How to choose a Japanese knife? 🎌

Choosing a Japanese knife doesn't have to be complicated. At first glance, the variety of shapes, steels, finishes, and handles might seem a bit confusing, but in reality, you just need to answer a few basic questions.

The most important thing is to know what you cut most often, what size knife suits you, and how much care you are willing to give it.

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1. Knife type 🔪

What do you cut most often?

Each Japanese knife has a slightly different purpose. Some models are versatile, while others were created for very specific tasks.

🔪 Gyuto – versatile chef's knife
The Japanese equivalent of the European chef's knife. It handles meat, vegetables, herbs, and most common kitchen tasks. If you're looking for one main knife for your kitchen, the Gyuto is one of the best options.

🔪 Santoku – a shorter all-rounder
More compact than a Gyuto and very pleasant for daily work. Excellent for vegetables, meat, and fish. Thanks to its shorter blade, it's easy to handle even in a smaller kitchen.

🔪 Kiritsuke – elegant all-rounder with a sharp tip
A distinctive profile combining the features of several traditional Japanese knives. The sharp tip allows for precise work, and the longer blade makes for comfortable slicing.

🔪 Bunka – versatile knife with a distinctive tip
Similar in versatility to the Santoku, but thanks to its sharp K-tip, it offers very good control for detailed work.

🔪 Nakiri – vegetable specialist
The straight blade is ideal for chopping and slicing vegetables. If you prepare large quantities of vegetables, the Nakiri is one of the most pleasant knives you can own.

🔪 Petty – small knife for detailed work
Ideal for fruit, smaller vegetables, peeling, portioning, and other tasks for which a classic chef's knife is unnecessarily large.

🔪 Deba – robust knife for processing fish
A traditional thicker Japanese knife designed primarily for filleting fish and working around bones. It is not intended as a classic all-purpose cleaver.

🔪 Honesuki – poultry boning
A sturdy blade and a distinctive tip allow for precise work around joints and bones. A great choice for portioning chicken and other poultry.

🔪 Yanagiba – sashimi knife
A long, narrow blade designed for a clean cut in one stroke. Primarily used in the preparation of sushi and sashimi.

🔪 Higonokami – traditional Japanese folding knife
Not a classic kitchen knife, but a traditional Japanese pocket knife suitable for trips, camping, or everyday carry.

Don't know where to start?

If you're choosing your first quality Japanese knife, we primarily recommend:

Gyuto, Santoku or Bunka.

They are the most versatile and can handle most tasks in a common kitchen.

2. Steel type

Carbon, stainless, or a combination of both?

The blade material affects not only the knife's sharpness, but also its maintenance, corrosion resistance, and overall character.

🪙 Stainless steel

Stainless steels offer high corrosion resistance and significantly easier maintenance.

They are particularly suitable for:

• common household use,
• users who do not want to take too much care of the knife,
• everyday quick cooking,
• anyone buying their first Japanese knife.

If you're choosing a knife for your home and don't want to worry about immediately drying the blade, patina formation, or higher sensitivity to moisture, stainless steel is generally the best and safest choice to start with.

However, this does not mean that stainless steel knives are of lower quality. Modern Japanese stainless steels can offer excellent sharpness, long edge retention, and very comfortable maintenance.

🌑 Carbon steel

Traditional Japanese carbon steels, such as Aogami or Shirogami, are particularly popular among enthusiasts, professional chefs, and people who want to get the most out of their knife.

Their main advantages include:

• ability to create an exceptionally fine and sharp edge,
• excellent cutting properties,
• generally very pleasant sharpening,
• traditional character,
• gradual formation of a unique patina.

Carbon steel is particularly suitable for someone who:

• already has some experience with quality knives,
• doesn't mind devoting a little more care to the knife,
• washes and immediately dries the knife after use,
• wants to enjoy the more traditional character of Japanese knives,
• appreciates the patina that gradually forms on the blade,
• is looking for an exceptional edge and doesn't mind higher maintenance demands.

Carbon steel reacts with moisture and some foods. If left wet or dirty for too long, it can start to corrode.

However, patina is natural and not a defect. On the contrary, it gradually becomes part of the specific knife's appearance.

If you enjoy sharpening, caring for knives, and want your knife to visually change over time, carbon steel has a unique charm.

🥪 San-Mai construction – carbon core + stainless cladding

A very common and practical solution for Japanese knives.

The edge itself is formed by a hard carbon steel core, such as Aogami or Shirogami, while its sides are protected by stainless steel cladding.

