Top 8 Best Japanese Knives You Must Have In Your Kitchen

Japanese knives are highly prized for both the cuts they make and their exquisite, intricate design. They tend to be thinner, sharper, and more delicate than German knives, which are frequently heavy and occasionally bulky. German knives work better for heavy tasks like dissecting chicken, while the best Japanese knives provide thin, accurate cuts and attractive presentation.

If you are looking for the best Japanese knives to add to your collection of cutlery, you should definitely dive into this article.

Why Do People Choose Japanese Knives?

Japanese knives are among the greatest in the world and have been refined by local artisans for many years. But why are Japanese knives so superior?

Japanese knives are exceptionally sharp. They are made to gently but properly slice meat, fish, vegetables, and other things. Japanese knife types are thin yet strong, so they may last for a very long time and are simple and comfortable to use.

Because of their lightweight feel and firm, thin, sharp steel, professional chefs today prefer Japanese knives in the kitchen.

Japanese blades keep an edge more effectively than most knives produced in the West due to their flexibility and sharpness.

There are a lot of Japanese knife kinds on the market nowadays, which may make it harder for you to find the best Japanese knives for your kitchen. But don’t worry, we’re here to help.

Below is a compilation of the best Japanese knives you can buy, based on our intensive research, thorough testing and careful picks. Now, let’s check them out!

Best Japanese Knives To Buy

Best Overall: Shun Cutlery Sora Chef’s Knife 8”

The Shun 8-inch Sora Chef’s Knife is perfect for cutting meat, fruit, vegetables and more. It is the culinary knife that everyone needs.

Best Value: Kai Wasabi Chef’s Knife 8”

The Kai 8-inch Wasabi Chef’s knife is the best kitchen knife for all purposes. It’s ideal for preparing a wide range of foods, including fruit, vegetables, meat, and more.

Best For Vegetables: Shun Cutlery Classic Nakiri Knife 6.5″

The Shun Classic 6.5-inch Nakiri Knife is a traditional Japanese-style vegetable knife that is a favorite among chefs and home cooks for cutting fruits and vegetables.

Best For Multipurpose: Yoshihiro VG-10 Damascus Santoku Multipurpose Japanese Chef Knife 7″

Yoshihiro Santoku Chef Knife is a multipurpose, traditional Japanese chef’s knife that is suited for domestic use. It works great for mincing, dicing, chopping, and slicing fruits, vegetables, fish, and boneless meats.

Best For Precise Cuts: Shun Cutlery Classic Utility Knife 6″

The Shun 6-inch Classic Utility Knife is the perfect tool for precise cuts such as trimming broccoli, green beans, and other small veggies.

Best For Bread: Shun Cutlery Classic Bread Knife 9”

With no ripping, squashing, or tearing, the Shun 9-inch Classic Bread Knife effortlessly slices through crusty and soft breads alike. For cakes and pastries, it is also perfect.

Best For Fillet: Shun Cutlery Classic Boning & Fillet Knife 6”

The Shun Classic 6-inch Boning & Fillet Knife has a small, curved, razor-sharp blade that gets right up against the bone and effortlessly slices fibrous tissue.

Best For Peeling: Kai PRO Paring Knife 3.5″

The Kai PRO 3.5-inch Paring Knife is an essential culinary item that you should have in your arsenal. With this knife, fruits and vegetables are easily peeled and cored.

Reviews

1. Shun Cutlery Sora Chef’s Knife 8”

Overview

The Sora Chef’s Knife is known as a gyuto in Japan. It is used for all aspects of food preparation, just as a chef’s knife. However, it is somewhat less curved than a Western chef’s knife, which means that more of the knife’s length makes contact with the cutting board per slice and results in more food being cut.

Cutting with a Sora requires less lifting because of its delicate roll off the tip as opposed to a Western-style knife’s heavy roll. Additionally, Sora offers handcrafted Japanese quality at a fantastic price.

Shun Cutlery Sora Chef’s Knife features high quality construction. In the San Mai edge construction, 420J stainless steel is used on the blade upper to support the VG10 steel cutting edge, which is corrosion-resistant and extremely sharp.

