Quote Originally Posted by Joegags View Post
JimR-
Could you please elaborate as to why the naniwas are considered "the red headed stepchild"? (I know the term, I'm just unfamiliar with the naniwa's bad rap!)

Thanks-Gags
No one seems to use them, and most shops never carry them. I've been to hone/cutlery shops in Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Ehime, Fukuoka and more and the only Naniwa stones they ever have are the coarse "Home stones," the artificial aoto or the #1000 GC stone. I've heard some very high end shops in Tokyo carry the Chosera, but that's about it.

So it's not that the rep is bad, but no matter how hard they try no one seems to want them.

I personally don't think they're bad stones, either.