Best Japanese Kitchen Knife – Reviews & Comparison

1. Best Knife Overall - Kai Shun Classic

If you've red anything about the Japanese kitchen in America and especially anything about Japanese knives, you might've came across the "Shun" name by Kai. It is easily the "Mercedes" of kitchen knives and one of the highest quality Japanese chef knives on the market today. 

By being the Mercedes, the Shun is a pretty expensive purchase. It is made of super high quality Damascus steel - a proof of value and durability. The Shun blade is made of the extra hard and resilient to corrosion VG-10 steel, which is the highest grade metal you can find on a blade these days. It is crafted with 16 layers of high-carbon steel to protect the blade and keep it strong and sharp for as long as possible. 

Another great thing is that the Kai Shun chefs knife comes with a free lifetime warranty in the USA and you can also get free sharpening whenever the blade gets dull. We're not too sure if that will cover damages from misuse might be, but the Shun had no issues going through bones quick and easy. 

The Shun chefs knife is a fantastic piece of Japanese cutlery that gathers praise and positive reviews all over the world. Hand crafted in the USA, Kai offers lifetime warranty, free sharpening and support that it is hard to match. 

The Shun chef's knife is well worth your consideration if you're on the market for a high-end Japanese chef knife that promises to stay sharp and strong for years to come. At a price, of course. But we all know there is no such thing as free lunch and you ALWAYS get exactly what you pay for. Shun's product - 10 out of 10 in my book. 

2. Wusthof 7" Santoku - Far From A Quality Knife

There are lots of expectations when it comes to the Wusthof brand - quality, durability and overall excellence. However, that's not a all the case with the classic santoku by the company. 

For starters, it feels dull from the start. I don't know whether we got a bad knife from Amazon or whether it is something else, but the Wusthof santoku I got to try was nowhere near the standard I'm used to get when it comes to Wusthof. 

I tried sharpening it to no success too . It was losing sharpness after just one or two chopping sessions which is something I'm not used to even with a seriously cheap knives. I did some bones with it and it didn't do very well either. 

The handle is not that comfortable either - it almost formed a blister on my pointing finger while chopping a bag of red peppers for a big family reunion meal. 

So I will not waste anymore words for the particular model since it might've been a fluke with the particular product I received, but I'll wait and see if Wusthof will respond to my enquire about the quality of the blade. Until then - NOT RECOMMENDED AT ALL! 

3. KAI Shun Premier - A Great Nakiri

If you're on the market for a quality Nakiri style cleaver for chopping vegetables for sushi, for example, Shun has another great offer for you. Let me introduce the Shun Premier Japanese Nakiri knife from Kai Cutlery.

Just as the Shun's chefs knife, the Nakiri is a fantastic blade for the enthusiast Japanese kitchen chef. As always with the Kai brand, the Shun Nakiri is praised in most, if not all, reviews found online about the brand.

The Shun Nakiri comes sharp out of the box, unlike the Wusthof blade above. Made from Damascus steel and hand hand hammered to perfection, the Shun Japanese nakiri offers lifetime warranty and free sharpening for US customers. 

Here is a video of the sharpness of the Shun knife. It can cut through beef easily just by using the weight of the knife, which is super light at 4 ounces nevertheless: 

4. Keemake Professional - An Excellent Deba Knife 

The Keemake Deba knife is a perfect edition to your Japanese set for cutting and gutting raw fish and meat. Deba knives are perfect for making raw fish into delicious sashimi. The blade shape and length are perfect for the job. 

The Keemake Deba blade is one of the most budget friendly Japanese baldes that is sure to fit more budgets. But don't let the low price fool you - the Keemake is a high quality product. 

Made of high carbon German steel the Japanese deba sharpens extremely well, precise and stays sharp for a long time too. The deba is intended for raw fish and poultry so extreme sharpness is crucial for a high performance knife. The Keemake doesn't disappoint. 

Reasonable priced, the Keemake Deba feels a bit like a premium knife on a budget. The handle, while ergonomic, is nothing special to write home about. It feels good in the hand and it is well balanced, but it is made of plastic so it feels a bit cheaply. 

The blade, however, is very high quality for the price. Mine stayed sharp for weeks at a time and every time it needed sharpening during the few weeks of use it was a pleasure to sharpen. Just a few swipes on the rod and it was good to go. 