What’s more, the Sora Knife has a full-tang handle design with a textured PP/TPE polymer blend for an easy-to-maintain contemporary appearance and for delivering a comfortable grip with strength and balance.

Pros

• Nice design
• Incredibly sharp blade
• Comfortable polymer grip

Cons

• May be prone to rust spots with poor maintenance

2. Kai Wasabi Chef’s Knife 8”

Overview

This Japanese kitchen knife has a broad blade to keep hands off the chopping board and a curved belly to provide a very fine mince when “rocked” through herbs and spices. The blade is made of high-carbon stainless steel with a graze finish that gives them a stylish, brushed appearance.

Wasabi adds elegance and harmonious food preparation to any kitchen when paired with traditional Japanese-style black polypropylene handles.

Pros

• Attractive look
• Easy and comfortable to use
• Extremely sharp
• Affordable

Cons

• The edge may get dulled quickly with light use

3. Shun Cutlery Classic Nakiri Knife 6.5″

SEE MORE:

• How To Make Sashimi – A Tasty Recipe

Overview

Japanese-style vegetable knives are called nakiris. Once you hold the Shun Classic Nakiri in your hands, you’ll understand why home cooks and skilled chefs both choose to utilize this gorgeous and highly practical item whenever they have fruits or vegetables to prepare.

The Nakiri is utilized with a straightforward push cut thanks to its straight blade, edge, and spine. You will adore how quickly and cleanly it handles all kinds of vegetables. It is unbeatable for making salads on a regular basis or slicing veggies for stir-fries. Onion dicing is quick, simple, and safer when using the Shun Classic Nakiri’s blunt end.

Moreover, this culinary knife is made with Shun’s exclusive VG-MAX cutting core and covered in 68 layers of stainless Damascus. Thus, it has a powerful, razor-sharp edge and is corrosion and stain resistant.

The Pakkawood D-shaped handle is elegant, long-lasting, doesn’t contain bacteria, and is easy to use for both left- and right-handed people.

Pros

• Versatile
• Extremely sharp
• Thin and delicate blade
• Easy to hold and use
• Easy to sharpen

Cons

• Can chip on hardwood

4. Yoshihiro VG-10 Damascus Santoku Multipurpose Japanese Chef Knife 7″

Overview

Yoshihiro VG-10 Damascus Santoku feature 3 layer construction with a VG-10 Japanese stainless steel center core with a HRC 60, providing remarkable sharpness, edge retention, and longevity with simple sharpening.

The beautiful yet practical design of the stunning 16 layer hammered exterior steel reduces friction and prevents food from sticking to the blade.

In addition, this knife has a high-quality Mahogany wood handle with a full tang and a well-balanced build for effortless use.

Pros

• Versatile
• Easy to use
• Easy to sharpen
• Well balanced, comfortable in the hand
• Nice handle
• Durable

Cons

• May need regular sharpening

5. Shun Cutlery Classic Utility Knife 6″

Overview

The Shun Classic 6-inch Utility Knife is in between a chef’s knife and a paring knife in terms of size, but it has a narrower, straighter blade. It’s ideal for a variety of small tasks where more accurate cuts are required, such as trimming broccoli, green beans, or other smaller veggies.

This kitchen utility knife is made with Shun’s exclusive VG-MAX cutting core and covered in 68 layers of stainless Damascus. It has a sturdy, razor-sharp edge and is corrosion and stain resistant. Both left- and right-handed users will appreciate the Pakkawood handle’s durability, beauty, and comfort due to its D shape and ebony finish. Furthermore, the handle doesn’t tolerate bacteria.

Pros

• Beautiful, sophisticated look
• Lightweight and comfortable to hold
• Versatile
• Sharp edge
• Giving easy and smooth cuts

Cons

• The handle may be quite small for some people

6. Shun Cutlery Classic Bread Knife 9”

Overview

Some chefs say that their bread knife, after a chef’s knife and a paring knife, is the knife they cannot live without. A new loaf of bread should never be ruined by being smashed beneath a dull knife.

The Shun Classic Bread Knife has large, low frequency serrations that slice through any type of bread considerably more effectively than a straight-edged knife. They are also razor-sharp.

