Terms of service

Terms of Service

Last updated: November 15, 2026

OVERVIEW

This website is operated by Japan Knife Shop. Throughout these Terms of Service (“Terms”), “we”, “us”, and “our” refer to Japan Knife Shop. Our store is hosted on Shopify, which provides the e-commerce platform through which we offer products to customers.

Please read these Terms before using our website or placing an order. These Terms apply to website use and, where incorporated into a purchase, to the applicable sales contract, subject to applicable law. If you do not agree to the terms governing a service, please do not use that service. Order placement, acknowledgement, and contract formation are addressed in Section 6.

Consumers may have mandatory statutory rights, including rights relating to withdrawal or cancellation, defective or non-conforming goods, and refunds. Where applicable law provides protections that cannot lawfully be excluded or reduced by agreement, those protections prevail. Further information on statutory withdrawal or cancellation rights that may apply to consumers in the European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA), and United Kingdom (UK) is provided in our Return & Refund Policy.

SECTION 1 – ONLINE STORE TERMS

By placing an order, you confirm that you are at least 18 years old, are legally capable of entering into a purchase contract, and satisfy any higher minimum age or other requirements that apply to the products in your destination country.

You are responsible for complying with laws applicable to your purchase, importation, possession, and use of knives or other bladed products. Some products or destinations may be subject to additional restrictions, age checks, or import requirements. For United Kingdom deliveries, please also refer to Section 7 of our Shipping & Delivery Policy.

You must not use our website or products for unlawful or unauthorized purposes or transmit viruses, malicious code, or other harmful material through our services.

Where reasonably necessary for legal compliance, security, fraud prevention, or a material violation of these Terms, we may refuse or cancel an order or restrict access to our website. Cancellation of an existing order and any refund will be handled under the applicable sales contract, our Return & Refund Policy, and applicable law. Nothing in this Section limits mandatory consumer rights.

SECTION 2 – GENERAL CONDITIONS

We may refuse service, restrict access to our website, or decline orders where reasonably necessary to comply with applicable law, prevent fraud or unauthorized transactions, protect customers or our systems, or address a material breach of these Terms. Any cancellation or refund relating to an existing order will be handled in accordance with the applicable sales contract, our Return & Refund Policy, and applicable law.

Our store is hosted on Shopify. Information needed to process orders and payments may be handled by Shopify and relevant payment or service providers in accordance with applicable data protection laws and our Privacy Policy.

You may not reproduce, duplicate, copy, sell, resell, or commercially exploit our website content or services without our permission, except as permitted by applicable law.

Headings are included for convenience and do not affect the interpretation of these Terms.

SECTION 3 – ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS AND TIMELINESS OF INFORMATION

We make reasonable efforts to ensure that product descriptions, specifications, prices, availability, and other information on our website are accurate and current. However, information may occasionally contain errors, omissions, or become outdated.

General educational or informational content, including historical information, is provided for reference and should not be treated as a substitute for appropriate professional advice where such advice is needed.

We may correct or update website information, but such changes will not, by themselves, alter a sales contract already concluded, except as agreed with you or otherwise permitted by applicable law.

If a material error affects your order, we will review the circumstances and contact you about the appropriate options. Nothing in this Section limits rights relating to product descriptions, conformity, misleading information, or other mandatory consumer protections.

SECTION 4 – MODIFICATIONS TO SERVICES AND PRICES

Product prices, availability, and website features may change from time to time. Changes to displayed prices or other terms do not automatically alter a sales contract already concluded.

We may modify, suspend, or discontinue website features or services for legitimate operational, technical, security, or legal reasons, subject to our obligations under existing sales contracts and applicable law.

If a material pricing or availability issue affects an order, we will contact you about the available options. We will not increase the agreed price of an existing sales contract without your agreement or another lawful basis.

If Japan Knife Shop is unable to fulfill an order and lawfully cancels the affected order or items, we will refund the amounts paid for them, including associated shipping charges where applicable, without a cancellation or processing fee. Any additional remedies required by applicable law remain available.

SECTION 5 – PRODUCTS OR SERVICES

Our products are offered online and are subject to availability. We make reasonable efforts to present product photographs, descriptions, materials, dimensions, and specifications accurately. Minor differences in appearance may result from lighting, display settings, or natural variations in materials, but this does not limit your rights if goods do not conform to their agreed description or specifications.