Overall, the Keemake deba is well worth the price if you need a Japanese chefs knife for fish and poultry. There is a lot of value to be had here so the Keemake is highly recommended. 

5. Best Santoku - Yoshiro VG10 Damascus Steel

The Santoku is probably the most used and well versed blade in the Japanese kitchen. It is an alternative to the classic chef's knife and the Yoshiro brand is a worthy member of the Santoku family. 

Made of VG-10 Damscus sstainless steel, the Yoshiro is a perfect example of the Japanese steel folding technique that makes this blade as good as it gets. It comes razor sharp out of the box and it stays sharp for weeks to come, no matter the use and abuse you put it through. 

The Yoshiro is a quality product made in Japan. It has the look, feel and make of a premium product for a very good reason - it is one. The wooden handle feels great in the hand and it is ergonomic enough to protect your wrist during prolonged use. 

The handle, while wooden, never feels slippery or weak. It feels just perfect in my somewhat large hands but it might feel a bit too thick if your hands are a bit on the smallish side. 

Overall, the Yoshiro Santoku blade is a superb product well worth the price. The layered stainless steel look might not be to the taste of everyone, but I find it quite striking. Made of the highest quality Damascus steel on the market, the Yoshiro ensures quality and durability for the years to come. Highly recommended Japanese chef knife for the picky home chef. 

6. Best Gyuto Knife - Misono UX10 

The UX10 is the high-end collection Gyutou from Misono - a staple name in the knife and blade industry. Made from high-carbon Swedish steel, the Misono Gyotou is the most universal Japanese chef knife on this review. 

Ideal for chopping, slicing and anything in between, the Misono UX10 is the ideal kitchen companion. Don't let the basic looks of the UX10 fool you - it is a wolf in a sheep's skin.

7. KAI Wasabi 4" - Great For Pairing

8. TUO Yanagiba - Great For Sushi And Sashimi

The TUO Yanagiba is perfectly crafted piece of art. From the very moment I opened the box that it came with I knew that was going to be a quality product. The TUO didn't disappoint either. 

Made from 34 layers of folded Damascus steel, the TUO Yanagiba is the perfect Japanese knife for sashimi. Razor-sharp from the very beginning, slicing raw and smoked fish and meat is a piece of cake. The TUO feels just right in your hand and it is a real pleasure to use. 

9. Dalstrong Shogun - An Excellent Yanagiba

10. Best Block Set - KAI Shun 10 Piece

Frequently Asked Questions

Making a standardized list of the Japanese kitchen knives is an immensely challenging task simply because all kitchen knives are not created equal. In other words, a Japanese knife that you find eminently handy may not be so for somebody else.

The effectiveness of a typical chef’s knife beauty varies from person to person, and invariably depend upon the manner you hold the tool, your hand size, your grip type and the specific purposes you’ll use it for. Beware of the fact that nowadays you’ll come across several cheap Chinese knock-offs claiming to be a true Japanese blade, especially ceramic, but that couldn't be further away from the truth. Chinese And Japanese knife types are quite different in comparison, and to be honest that's why I decided to create this review comparison - to help you buy a properly good knife for the best price possible on this ever changing market. 

Though the ‘made in China’ blades are produced using more or less the same manufacturing process that premium brands of Japanese knives use, they still happen to be inferior compared to the latter. The cheaper Chinese brands use low-quality materials and do not adhere to stringent quality control methods. The sharp edge doesn't hold to prolonged use either, doesn't sharpen as well and it doesn't stay sharp as long as a proper folded Damascus steel, for example. 

What Are The Main Differences Between Japanese and Western Knives? 

Japanese and American/European kitchen knives are quite different in design and general purpose too. Before we dive in to explain those difference we need to note that the two types of blades were developed for two quite different types of cuisine. 

European and American utility knives are designed to cut with ease through denser and thicker food. Beef and pork meat are the staple of American and European cuisines so you generally need thicker, heavier and sturdier knives in general. 

On the other hand, Japanese and the general Asian cuisine consists of lots of fish and lighter, thinner vegetables in general and that's the beauty of it. Of course, that is a general oversimplification of things, and you shouldn't quote me as a last instance on the question. But in general, Japan and other Asian cultures need a finer, thinner blades for more precise slicing of less dense and thinner foods like fish and soft fruit and vegetables. 

Most Western chef's knives are thicker, heavier blades with 40 degrees total blade angle and sharpened to a thicker, more robust 20 degrees facets. 