You can gently saw through a crusty loaf without damaging the soft interior thanks to the force of the undulating serrations. It also works just as well on pastries and particularly soft breads.

This bread knife has a sturdy, razor-sharp edge and is made with Shun’s exclusive VG-MAX cutting core and 68 layers of stainless Damascus. It is also corrosion and stain resistant. The Pakkawood D-shaped handle’s ebony finish makes it elegant, bacterial-free, and easy to use for both left- and right-handed people.

Pros

• Well balanced and light weight, making it easy to cut, trim, or slice food
• Incredibly sharp and stiff blade
• Smooth and precise forward and backward angles thanks to the knife’s slight curve
• Smooth slices with very little crumb because of a little wider spaced teeth
• The knife length is long enough to make cutting effortless

Cons

• May be scary sharp

7. Shun Cutlery Classic Boning & Fillet Knife 6”

SEE MORE:

• How To Cook Wagyu Steak? Super Easy Cooking Ways

Overview

As mentioned in its name, Shun Cutlery Classic Boning & Fillet Knife expertly handles two crucial cooking tasks, which are boning and filleting. When boning, the curved, narrow, sharp blade is used to get close to the bone and easily separate the meat from the bone. Shun has a razor-sharp edge that even fibrous tissue cannot withstand.

You may also use it to make your own cutlets. It works perfectly for removing the silver skin from a tenderloin or roast. Cutting is quick and simple due to the small blade’s reduced drag when cutting against the flesh. The blade’s six-inch length is ideal for swiftly removing bones and skin from fish bodies when filleting them. For great control, the D-shaped handle offers a firm grip.

Pros

• Nice design
• Can be used for many other purposes, besides boning and filleting
• Razor sharp
• Good balance on holding the knife
• Providing effortless slices through foods

Cons

• May be prone to brittleness as the knife is folded steel

8. Kai PRO Paring Knife 3.5″

Overview

This little knife offers you entire control over the blade’s tip and edge, making it ideal for detail work such as peeling, coring, trimming, and decorating.

Made from Japanese AUS6M stainless steel with a hammered finish for a blade that is corrosion- and wear-resistant, Kai PRO Paring Knife is simple to sharpen, and maintain an excellent edge. The full-tang, riveted POM handle is comfortable and convenient to use, providing balance and strength while cutting.

Pros

• Nice handle with a full tang
• Reasonably sharp out of the box
• Light and well balanced
• Durable
• Great value

Cons

• The blade is fairly thick

Which Is The Best Japanese Knife Brand?

The best Japanese knives are the ones that serve you the best.

If you’re seeking for Japanese knives, you probably want to swap out all the Western knives’ wedged edges with thinner, sharper ones. Perhaps you prefer a knife with a longer-lasting edge so you won’t have to constantly sharpen it, or a lighter, thinner Japanese blade. Whatever your purpose, it will be a huge letdown if you obtain a knife with a Japanese label but none of these features.

Knowing the finest Japanese knife brands that produce the greatest quality Japanese knives is the best approach to prevent being deceived by dishonest sales pitches. In the following section, we will list out 10 top Japanese knife brands that you can rely on.

While there may be some exceptional Japanese knife companies that we do not highlight, these have established channels of distribution that safeguard you against imitations and offer options for where to purchase Japanese knives online.

Top 10 Best Japanese Knife Brands In 2022

1. Global

Among the major Japanese knife manufacturers, Global is probably the most well-known. Since the knives were introduced to the world market in 1985 and proved to be truly groundbreaking in both performance and design, Global has been producing their signature line.

Global is currently the most prosperous Japanese knife manufacturer, producing over 150 different knife types. The designs of their knife block sets are great to own in the kitchen, and their knives are reasonably priced. Due to the knife’s high quality, effectiveness, and aesthetic appeal, Global outsells all other significant Japanese knife brands.

2. Korin

Korin produces Japanese knives, dinnerware, kitchen appliances, equipment, and barware of the highest professional standards. Over the past 40 years, this brand, which debuted in 1982, has grown in popularity.