We may restrict quantities, destinations, or sales where reasonably necessary because of stock limitations, applicable laws, customs restrictions, carrier requirements, or legitimate fraud-prevention measures.

We will not substitute a different product for an ordered product without your agreement. If we cannot fulfill an order and lawfully cancel the affected items, we will provide a full refund of the amounts paid for those items, including associated shipping charges where applicable, without a cancellation or processing fee. This does not limit any additional remedy required by law.

Product prices, descriptions, and availability may be updated for future purchases, but changes will not automatically alter an existing sales contract.

Cancellation, change-of-mind returns, statutory withdrawal or cancellation rights, and remedies for defective, damaged, incorrect, or non-conforming goods are governed by our Return & Refund Policy and applicable law. Sale or discounted items are not automatically excluded from return eligibility.

International orders are generally shipped on a Delivered at Place (DAP) basis. Import duties, VAT, customs clearance charges, and carrier handling fees are generally payable by the recipient unless otherwise stated at checkout or expressly agreed with Japan Knife Shop. Shipping charges are displayed at checkout and calculated according to the destination-based flat-rate structure described in our Shipping & Delivery Policy. Applicable law and valid individual agreements take precedence where required.

We do not guarantee that every product will meet individual subjective preferences, but nothing in these Terms excludes statutory guarantees or remedies for goods that are defective or do not conform to the applicable sales contract.

SECTION 6 – BILLING, ORDERS AND ACCOUNT INFORMATION

You agree to provide accurate and up-to-date billing, payment, shipping, and contact information and to notify us promptly if any information relevant to your order needs to be corrected.

Orders may be reviewed, declined, or cancelled for legitimate reasons, including suspected fraud, incorrect information, legal or carrier restrictions, or inability to fulfill an order. Where practicable, we will notify you of the reason and any available options.

An automated order acknowledgement or confirmation email does not necessarily establish that a sales contract has been concluded. Whether and when a sales contract is formed depends on the ordering process, our communications, and applicable law. We will not use this provision to deny rights arising under a contract that has already been concluded.

We will not substitute products or make material changes to an existing sales contract without your agreement or another lawful basis.

If we lawfully cancel an order because we cannot fulfill it, we will refund the amounts paid for the affected order or items, including associated shipping charges where applicable, without charging the general USD 15 customer-requested cancellation fee or another processing fee. Any additional statutory remedies remain available.

Payments may be processed through Shopify or third-party payment providers. Cancellations, returns, and refunds are handled in accordance with our Return & Refund Policy and applicable law.

SECTION 7 – OPTIONAL THIRD-PARTY TOOLS

We may provide access to optional tools or features supplied by independent third parties. Such tools may be subject to their providers’ terms and privacy notices, which you should review before use.

To the extent permitted by applicable law, optional third-party tools are made available without guarantees concerning their uninterrupted availability or suitability for every purpose.

Our use of Shopify, payment processors, carriers, or other third parties does not, by itself, exclude or transfer Japan Knife Shop’s responsibilities as the seller for orders, delivery, cancellations, returns, refunds, or other obligations imposed by applicable law.

New optional features may be subject to these Terms and any supplementary terms clearly presented to you. Nothing in this Section limits mandatory consumer rights.

SECTION 8 – THIRD-PARTY LINKS

Our website may contain links to websites, content, or services operated by independent third parties. Such links are provided for convenience and do not necessarily constitute an endorsement.

We do not control independent third-party websites and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, are not responsible for their content, availability, or practices. Transactions made directly with an independent third party may be subject to that party’s terms and policies.

Nothing in this Section limits Japan Knife Shop’s responsibility as the seller for orders placed with us, including where third parties assist with payment processing or delivery.

SECTION 9 – USER COMMENTS, FEEDBACK AND SUBMISSIONS

If you submit reviews, comments, suggestions, or other content to us, you are responsible for ensuring that you have the right to submit the content and that it is lawful, accurate to the best of your knowledge, and does not infringe the rights of others.

For content that you intentionally submit for publication, such as a public product review, you grant Japan Knife Shop a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, display, translate, and adapt that content for operating, improving, and promoting our store, to the extent permitted by applicable law. You retain ownership of your content.

