- A Japanese knife should be chosen primarily based on your usage—sushi, vegetables, or meat—not on the brand.
- Japanese steel is harder (58-67 HRC), making it sharper but more fragile: it requires sharpening at a precise 15° angle.
- There is a knife type for every profile: the santoku for beginners, the gyuto for versatility, the kiritsuke for a chef’s technique, the nakiri for vegetables, and the yanagiba for fish.
- Maintaining the 15° edge is non-negotiable; a magnetic rotary sharpener is the most reliable solution that requires no technical skill.
You've heard about Japanese cutlery; you may have even seen a santoku in action. Now you find yourself faced with dozens of references, unknown names, and prices ranging from €30 to €500. The question everyone asks themselves: where do I start?
This guide answers that question straightforwardly. We’ll look at your kitchen—what you cook, how much you cook, and your budget—to identify the Japanese knife that is truly right for you. Not the one that looks dreamy on Instagram, but yours.
Discover our selection of Japanese knives →
In Japan, the kiritsuke symbolizes the chef’s authority: traditionally, only the head chef had the right to wield it. It is recognized by its long blade (21–24 cm) ending in an angled, clipped tip, which is both elegant and precise for finishing cuts.
Modern double-beveled versions make it a true versatile Japanese chef's knife: it slices meat like a gyuto, minces vegetables like a nakiri, and fillets fish cleanly. It is the choice for cooks who want a single expressive blade for almost everything. In a Damascus finish, it also becomes an exceptional piece on the countertop.
The nakiri: the vegetable knife
Flat rectangular blade, vertical cutting motion from top to bottom without rocking. Perfect for vegetables — brunoise, julienne, chiffonade. Not suitable for meat or fish. Dedicated guide: nakiri knife: complete guide.
The yanagiba: the fish and sushi knife
Long, tapered blade (22–30 cm) with a single bevel. Made to slice fish in a single clean pull, without crushing it. This is the quintessential professional sushi knife: sashimi, whole fillets, precision cutting. If you work with fish regularly, this is the benchmark Japanese fish knife. The pull-cutting technique requires a bit of practice. We detail fish knives in our hub santoku, gyuto, nakiri: which knife for which use.
The deba and the usuba: professional specialists
The deba cuts whole fish (including bones). The usuba is the vegetable knife for traditional Japanese chefs, featuring a single bevel. Both of these knives are covered in our guide santoku, gyuto, nakiri: which knife for which use.
To learn more about maintaining Japanese knives on stones, consult our complete guide: Japanese sharpening stone: complete guide.
Receive for free your user manual for sharpening with the rotary sharpener: practical use, choice of materials, choice of grit by knife type (santoku, gyuto, kiritsuke, nakiri).