The knives sold under the Korin brand come in a range of styles, including layered Damascus steel with variously colored handles, tiny paring knives for practice, and specialized knives for particular tasks. All of the knives are made in Japan by expert craftsmen who have perfected techniques passed down through the years.

Saori Kawano, the founder of Korin, who has a vast understanding of the Japanese knife-making heritage, closely monitors the crafting process to guarantee that the finished products are honed and suitable for use in commercial kitchens.

3. MAC Knives

The majority of MAC stain-resistant knives are made by skilled artisans in Seki City, which has a long history of producing high-quality swords. The rust-resistant Chrome Molybdenum Vanadium High-Carbon cutlery steel used to make MAC blades has tungsten added to some versions for increased toughness and sharpness.

To maximize the quality of the finished blade, blades are hand-ground and hand-honed on water-cooled stones. Compared to other top knife manufacturers, the narrow, razor-sharp blades are sharper and maintain their edge longer. The steel is still simple to re-sharpen and is at its hardest between  57º and 61º Rockwell C.

4. Masamoto

Long before the brand name was even thought of, this company’s roots in knifemaking date back to 1866. Cooking knives were first produced at this time in Osawa, Bushu, by the company’s founder, Minosuke Matsuzawa. He had just returned home after studying the forging techniques of authentic knives with skilled craftspeople in Osaka.

Masamoto Sohonten, the name under which the business is currently operating, has registered the brand as a trademark. They have a factory in Tokyo, Japan’s Azuma-Bashi neighborhood, where they also make various culinary utensils including vegetable cutters and whetstones in addition to Western-style and Japanese knives.

5. Miyabi

The ZWILLING Group’s 2004 acquisition of a knife manufacturer in Seki marks the beginning of the history of this brand.

Miyabi knives combine the excellent sharpness associated with Japanese customs with modern kitchen knife designs. The ability to cut precisely will help preserve the flavor and texture of delicate foods like fresh fish, and the modern designs increase their endurance by fortifying the blades.

Miyabi knives are solely hand-made in Seki, Japan, with premium Japanese components. Each and every blade produced under the Miyabi brand goes through more than 100 production steps, each of which takes at least 42 days to complete. This provides more than enough room for quality control.

6. Kai Housewares

The Kai brand is well-known around the world for its expertise and skill in the Japanese knife-making industry. The business was established in Japan’s City of Seki in 1908. We may reasonably assume Kai has had at least 113 years to perfect their technique since Seki has been at the hub of Japan’s renowned blade-making culture for more than eight hundred years.

More than 10,000 products are currently part of Kai’s global catalog, which also includes high-end silverware, pocket knives, personal care items, and medical supplies.

Despite the fact that Kai manufactures household goods all around the world, its Shun knife line is only handcrafted in Japan, where the method has been passed down from generation to generation. In 2002, they launched the Shun classic cutlery line in the US, along with a variety of knives that were new to North Americans.

7. Seisuke Knives

In collaboration with Japanny, the company that controls the brand, skilled artisans from all throughout Japan produce Seisuke knives. Online retailer Japanny promotes high-end, handcrafted Japanese kitchen knives all around the world.

Seisuke was their first brand, but they currently support many other products as well. It features numerous knives with various handles, blades, and designs. They can be used for professional culinary purposes or at home and range from inexpensive workhorses to one-of-a-kind works of art.

In 2016, Seisuke established a shop in NE Alberta, Portland, Oregon, where they showcase a selection of knives made by renowned Japanese craftsmen. Numerous events are held where clients can interact with the real artists who make knives.

8. Shun Cutlery

Despite being relatively new, Shun is another prominent Japanese knife brand owned by the Kai Group. Saijiro Endo founded the Kai Group’s first store in Seki 113 years ago, and Shun has a history dating back to that time.

Koji Endo, Kai chairman and CEO, created the brand’s current logo.The brand name “Shun” refers to the Japanese practice of eating fresh seasonal food.

In the field of kitchen cutlery, the brand has gained widespread recognition. In order to improve the designs, they have used contemporary materials and cutting-edge technologies. Each Shun knife undergoes at least 100 individual handcrafting procedures in Japan as part of their ongoing handcrafting legacy.

