This is a Hideriyama Renge Shiro (White) Suita from Kyoto, Japan—one of the rarest and most highly prized Japanese natural finishing stones, often regarded by enthusiasts as the Holy Grail of natural whetstones.

It is especially recommended for sharpening high-carbon Japanese knives.

Although the stone has a relatively soft feel, it offers excellent abrasive performance, allowing it to produce an exceptionally clean, sharp, and long-lasting cutting edge.

A beautiful pink Renge (Lotus) pattern is visible across the sharpening surface, one of the most desirable characteristics found in premium Japanese natural stones.

During sharpening, the stone consistently produces a fine, high-quality gray slurry, providing an exceptionally smooth, silky, and well-controlled sharpening experience. It pairs particularly well with traditional Japanese carbon steel blades, producing a refined, razor-sharp edge with excellent feedback.

Combining the beauty of the Renge pattern with outstanding sharpening performance, this stone is not only a superb finishing tool but also a highly desirable collector's piece worthy of any serious Japanese natural whetstone collection.

Specifications

• Dimensions: Approximately 235 × 88–93 × 38 mm

• Weight: Approximately 1,830 g

• Estimated Grit: #8000

• Hardness: 3.5

• Nagura: Not required, although using a Nagura stone will significantly accelerate slurry formation.

• Recommended for: Kitchen knives, traditional woodworking tools, and other fine edge tools.

Kanji on the Stone

• Flower-shaped stamp — Kyoto Natural Honyama Stone Association.

• 正本山合砥 (Shōhonyama Awasedo) — Genuine Natural Finishing Stone.

• 日照山 — Hideriyama.