Private order inquiries, customer service correspondence, and personal information are not treated as public submissions under this license. We will not publish private customer correspondence for promotional purposes without an appropriate lawful basis. Personal information is handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy and applicable data protection laws.

We are not generally obliged to provide compensation for unsolicited suggestions or to respond individually to every general comment. This does not affect our obligations to respond to customer service matters or exercise of legal rights where required by law.

We may moderate or remove content that is unlawful, fraudulent, abusive, misleading, infringes intellectual property or privacy rights, or otherwise materially violates these Terms. We will not remove genuine negative reviews solely because they express dissatisfaction.

You must not submit malicious code, impersonate others, or misuse personal information in any submission.

SECTION 10 – PERSONAL INFORMATION

The collection, use, disclosure, and other processing of personal information in connection with our website, orders, customer inquiries, and services are described in our Privacy Policy.

Our Privacy Policy explains how personal information is handled, including information processed through Shopify and relevant third-party service providers, and describes applicable privacy rights and how to exercise them.

We handle personal information in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

For further details, please refer to our Privacy Policy.

SECTION 11 – ERRORS, INACCURACIES AND OMISSIONS

We make reasonable efforts to keep information on our website accurate. However, product specifications, prices, promotions, availability, shipping charges, and estimated delivery times may occasionally contain errors, inaccuracies, or omissions.

We may correct website errors and update information without prior notice where doing so does not unlawfully alter an existing sales contract.

If a material error affects an order, we will review the circumstances and contact the affected customer. Material changes to a sales contract require the customer’s agreement or another lawful basis.

If we cannot fulfill an order and lawfully cancel the affected items, we will refund the amounts paid for them, including associated shipping charges where applicable, without a cancellation or processing fee. This does not limit any additional remedy required by applicable law.

We are not required to update every item of historical or general informational content at the same time, but will take reasonable steps to correct material inaccuracies. Nothing in this Section limits statutory rights relating to misleading information, product conformity, or non-delivery.

SECTION 12 – PROHIBITED USES

You must not use our website, services, or content:

(a) for any unlawful purpose or to violate applicable laws or regulations, including laws governing the purchase, importation, possession, or use of knives and other bladed products;

(b) to place fraudulent orders, provide false identity or payment information, or use payment methods without authorization;

(c) to infringe intellectual property, privacy, or other legal rights of Japan Knife Shop or third parties;

(d) to harass, threaten, abuse, discriminate against, or unlawfully harm others;

(e) to transmit malware, viruses, or other malicious code;

(f) to collect, disclose, or misuse personal information unlawfully;

(g) to send spam, phishing messages, or other fraudulent communications;

(h) to impersonate another person or misrepresent your affiliation;

(i) to interfere with the security, availability, or normal operation of our website or services;

(j) to use automated tools to access, scrape, or disrupt our website in violation of applicable law or in a manner that unreasonably burdens our systems;

(k) to bypass or attempt to bypass security measures or access controls; or

(l) to engage in other unlawful or materially harmful conduct in connection with our website or services.

Where reasonably necessary to address suspected fraud, security threats, unlawful conduct, or a material violation of these Terms, we may restrict access, refuse service, or cancel orders in accordance with applicable law.

Any existing sales contract, cancellation, or refund will be handled under the applicable contract, our Return & Refund Policy, and applicable law. Restriction of website access does not automatically forfeit payments or statutory consumer rights.

SECTION 13 – DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES; LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

We make reasonable efforts to maintain the availability, security, and proper functioning of our website and services. However, we do not guarantee that access to our website will always be uninterrupted, timely, secure, or error-free.

Our website and its general informational features are provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis to the extent permitted by applicable law. We may temporarily suspend or restrict access to our website for maintenance, technical, security, or operational reasons.

These limitations relating to website availability and functionality do not exclude or limit our obligations concerning products purchased from Japan Knife Shop or any rights arising under an applicable sales contract.

We make reasonable efforts to ensure that products supplied through our online store conform to their descriptions, agreed specifications, and applicable legal requirements. Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits any statutory guarantees, warranties, or consumer rights relating to defective, damaged, incorrect, or non-conforming products.

To the extent permitted by applicable law, Japan Knife Shop shall not be liable for indirect or consequential losses arising from the use of our website or services where such losses are not reasonably foreseeable or are not legally recoverable.