With its thinner blades and longer-lasting sharper edges, Shun knives have the light precision of Japanese cutlery. This performance level cannot be achieved by heavier knives.

9. Tojiro

The Tojiro Company, founded in 1953, is the manufacturer of these knives. Their first stainless steel fruit knife wasn’t created until 1955. At the time, it was believed that stainless steel blades weren’t as sharp as carbon steel blades, thus they had to constantly advance and innovate to meet consumer demand.

This is when the Japanese knife industry developed the habit of considering functionality enhancements other than just sharpness. To create multipurpose knives that anyone can use, Tojiro also emphasize comfort and balance.

Tojiro still rely on their craftsmen’ talent and instincts, which they regard to be the cornerstone of all top Japanese knife producers, even if modern equipment enables them to press out sheets of clad steel that are robust and lasting. Additionally, Tojiro makes Chinese knives, Western-style knives, knife sharpeners, and other culinary utensils. Through collaborations with online retailers, their knives are sold all over the world.

The Tojiro brand is home to about 150 Japanese knives with a variety of specializations. They are reasonably priced, with the majority of their knives typically costing less than $200.

10. Yoshihiro Cutlery

For more than a century, Yoshihiro has dominated the market for handcrafted luxury Japanese knives, and chefs have repeatedly praised its excellence. Its headquarters are in Beverly Hills, California, and it started operating in Japan before expanding to the rest of the world in 2008.

Four broad categories, which are single-edged stainless steel, double-edged stainless steel, single-edged high carbon stainless steel,and double-edged high carbon stainless steel are used to classify Yoshihiro knives. Within each category, there could be differences in design, cost, and pricing, but generally speaking, the prices rise in the same order.

You must be clear about the distinction between utility and class because their prices can vary greatly.

How We Test To Find The Best Japanese Knives

In order to evaluate the initial sharpness of Japanese knives, we begin our tests by slicing through a piece of paper. We then put each knife to the test by slicing through a variety of items, including tough carrots, medium-firm cheeses that are known to stick, and delicate herbs like parsley that are prone to bruising.

We examine items that are soft and easy to squish, like fresh mozzarella and ripe tomatoes, as well as tough foods, like onions, which are challenging to cut into even pieces with a dull knife. We also test on cooked and raw meat because a good knife should be capable of doing anything.

Overall, we strive for thin, smooth and precise cuts. Then, we retake the paper test to determine if the sharpness has changed noticeably. Beside performance, we also take grip, weight, and handle comfort into account to find the best Japanese knives.

What To Consider When Buying The Best Japanese Knives

There are several things that you should consider in order to buy the best Japanese knives. Let’s have a look at the following information:

Types Of Knife

Knives can be stamped or forged, which means they can be made from a single piece of metal or from a huge sheet of metal and then stamped and sharpened. Stamped knives are thinner, lighter, and frequently more flexible and less expensive than forged knives, which are typically thicker and heavier.

Blade Material

A blade’s resilience and the frequency of sharpening depend on the type of steel used to make it.

• Carbon steel is tougher and easier to sharpen than stainless steel. However, it requires more care due to its susceptibility to rust and corrosion.
• Stainless steel describes an iron alloy with a little amount of carbon that produces blades that are robust and corrosion-resistant. Although they don’t take an edge as sharply as carbon steel, they are typically less expensive and require less upkeep. Remember that poorer grades of stainless steel, which are frequently found in cheaper knives, can be difficult to resharpen effectively, so they won’t last you very long.
• Damascus is not a stand-alone material for knives. Instead, it describes a challenging and time-consuming forging procedure that layers two different kinds of steel — typically carbon and stainless steel — and forcibly folds them under intense heat. The result is a stunning blade with intricate designs, but because the types of steel that are hammered together might differ by maker. Be sure to ask what kinds of steel that the manufacturers are mixing before making a purchase.

Blade Length

Chef’s knives typically come in eight-inch lengths, but if you have smaller hands, you’d better choose a six-inch model.

Handle Material And Style

Some handles are composed of metal or plastic, while others are constructed of wood or wood composite. Although appearances matter, give functionality priority. You need to be able to hold the handle securely and comfortably without worrying about slipping.