Most Japanese kitchen knives are thinner, lighter, more delicate blades with 30 degrees total edge angle and sharpened to a thinner, more precise 15 degrees facets. 

 Of course, there are specialty cutlery from both sides that deviate from the rule, but that's valid for ever type of cutlery out there. The biggest difference, besides the distinctive shapes, is the weight, the thickness and the edge angles between Japanese and Western knives. 

Let's take a look at the most important features to look for when choosing the next blade for your kitchen. It is crucial to define your needs before proceeding further. The better informed you are, the better choice you can make for you particular needs.

Best Blade Metal: High-Carbon or Stainless Steel?

The most important thing that you should first take into consideration while selecting your blade is the hardness of the metal or to be specific, the quality of the blade. Blades chiseled out of the best grades of high carbon steel and stainless steel tends to be the hardest which naturally makes them the highest quality as well.

High Carbon Steel

High-Carbon steel is generally much better than anything else if you want to achieve the best quality and the sharpest possible edge. Steel that has a high carbon content is usually much harder than stainless. The traditional Japanese steel called Shirogami is the highest quality and the most pure steel you can find on the market. Aogami steel is the second best, but it is not as pure as the Shirogami and it might have some alloys added to it as well. 

All Japanese carbon steel has a HRC hardness of over 60, while Shirogami #1 and Aogami #1 tend to be 65 and over. 

This purity and the superior hardness of the high carbon steel makes it an ideal metal for professional Japanese chef and kitchen knives which need better edge sharpness and the retention of this sharpness over time. Interestingly enough, high-carbon steel is not as tough to sharpen as people think - it is quite easy, actually, on par with the best out there. 

The only downside of high-carbon steel is that it is susceptible to the elements and it can get rusty quite quickly. High carbon blades usually require finer attention to detail to maintain them. Most, if not all, are not dishwasher safe and you only have to wash them by hand. Quality oils are a must as well if you want to keep your precious blade in top notch condition. 

Handle Quality and Materials

Most high-end Japanese blades benefit from a high-end handle too. While simple plastic might be fine for most, you can't really slap a cheap plastic handle to a work of art steel blade. It just doesn't work. 

High quality wood, like mahogany, for example, is a prime candidate for a worthy companion to a high-carbon Shirogami #1 blade, for example. Finely crafted wooden handle is a compliment to any good Japanese knife. 

If you are trying to stay within budget it is acceptable to opt in for plastic handle, but make sure it is a quality one. A good utility knife handle doesn't slip when wet and it shouldn't be uncomfortable after prolonged use. 

The manner in which the Japanese’s blade is attached the handle is called "tang". Some blades are ‘full tang’ while others are ‘push tang’.

The blade of a full tang Japanese knife goes through fully through the handle almost ending at the edge.

On the other hand, the blade in a push tang chef’s knife is wedged inside the handle up to an extent, and hence there is always the risk or possibility of the blade coming loose.

Nevertheless, the tang factor is usually not a matter of concern when it comes to picking a good piece of cutlery. Premium brands are constructed robustly where the handle and the blade are soldered jointly to form a compact and solid, reliable unit.

Blade Bevel: Single or Double?

You must have noticed that some blades have their cutting edge either on the left or the right side of the blade while others have bevels on both sides. The cutting edge, or to be precise, the angle or inclination of the edging is called the knife’s bevel.

European and American knives tend to be beveled on both surfaces of the blade whereas Japanese knives generally have the bevelling only on one end (the right-hand size in most cases). 

Single-edged knives come in very handy for paring and slicing veggies, fish and meats into super-thin or matchstick cuts whereas double-edged ones are meant for general-purpose use.

Nowadays, most Japanese knife models that are on the market are dual-edged. However if you think that a single-edged knife will serve you better and it is part of the classic Japanese tradition, make sure the cutting edge is always to your right when choosing a single bevel chef's knife. 

Cladding

Cladding signifies that the blade has a core made of carbon steel and sheathed in a wrapping of stainless steel. The only worthwhile benefit of using a cladded or encased utility knife is that you don’t have to worry about its maintenance as the outer layer of material offers sweeping protection to the core layer.

That's usually the case when companies want to add some elasticity to their blades. The outer layer of a softer material can really protect the harder inner core of a more quality hard steel. 

Knife Size