one of just three authorized Sneeboer retailers in the U.S.

3. The reap hook might seem more suited to an era when farmers were obliged to thresh grains by hand. But the Japanese-style Niwaki Sickle ($35), which lacks the almost circular curve of its European and American counterparts, can efficiently clear out old plants, trim grass and, yes, harvest grain. Pro tip: You don’t need to swing these in the manner you’ve seen on TV. Instead, just pull it through whatever you need to cut. Let the well-honed blade do the work.

4. Scissors designed for the practice of ikebana, the traditional Japanese art of floral arranging, can cost incredible amounts. But here’s a basic pair that is both beautiful and capable. Whether you’re gathering blooms from your own garden or trimming a supermarket bouquet, you’ll find the Asano Mokkousho Scissors ($32) a pleasure to use, and their clean, precise cuts result in longer-lasting flowers. Dull snippers, by contrast, would crush your bud stems, leaving them unable to slurp up as much water.

5. Before World War II, Japanese people formed much of California’s agricultural community. As such, the state has a long history with exceptional made-in-Japan tools. Many hardware stores in California, like Bekeley’s Hida Tool, have been around for decades. Its Kusakichi Ika Hoe ($34) has a double-sided design, with a flat blade for weeding and cultivating soil on one side and a fork for upturning root crops at harvest time on the other. Bonus: It looks like a squid.  

6. Since 1989, Oregon’s Red Pig has manufactured an extensive line of American-made garden tools like this Cape Cod Weeder ($45). The weeder is an American vernacular style too, attributed to a woman from (where else) Cape Cod, who came up with the design for a hooked, pointed blade. The long, sharpened edge can easily cut the stalk (or root) of any weed, while the tip is perfect for breaking up and aerating compacted soils.

The Wall Street Journal is not compensated by retailers listed in its articles as outlets for products. Listed retailers frequently are not the sole retail outlets.

On first look, they might seem antique. Indeed, some come from companies with centuries-old histories. But contemporary American gardeners are wising up to just how great old-fashioned hand tools can be. This includes millennials, who, with their love of heritage brands, are now entering the prime gardening years of middle age. And while these tools might cost more than your local gardening center’s wares, they are so effective you might find yourself calling up the landscaper less often.

1. Japanese garden tools are to serious gardeners what Japanese knives are to obsessive cooks—they have extremely sharp blades that hold their edges well, which makes them great for a variety of outdoor tasks. The Niwaki Garden Shears (from $86) are fitted with Japanese steel blades that are tough enough to cut back an unruly hedge, but also offer the finesse you need to go “Edward Scissorhands” on some topiary.

2. The Sneeboer Stone Spade with Steps and Openings ($200) is a rocky-garden specialist. Rounded cutouts help the blade hug onto the stones common in the Northeast’s soil, making them easy to pry out. Sneeboer, a Dutch company founded in 1913, also makes more-traditional shovels. You can find them at Gardenheir, one of just three authorized Sneeboer retailers in the U.S.

3. The reap hook might seem more suited to an era when farmers were obliged to thresh grains by hand. But the Japanese-style Niwaki Sickle ($35), which lacks the almost circular curve of its European and American counterparts, can efficiently clear out old plants, trim grass and, yes, harvest grain. Pro tip: You don’t need to swing these in the manner you’ve seen on TV. Instead, just pull it through whatever you need to cut. Let the well-honed blade do the work.

4. Scissors designed for the practice of ikebana, the traditional Japanese art of floral arranging, can cost incredible amounts. But here’s a basic pair that is both beautiful and capable. Whether you’re gathering blooms from your own garden or trimming a supermarket bouquet, you’ll find the Asano Mokkousho Scissors ($32) a pleasure to use, and their clean, precise cuts result in longer-lasting flowers. Dull snippers, by contrast, would crush your bud stems, leaving them unable to slurp up as much water.

5. Before World War II, Japanese people formed much of California’s agricultural community. As such, the state has a long history with exceptional made-in-Japan tools. Many hardware stores in California, like Bekeley’s Hida Tool, have been around for decades. Its Kusakichi Ika Hoe ($34) has a double-sided design, with a flat blade for weeding and cultivating soil on one side and a fork for upturning root crops at harvest time on the other. Bonus: It looks like a squid.  

6. Since 1989, Oregon’s Red Pig has manufactured an extensive line of American-made garden tools like this Cape Cod Weeder ($45). The weeder is an American vernacular style too, attributed to a woman from (where else) Cape Cod, who came up with the design for a hooked, pointed blade. The long, sharpened edge can easily cut the stalk (or root) of any weed, while the tip is perfect for breaking up and aerating compacted soils.

The Wall Street Journal is not compensated by retailers listed in its articles as outlets for products. Listed retailers frequently are not the sole retail outlets.