A handle that fits your hand well should be rounded or contoured to fit your hand. Choose a knife that can keep up with your lifestyle and that you will want to reach for frequently.

Tang

The part of the blade that continues into the handle is referred to as the tang. Knives with full-tangs feel stronger and are more balanced since the tang extends over the entire handle.

A concealed tang, also known as a hidden tang, is one that is completely enclosed in the handle and is not apparent in any way. A partial tang affects balance and durability because it doesn’t extend through the handle, yet it is typically less expensive.

Other Fun Stuff: How Do Japanese People Make Knives?

Are you interested in exploring how Japanese knives are made? If yes, read on the details below.

There are three steps in the Japanese knife-making process.

Step 1: Blade Forging

Firstly, the knife makers heat metal blanks in the forge, then pound them with a power hammer, a massive spring-powered apparatus, in order to give them shape. Next, they quench the blanks with cold water to strengthen the metal.

Repeating this cycle causes the metal to progressively acquire the blade’s shape and the distinctive characteristics that make a fine kitchen knife. In the most basic sense, they want to make blades that are evenly hard throughout, free of any fatal faults that can cause problems later.

According to the Japanese knife makers, they frequently work with batches of 10 to 30 blades at a time, cycling them through the entire procedure over the course of three days. They may occasionally pound two knives simultaneously, each serving as a type of support for the other to keep the blades nice and straight as they are forged. The thinner they become, the more useful this becomes.

After the forging process is finished, the knives are transferred to the sanding belt to have their rough edges smoothed up. This is crucial for knives with handles made in the Western style, where the tang is sandwiched between two pieces of wood (or a wood-like composite material). The handle will have gaps if the tang is not completely level and smooth since this will allow water to soak in and corrode it.

Step 2: Knife Kilning

On the second day, the knives are placed in the furnace to be kilned. In order to regulate the metal’s hardness, the blades are heated to a high temperature and then placed through a precisely timed chilling process. This changes the metal’s molecular structure. The metal, however, has not yet reached its ultimate hardness level because there is still more forging to be done.

For a matte, more rustic appearance, the kilned blades can be polished for a bright finish or left largely unaltered. The blade is now precisely shaped using a different machine that trims it.

Step 3: Knife Finishing

The blades are hand-pounded even harder on the third day, but this time without the heat of the forge because the metal has already been kilned and is close to reaching its final hardness characteristics. Returning it to the forge’s heating and cooling cycle would cause it to deviate from that process.

The blades undergo one last kilning, during which they are once more heated to a high temperature and then quickly cooled in water to determine the metal’s ultimate hardness.

The knives are now ready for honing and handle attachment after being formed, polished, and fired.

Watch this video to explore how Japanese people make amazing knives!

FAQs

1. Which Japanese Brand Of Knives Is The Best?

All of the top 10 Japanese knife brands mentioned above in the article are among the best manufacturers in Japan. Each brand has their own signature lines and provides unique knives for specialized usages.

2. What Is The Best Japanese Chef’s Knife?

Here’s the list of top 8 best Japanese chef’s knife we’ve recommended for you:

• Shun Cutlery Sora Chef’s Knife 8”
• Kai Wasabi Chef’s Knife 8”
• Shun Cutlery Classic Nakiri Knife 6.5″
• Yoshihiro VG-10 Damascus Santoku Multipurpose Japanese Chef Knife 7″
• Shun Cutlery Classic Utility Knife 6″
• Shun Cutlery Classic Bread Knife 9”
• Shun Cutlery Classic Boning & Fillet Knife 6”
• Kai PRO Paring Knife 3.5″

3. Which Japanese Knives Do Chefs Use?

Japanese chef’s knives are designed specifically for each task, including filleting fish, deboning chicken and thinly slicing vegetables.

Japanese chefs use various knife designs and here is our tutorial to using each of those Japanese chef’s knives.

Deba: The Butcher’s Knife

Deba knives have a robust blade and spine, with a gently curved, single-sided edge. American chefs frequently use them interchangeably with cleavers. Deba knives, which are heavier than the majority of other Japanese chef’s knives, are particularly useful for slaughtering poultry and filleting fish.