This gives you many of the benefits of carbon steel:

• very fine and sharp edge,
• good cutting properties,
• pleasant sharpening,

but at the same time easier maintenance, as most of the blade's surface is stainless steel.

However, it is important to remember that the carbon core at the edge remains reactive. Therefore, after use, the knife still needs to be washed and thoroughly dried.

Patina usually forms mainly on the exposed part of the carbon core just above the edge.

This construction is an excellent compromise for someone who wants to experience the properties of carbon steel but doesn't want to worry about the entire blade surface.

So what to choose?

Are you buying your first Japanese knife or do you want easy maintenance?
→ Start with stainless steel.

Do you want a traditional character, do you enjoy knives, and don't mind regular care?
→ Try carbon steel.

Do you want a carbon edge but slightly easier maintenance?
→ A carbon core with stainless cladding is an excellent choice.

3. Blade finish

The surface finish is not just decoration. It affects the appearance and character of the knife and, in some cases, its behavior during cutting.

🔨 Tsuchime

Traditional hammered finish.

Small indentations create a distinctive look and can help reduce the stickiness of some foods to the blade.

🌑 Kurouchi

Dark, rustic finish typical of many traditional Japanese knives.

On carbon blades, it also helps protect part of their surface from corrosion. Each piece can have a slightly different look thanks to it.

🌊 Damascus

Layered construction creating a characteristic wavy pattern.

Damascus is primarily a distinctive aesthetic element that makes each knife a little different.

🍐 Nashiji

A finely structured surface resembling the skin of a Japanese pear.

It is more subtle than Damascus or Tsuchime and well represents the Japanese aesthetic of imperfect beauty.

🌫 Kasumi

Literally "mist."

A traditional subtle matte transition between individual parts of the blade, typical especially for some hand-ground Japanese knives.

Each finish has its own character. Choose the one you'll want to return to every day.

4. Handle

What grip suits you?

Japanese knives most commonly feature two basic types of handles.

🉐 Japanese Wa handle

Traditional Japanese handles are often, for example:

• oval,
• octagonal,
• D-shaped.

They are usually lightweight, which shifts the knife's center of gravity more towards the blade.

The result is a light and very precise feeling when cutting.

🇪🇺 European handle

Structurally resembles classic Western kitchen knives.

It is usually heavier, ergonomically shaped, and often feels immediately familiar to people transitioning from European knives.

Do you want lightness and a traditional Japanese feel?
→ Wa handle.

Do you want more familiar ergonomics and a more robust feel in your hand?
→ European handle.

5. What blade length to choose?

Length is at least as important as its shape when choosing a knife.

120–150 mm

Smaller Petty and utility knives. Ideal for detailed work, fruit, and smaller ingredients.

160–180 mm

Santoku, Bunka, or smaller Gyuto. A very manageable size suitable for most home kitchens.

200–210 mm

One of the most versatile Gyuto sizes. Offers ample space for larger ingredients but is still easy to control.

240 mm and more

Longer chef's and professional knives. They offer a larger working surface and a longer cut, but also require more space on the cutting board.

If you're unsure, a Santoku or Bunka around 165–180 mm and a Gyuto around 200–210 mm are very safe choices.

6. Don't forget proper care

Even the best Japanese knife won't stay perfect for long without proper handling.

Above all, avoid:

• dishwasher,
• glass and ceramic cutting boards,
• prying and twisting the blade,
• chopping frozen foods,
• chopping bones with a knife not designed for it.

It is ideal to use a quality wooden or softer synthetic cutting board and regularly sharpen the knife on sharpening stones.

So, which Japanese knife to choose?

If you are buying your first Japanese knife, stick to a few simple rules:

1. Start with a Gyuto, Santoku, or Bunka.
They are the most versatile.

2. For your first knife, we recommend stainless steel.
It is more resistant to corrosion and easier for everyday use.

3. If you already have experience with knives and want a more traditional character, try carbon steel.

4. Want something in between?
A carbon core with stainless cladding offers a very interesting compromise.

5. Choose a length, handle, and finish that will suit you not only in appearance but primarily in use.

And most importantly – the best knife is not necessarily the most expensive or the hardest. It's the one that fits your hand and that you will genuinely enjoy using.

🔪 Whether you're a professional chef or a cooking enthusiast, the right Japanese knife can change the way you prepare food.

You can find the complete range of Japanese knives at www.onlysharp.cz.

📥 Not sure which one to choose? Write to us at [email protected] or DM us on Instagram. We'll be happy to help you with your selection.