Kikuichi is a premier "boutique" knife maker from Sakai, Japan and all of their knives are outstanding. Warikomi refers to the process of wrapping softer steel around a very hard core to provide protection and a bit more flexibility to the hard center. The Gold refers to the gold series VG steel which has been expertly tempered to create the proper tensile strength. You will find these knives to be thin, sharp and hold their edge extremely well. Each blade is finished by hand on a Japanese water stone.