Honesuki: The Fish & Poultry Boning Knife

The honesuki, one of the two most popular types of Japanese boning knives, is particularly useful for breaking down chicken due to its hard blade and triangular shape. When necessary, the honesuki can also be used as a paring knife.

Hankotsu: The Meat Boning Knife

The hankotsu, as opposed to the honesuki, is made specifically for deboning meat rather than fish. The hankotsu is very robust and adaptable because of its broad spine and stern blade.

Nakiri: Vegetable Knife For the Home Cook

The Nakiri, which resembles a small Chinese cleaver, is excellent for precisely dicing and slicing vegetables as well as cutting through items with thicker skin. The Nakiri is a double-edged vegetable knife that is commonly used in Japanese households.

Gyutou: The Multipurpose Knife

Gyutou is the Japanese term for a chef’s knife that, if necessary, may be used for practically all food prep. The Gyutou knife, which translates to “beef sword” in English, is great for slicing different kinds of meat and keeps its edge better than its heavier and thicker European competitors.

Yanagi: The Sushi Knife

Yanagi is a Japanese chef’s knife that is commonly used to cut thin pieces of sashimi and sushi. Its extra-long blade, which measures 8 to 12 inches, is utilized for extended slicing motions and is ideal for chopping up big fish fillets.

Kiritsuke: The Executive Chef Knife

Kiritsuke is a blend of the Yanagi and Gyutou, two separate types of Japanese chef’s knives. Unlike the Yanagi, it has an angled point and is longer than the Gyutou. Due to its status symbol and technical difficulties, the Kiritsuke has historically only been used by executive chefs to slice fish.

Santoku: The Smaller Multipurpose Knife

The ability of the knife to cut fish, meat, and produce are referred to as its “three virtues” in Japanese, and are denoted by the word Santoku. Because the Santoku knife’s blade is taller than the Gyutou’s, it is simpler to cut repeatedly up and down and is less likely to rock.

Petty: The Pairing Knife

The Petty knife is the Japanese adaptation of the French petit knife. It is the classic utility and paring knife and is ideal for all tasks for which a Gyutou or Santoku are simply too large. Petty knives are particularly useful for chores involving small fruit, such as peeling citrus, as well as both vegetables and herbs.

Sujihiki: The Carving Knife

Compared to comparable European blades, the Sujihiki is a particularly precise Japanese chef’s knife with a sharper bevel. It is ideal for carving meat or poultry as well as filleting fish.

Takobiki: The Specifically Designed Sushi Knife

Takohiki is extremely similar to the Yanagi, except for its blunt and square tip, which was first implemented to prevent cutting clients. The octopus (tako) and eel are two foods that slice particularly well with Takobiki knives.

Pankiri: The Bread Knife

Bread and baked items are the only things you can cut with Pankiri knives. This Japanese chef’s knife with serrations is made to cut through crusts without ruining the bread.

Usuba: The Professional Chef’s Vegetable Knife

The Usuba is the oldest type of vegetable knife used in Japan, and it is more frequently found in commercial kitchens than in private residences. Usuba knives have only one edge, and when properly maintained, they are renowned for being particularly sharp.

4. Where Are The Best Knives Made In Japan?

Many places in Japan create their unique knives, but Seki City in Gifu, Sakai City in Osaka, and Sanjo City in Niigata are well-known and produce the greatest quantity of knives.

5. What Knives Do Gordon Ramsay Use?

Gordon Ramsay utilizes knives made by the Wüsthof and Henckels brands. These companies are renowned for producing high-quality items and are two of the top knife makers in the world. Knives have been manufactured by Wüstoff and Henckels, respectively, since 1814 and 1895.

6. Who Makes The Highest Quality Knives In The World?

The best chef’s knives in the world can only be made by the Japanese. The world-famous Japanese forging techniques and the Japanese culture’s emphasis on perfection, which requires only the best raw materials and production methods, guarantee quality.

Conclusion

Hopefully, you’ve found the best Japanese knives that meet your needs after reading our detailed guide.