The Best Japanese Knives for Your Kitchen | Gear Heads

If you’re considering buying some Japanese knives—and we think you should—here are some things to know.

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Kate's Picks:

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[natehernandez]

I spent over $500 of my very small summer camp counselor check on a santoku and a nakiri. One of the best purchases of my teens. I still have them to this day and everyone who gets to use them fall in love with how they handle

[Wheels_NYC]

So I'm a cook, and a knife enthusiast. I collect everything from bayonets to modern EDC folders, which I have over 2 dozen.
As for cooking, over a decade ago I switched from German to Japanese, and never looked back. These are all beautiful pieces, but the most important aspect of any knife is the user's hand feel. Always buy from a shop that will let you handle the blade before you purchase. (Or if online, will let you return)
Japanese do require more care / service, but it's well worth it. Keep in mind, you can adjust that bevel angle with the right tool, and keep a razor sharp edge. I have a slicer from Shun that is a hollow flat ground edge. I can shave with it. The santoku should be everybody's first Japanese knife, then expand. My current favorite brand is Kikuichi Cutlery. Been around since 1267. That's not a typo. My current gyuto & nakiri are from them, plus a few others. Shun is great, and I have too many😂but (at least they used to) Shun Classic can be purchased with left or right hand specific scales. I still grab them when I'm in the mood, and they are the reason I jumped from German so many years ago.
Anyway, sorry for rambling...

[drd]

I recently fell into the Japanese knife rabbit hole. My Victorinox knives worked well, but the Japanese knives I bought made cook prep so much more fun. I have a Santoku, a Gyuto, a Petty, a Nakiri, a Chinese Clever, and a Bunka. I use the Bunka, Petty and the Nakiri most often. None of them are the brands most recently recommended by ATC. But they all have Rockwell hardness levels of 62+ and remain very sharp after use. If you enjoy cook prep, and have some disposable income, take the journey. You might not be disappointed.

[BatPotatoes]

I love my Nakiri. One thing that deserves mention is that the curve near the tip of the cutting edge is perfect for stopping just shy of the root end of an onion, keeping the onion together as you do a full dice. I use a Nakiri made in Thailand bought from my local Asian grocery store. It was $8 but arrived as sharp as my $100 Tojiro gyutou. I don't have any anxiety about damaging it either.

[Grabehn]

It cracks me up every time hearing "combined experience testing kitchen gear" while watching Lisa wacking a pan against a cinderblock.

[sugar_peas]

I have a gyuto that I got when I went to Japan. I got it from a small knife shop in Kappabashi ("Kitchen Town"), Tokyo. It's a carbon and stainless steel knife, with stainless on the outside and carbon on the inside. I love it so much, it's so much easier to sharpen on a whetstone than the American knives I have, and it's still incredibly sharp! They even engraved my name on it in Japanese for free!

[malifestro]

I've switched from a western knife to a Nakiri. I prep and cook for our family nearly every day and I won't switch back. I prefer it over every knife we have for all the normal veggie tasks. I purchased a nicely made Enso Nakiri that I like. I'm sure there are better but this has held up very well for me.

[derekalmquist]

I tried a santoku when prepping ingredients for recipes and have used it since it was bought. I tried a chefs knife and realized “I’m washing this and putting it back.” And I reached for the santoku. I love my santoku. It is my chefs knife. Then I bought a nakiri knife from an Asian supermarket for 8 bucks. I sharpen both as needed and oh my god. I’m never going to use any other knife’s but those two. Once I can afford the two winners I will buy them.

[grovermartin]

I've had a Victorinox paring knife that I love for 40 years! Keeps its edge almost indefinitely, and I use it almost daily for more than paring.

[martincleary]

As a gadget guy and a cooking enthusiast, I appreciated these videos. After having a multitude of nice knives and sharpening stones, I've finally arrived with the Bob Kramer Carbon by zwilling in 8". It's got heft, extreme sharpness holding, and feels good in a large hand. For the person that has everything..this is the gift.

[vernonrosario]

Great video! I fell down the Japanese knife rabbit hole during the pandemic, and now have eventually purchased seven Japanese knives. I love them for their lightweight, beautiful iron patterns, and the signature on them. They are all work of art! And I feel like a chef (or a samurai) on the cherry wood cutting board I had to get to make the cut feel right.

[ivangarza]

Although I do believe the knives they recommend are amazing and great, my biggest tip is not to go and get those just because they recommended them, I suggest (if you have the ability too) go to a knife store and grab and feel and act like your cutting food with as many as you can. When I got my first two knives I went in thinking I knew exactly what I wanted, and it wasn’t till I got to hold the knives when I realized what fit my hand and my body best. So yeah awesome video btw !

[jeffreyr.lapennas]

One of the things I really like about my tojiro gyuto is that it's easier to get a 7" knife and the tip is a little more precise than a German style western chef knife. Overall a more nimble and precise tool. I still use a western knife for heavier jobs and smashing garlic. I will also say that for me the Japanese knives with Western handles are the best combination!

[erwinl.]

I have one of the octagonal handle Nakiri by Nakiyo. I loved it so much I went for a petty and a paring knife to match. The control and lightness with those octagonal handles is just amazing. I also have an oval handle Santoku by Tojiro and it feels so amazing to cut with and no arm fatigue. Once you use Japanese steel and style, you can't go back to western style.

[TDM]

As a chef and knife sharpener I have to say that a good nakiri is a game changer. First time I used one it was a revelation. Great knife for prep monsters.
For chefs, consider getting a good yanagiba as a carving knife, they laugh at traditional European knives. Not just for sashimi, my Japanese chef friend has a box full which he uses on anything that needs to be sliced. Last time I helped out in his restaurant he had me slicing rare sirloin with one, it was wonderful!
Their is a caveat with good Japanese knives, they don't take prisoners. If you need to get your mise done really quick make sure your technique is up to it, otherwise you will be losing finger nails. In a blink.

[tomadams]

My own favorite for many years has been what I think is a Kiritsuke style, thin bladed, shorter (6-1/2" blade) stainless Japanese knife with a western handle. Similar to the Santoku, but more rocker to the blade, a little wider in girth, and a straight angled vs round angled tip. Lightweight and easy to use for just about everything, except cutting through dense, heavy bone & vegetables, where I use a big Chinese cleaver.

[jaclyniicole]

I try to keep a very minimalistic kitchen and used a chef's knife for pretty much everything. However, my dad bought me a Nakiri knife because I cook mostly vegetables and I have to say I love that little thing. I use it for pretty much everything unless I'm hacking through a big vegetable like butternut squash.

[Kmuggle]

In my home ... I can do everything I want to do with my 165mm Kohetsu Blue #2 Santoku. The blade is thin and SS claded CS. It's easy to sharpen and keeps a great edge. It has a slight curve to the edge and rocks just fine if ya want it to. It cost only $125. I use it every day. It's a nifty little knife and I couldn't be more happy.

I've also recently added a 240mm Yahiko Ginsan Nashiji Gyuto. (Ginsan is a type of SS.) It's a great little knife that I use daily and cost only $140. I love the thing!

I highly recommend Japanese knives. Aside from the fact that they cut very well ... they're just plain flat fun to use!

[ottopartz]

I'll say that i got a Wusthoff classic santuko probably 25 years ago, and it has really held up well. Tons of commercial use and many years of home use, and a good amount of sharpening. The edge has held really well due to the quality of the steel.

[ChrisBussells]

Just a note for those in the market for a Japanese knife: all of the "Japanese" knives I investigated on Amazon were actually made in China. This is not necessarily to denigrate these knives, but if you want a made in Japan knife you must look into the origin carefully.