Nothing in this Section excludes or limits liability for fraud, fraudulent misrepresentation, intentional misconduct, gross negligence, death or personal injury where such liability cannot lawfully be excluded or limited, defective products under applicable product liability laws, or any other liability that cannot be excluded or limited under applicable law.

Our responsibility for order fulfillment, delivery, cancellations, returns, refunds, and remedies relating to products purchased through our online store will be determined in accordance with the applicable sales contract, our Return & Refund Policy, our Shipping & Delivery Policy, and applicable law.

We are not responsible for damage or injury caused solely by improper use, handling, maintenance, or storage of our products where such damage or injury is not attributable to a product defect, our breach of contract, or another matter for which we are legally responsible.

Nothing in this Section affects any mandatory consumer rights or remedies available under applicable law, including rights that may apply to consumers in the European Union, European Economic Area, or United Kingdom.

SECTION 14 – INDEMNIFICATION

To the extent permitted by applicable law, you agree to indemnify Japan Knife Shop against reasonable and documented direct losses, damages, and expenses arising from third-party claims to the extent directly caused by:

(a) Your intentional or negligent material breach of these Terms of Service;

(b) Your unlawful or fraudulent use of our website or services; or

(c) Your infringement of the intellectual property, privacy, or other legal rights of a third party.

Any obligation to indemnify Japan Knife Shop under this Section will be limited to losses and expenses that are reasonably foreseeable, directly attributable to your conduct, and legally recoverable under applicable law.

You will not be responsible for losses, damages, or expenses to the extent they arise from Japan Knife Shop’s own negligence, misconduct, breach of contract, or failure to comply with applicable law.

Any claim for indemnification, including reasonable legal expenses where legally recoverable, will be subject to applicable law and the circumstances of the claim. Japan Knife Shop will take reasonable steps to mitigate its losses and will not seek compensation for the same loss more than once.

Nothing in this Section requires you to waive any statutory consumer rights or remedies, or imposes liability that cannot lawfully be imposed on you under applicable consumer protection laws.

SECTION 15 – SEVERABILITY

If any provision of these Terms of Service is found to be unlawful, invalid, or unenforceable under applicable law, that provision will be treated as ineffective to the extent required by applicable law.

The remaining provisions of these Terms of Service will continue in effect to the extent that they can lawfully and independently remain enforceable.

Nothing in this Section permits an unlawful or unfair contract term to be enforced or modified in a manner inconsistent with applicable consumer protection laws, or limits any mandatory consumer rights or remedies.

SECTION 16 – TERMINATION

These Terms of Service apply to your use of our website and services for as long as you continue to access or use them, subject to any provisions that remain applicable after such use ends.

You may stop using our website or services at any time. You may also contact us to request the closure of your customer account, if applicable, subject to any legal or contractual obligations that require certain information or records to be retained.

We reserve the right to suspend, restrict, or terminate your access to our website or services where reasonably necessary to comply with applicable law, prevent fraud or unauthorized transactions, protect the security of our website or customers, or address a material violation of these Terms of Service.

Where reasonably practicable, we will notify you of such action and its reasons. However, immediate suspension or restriction without prior notice may be necessary in cases involving suspected fraud, security threats, unlawful activity, or other circumstances requiring prompt action.

The termination or restriction of access to our website or services does not, by itself, cancel or terminate any sales contract already concluded between you and Japan Knife Shop.

Any modification, cancellation, or termination of an existing order or sales contract will be handled in accordance with the applicable contract, our Return & Refund Policy, and applicable law.

If Japan Knife Shop is unable to fulfill an order and lawfully cancels the affected order or items, we will provide a full refund of the amounts paid for them, including associated shipping charges where applicable, without charging a cancellation or processing fee. Any additional remedies required by applicable law will remain available.

The termination of your access to our website or services does not affect rights or obligations that have already arisen or that are intended or required by law to continue, including obligations relating to outstanding orders, payments lawfully due, delivery, returns, refunds, statutory product guarantees, and the resolution of existing disputes.

Personal information and transaction records will be handled and retained in accordance with our Privacy Policy and applicable data protection laws, including after your use of our services has ended.

Nothing in this Section excludes or limits any mandatory consumer rights or remedies available under applicable law.

