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読み物 · Guides

Guides and stories

Start with a question, read what we see from Japan, then compare knives in the catalog.

Buying guide

Do you need a whetstone? How Japanese home cooks really sharpen Not to get started. Most Japanese households use a simple pull-through sharpener, take their knives to a sharpening service, or don't sharpen at all. Whetstones belong to keen cooks. A stainless santoku and a basic sharpener are enough for everyday cooking.

Comparison

Gyuto or santoku: which Japanese knife should you buy first? Start with a stainless santoku. It is the knife almost every Japanese home uses, for meat, fish and vegetables alike. Choose a gyuto instead if you already cook with a Western chef's knife, or if you cook a lot and want a longer, sturdier blade.

Explainer

Carbon or stainless: choosing the steel for a Japanese knife For most people, stainless: VG-10, Ginsan or SG2 take a fine edge and forgive being left wet, and stainless is what most Japanese homes use. Choose carbon steel such as Shirogami or Aogami only if you enjoy sharpening and will dry the blade after every use.

Story from Japan

How the santoku became Japan's household knife The santoku took shape around the 1940s by combining the vegetable knife, the fish knife and the Western gyuto, according to knife maker Kai. In a 2022 survey, 96% of Japanese respondents owned one: a single blade now does what used to take several.