The first Higonokami pocket knives were made in 1896 in the Japanese city of Miki. After the last samurai were banned from carrying swords in public, many blacksmiths began making knives. At that time, Higo no Kami was an honorary title for particularly powerful samurai and it quickly became the name for the knives produced there. Since then, the construction of the classic Higo has hardly changed. The handle is usually made from a single piece of folded metal, and the knife is opened by a blade spur (chikiri) on the back of the blade. The pressure on the lever while holding the knife keeps the blade open.