How to Use a Bunka - Japanese Kitchen Knife Skills

The bunka, a santoku's cooler cousin, is a super handy multipurpose Japanese knife in your kitchen. It's large enough to cut meat, but small enough to easily mince garlic. The bunka is a super versatile knife, but having some good knife skills really makes the difference! Former chef Mike is here to show you how to use a bunka like a chef.

Yu Kurosaki Senko Bunka

Seki Kanetsugu Zuiun Bunka

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[aussiehardwood]

As a former chef, I can say this is a very good tutorial, very good technique.

[freddyc]

I bought a Bunka today as my first Knive because it fitted perfectly for my price and feals great in the Hand. With this Video I learnd to use it correctly even thoe I of couse have to Work on it more. But thank you for your Video. It helped me a lot

[peter-radiantpipes]

Have the Enso 5.5 and just ordered the 7”. Can’t wait for it to show. I’ve got a new Kramer I’ve used twice but still grab this prep knife so much.

[carlocarosi]

Thanks, I constantly need these videos in my feed to keep the bad habits at bay.

[Old_School_Rocker]

I enjoyed your video and I wish I get skilled like you in my cutting technique one day 😉
But I missed the advantage of the Bunka by using the tip. For me the thin tip is very good to fillet a fish or to make fine cuts in the meat. That’s for me a valid reason to use a Bunka instead of a Santoku and makes it to a real all purpose knife😉
All the best from Germany 🇩🇪

[iveszheng]

is that a Yu Kurosaki Senko!? hellz yea

[dintelignt]

I'm a little late on this but uh... this is a fantastic tutorial on knife use!

I work as a cook and in my prep work i prefer to rock a 210mm kiritsuke, basically just a long bunka. Preforms most tasks extremely well. However, I do keep a 270mm gyoto on hand for certain tasks that the bunka doesn't quite measure up to, e.g. melons.

[ASTActionCam]

Thanks for this, learned way more than I expected! Cheers.

[GrantHendrick]

Thank you Mike for such a great video. Really a great breakdown of technique.

[larsvegas]

got to say its a whole mood.. most of the time i just grab my chinese cleaver and roughchop all veggies I need in 2 minutes.. got my shizuku bunka on the wall looking al shiny.. but i grab it sometimes for some fancy cutting, i like cutting raw meat with it also.

[ToastyBrain]

I recently bought one via a recommendation from a coworker, I love it, and use it often. I just forget the technique from time to time.

[paweel]

Great video, i got AS Kurosaki Fujin bunka, Shiro Kamo AS bunka and Senko Ei R2 Kurosaki bunka love them but i need one more stainless :D to my collection ;)

[delta]

Love my Masakage Yuki Bunka I got from Kevin & Knifewear over a decade ago. Beautiful in both form and function.

[RCSTILE]

You can do ANY these cuts with a well balanced high quality SHARP knife regardless of the style of knife. My favorite knife is a Shibata Kotetsu which just happens to be a bunka. But it is razor blade sharp, beautifully balanced and thin which makes cutting meat and veggies effortless. It's also a $350 knife. You get what you pay for.

[bcirocz]

I think I will get a bunka as my first knife

[jonny]

I find it interesting that your shortest Bunka blades are 165 mm, but the one I have my eye on is 150 mm ! Hopefully, the shorter length still works as nicely for me as yours does for you in this video !

[CoconutWaterfalls]

Bunkas are great for making super thin slices. 👊🤩🔪

[roospike]

Best all purpose knife imho.
With high tinsel strength I'm normally a push cutter and obviously works well for that. Short enough for control, tall enough for clearance, well designed tip for precision work.

Santoku and most Nakiri knives are too short with many times zero clearance for your knuckles...
A taller Nakiri are good too. ( normally Japanese style with the wa handle style )

[natewalpole]

Great vid. I'll point non-chef customers of mine I make gyuto and bunka for whom have not learned accurate knife skills.

[sacoto]

Santoku with k-tip = Bunka
Gyuto with k-tip = Kiritsuke