SECTION 17 – ENTIRE AGREEMENT

These Terms of Service, together with our Return & Refund Policy, Shipping & Delivery Policy, and any other terms or policies expressly incorporated into the applicable agreement, set out the general terms governing your use of our website and purchases from Japan Knife Shop.

The terms of an individual order, including the products, quantities, prices, shipping charges, and other conditions agreed upon at the time of purchase, form part of the applicable sales contract.

Any specific arrangement or modification expressly agreed upon between you and Japan Knife Shop, including an agreement confirmed in writing by email, will remain effective in accordance with its terms and applicable law.

To the extent permitted by applicable law, these Terms of Service and the applicable incorporated policies supersede prior general statements, communications, or understandings concerning the same subject matter. However, they do not override the agreed terms of an existing sales contract, any valid individual agreement, or mandatory rights and obligations under applicable law.

If there is an inconsistency between these Terms of Service and our Return & Refund Policy or Shipping & Delivery Policy, the more specific policy will generally apply to the subject matter it addresses, unless otherwise expressly agreed or required by applicable law.

Our failure or delay in exercising a right under these Terms of Service does not, by itself, constitute a waiver of that right. Any waiver will apply only to the extent expressly agreed or otherwise required by applicable law.

Nothing in this Section excludes or limits any mandatory consumer rights or remedies, or prevents the interpretation of these Terms in accordance with applicable consumer protection laws.

SECTION 18 – GOVERNING LAW

These Terms of Service and any sales contracts for products purchased through our online store shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Japan, subject to any mandatory provisions of applicable law.

If you are a consumer residing outside Japan, this choice of governing law does not deprive you of any mandatory consumer protections that apply to your contract under the laws of your country or region of habitual residence, where such protections cannot lawfully be excluded by agreement.

Nothing in this Section limits any rights you may have under applicable law to bring proceedings before a court with jurisdiction over a dispute, or requires you to bring proceedings exclusively before a court in Japan.

SECTION 19 – CHANGES TO TERMS OF SERVICE

We may update or revise these Terms of Service from time to time to reflect changes in our business operations, website features, services, legal requirements, or other legitimate reasons.

The most current version of these Terms of Service will be made available on our website, with its last-updated date. Unless a later effective date is specified, revisions take effect when published, subject to applicable law and any notice or consent requirements.

Where a change is material, we will take reasonable steps to inform affected customers in an appropriate manner, taking into account the nature of the change, its potential impact, and applicable legal requirements.

Unless otherwise stated and permitted by applicable law, revised Terms of Service will apply prospectively from their stated effective date.

Changes to these Terms of Service will not retroactively alter the terms of a sales contract already concluded, including agreed product prices, shipping charges, cancellation conditions, return rights, or other contractual obligations, unless the customer agrees to the change or another lawful basis applies.

Your continued use of our website or services after revised Terms of Service take effect may constitute acceptance of the revised terms to the extent permitted by applicable law. Where applicable law requires additional notice, consent, or other procedures, we will comply with those requirements.

Changes to our Return & Refund Policy, Shipping & Delivery Policy, or other applicable policies will be subject to the same principles concerning existing contracts, customer rights, and applicable law.

Nothing in this Section excludes or limits any mandatory consumer rights or remedies available under applicable law.

SECTION 20 – CONTACT INFORMATION

If you have any questions about these Terms of Service, your order, our products, shipping and delivery, cancellations, returns, refunds, or other matters relating to Japan Knife Shop, please contact us using the information below.

Japan Knife Shop

Email: support@japan-knifeshop.com

Business Address: Eiwa Oike Building, Room 606
436 Sasaya-cho, Higashi-iru, Oike-dori Higashinotoin
Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto 604-8187
Japan

For information about cancellations, returns, refunds, and statutory withdrawal rights, please refer to our Return & Refund Policy. For shipping methods, delivery arrangements, and import-related charges, please refer to our Shipping & Delivery Policy.

You may also use the email address above to notify us of your decision to exercise a statutory right of withdrawal or cancellation, where applicable. Such rights do not require our prior approval.

Please contact us for the appropriate return shipping address and instructions before sending any products back. The business address listed above is not necessarily the designated address for returning products.

For information about how we handle personal information or how to exercise applicable privacy rights, please refer to our Privacy Policy.

Nothing in this Section limits any mandatory consumer rights or legally permitted methods of contacting us.