Best Japanese Kitchen Knives
When it comes to knife-making, no one beats the Japanese. They've practiced it for years. They were already forging metallic knives when other people were still using stone knives. Talk about experience! Japanese kitchen knives are famous the world over for their exquisite handcrafted workmanship. Thanks to their popularity, more and more companies now manufacture them, and there is a large variety of knives in the market to choose from. Choosing a good knife is not easy, so we've made a list of some of the best Japanese kitchen knives you can buy for your kitchen.
The Miyabi Birchwood 5000MCD Chef Knife 16cm
This knife features the core of micro carbide SG2 super steel encased in a hundred layers of eye-catching Damascus pattern. The blade is honed and sharpened by expert craftsmen using the traditional honbazuke method to produce a remarkably sharp 19o symmetrical blade.
With an MC63 Micro Carbide powder steel blade of 63 Rockwell Hardness, you're also assured of a long-lasting edge.
The knife also features a handle of premium Birchwood with a steel end cap and a stunning mosaic pin. It is light in weight, resilient, and easy to maneuver, which makes it very popular among chefs worldwide.
The Shun Classic Chef Knife
Shun Kai is one of the top manufacturers of Japanese knives in the world. It goes without saying that they make some of the best Japanese kitchen knives worldwide.
The Shun Classic 10'' Chef's knife is a multi-purpose knife that delivers precision and balance. It features proprietary a VG-Max core encased in 34 layers of Damascus steel with a Rockwell hardness of 62. The VG-Max core guarantees long-lasting edge retention, meaning you don't have to keep sharpening the blade every other time.
The knife features a traditional Japanese handle fashioned from water-resistant pakkawood material, which is hygienic and durable.
With its comfortable handle, lightweight blade, and long-lasting edge, this knife delivers balance and dexterity and is ideal for both professional chefs and beginner cooks.
With this knife, you also get free sharpening for life, all you need to do is simply deliver to Shun in Australia, they'll touch up your knife accordingly and send it back to you. All you need to pay is for postage. Talk about service!
The Shun Kai Classic White Santoku Knife-18cm
A versatile knife, The Shun Kai Classic Santoku lives up to its name. Santoku means "three virtues", which could refer to the three main types of foods you can cut with it: fruit, vegetables, and protein. It could also refer to the three types of cuts it is best in, which are chopping, dicing, and slicing. Either way, it's a great multi-purpose knife.
It features the typical proprietary resilient VG-Max core, expertly honed to a razor-sharp edge of 160. The core is supported by thirty-four layers of stainless Damascus cladding on each side of the knife (68 in total), which gives the blade a stunning appearance and prevents food from sticking to the blade when cutting.
The knife is full-tang for balance and precision. The handle consists of white Pakkawood, which is water-resistant and therefore durable and hygienic. This is because it won't retain water, food, and bacteria like a normal wooden handle. The handle is D- shaped to allow for both left and right-handed users and provides a firm, comfortable grip.
The Shun Kai Classic Scalloped Santoku Knife 17.8cm
This knife features a double-beveled blade hand-sharpened to an angle of 160. Its VG-MAX core is clad in 34 layers of Damascus steel, after which it is ground and then blasted to reveal a stunning pattered of the layered steel. With that VG-MAX core, you can be sure the knife will retain its edge for a reasonable amount of time before you have to take it for sharpening. The scalloped edge is a great feature that prevents food from sticking to the knife when cutting it. Its ebony D-shaped Pakkawood handle guarantees comfort and dexterity when cutting stuff up. The knife is also full-tang, which makes it very balanced, strong, and comfortable.
The Tojiro Hammered Nakiri Vegetable Knife 16.5cm
The Tojiro Hammered Nakiri Vegetable Knife 16.5cm is a Japanese styled knife used for chopping vegetables. It is distinguished by its straight blade edge. This knife allows the user to cut all the way through with ease without the need of any horizontal push and pull.
Handcrafted traditional blades, this knife is constructed of Japanese Shirogami (White) #2 carbon steel and then hammered to provide a unique texture.
The hammered finish prevents food from sticking to the blade. The D-shape traditional Japanese wood handle provides balance and fits comfortably in your hand.
The Miyabi 5000FCD Sujihiki Slicing Knife 24cm
This Miyabi slicing knife is thinner and sharper than most slicing knives. It works great when you want to portion and trim raw and cooked fish and meat.
Its blade features 49 Damask steel layers with a Rockwell hardness of about 61. The core of the blade is made of FC61 Fine Carbide steel which holds the edge and is amazingly resilient.
Each knife is expertly hand-polished and finished by experienced craftsmen. The handle and bolster join together seamlessly with no gap in between, giving the knife extra durability and hygiene.
The black Pakkawood handle is perfectly balanced and features a steel end-cap and a decorative pin and ring. The Spine, Coil, and Bolster corners are rounded to keep your hand comfortable when using the pinch grip.
The Tojiro DP Gyuto Knife 24cm
The great thing about Tojiro knives is that they are affordable and still extremely good quality. If you're on a low budget but you still want a good Japanese knife for your cooking hobby, this is the knife for you.
The blade consists of a VG-10 super steel core encased in corrosion-resistant stainless steel. It is super sharp and can achieve remarkably precise and thin slices. The knife is also full-tang, which gives it extra strength and balance.
Final Words
Japanese knives are made to bring out the best in food and are a great resource to have in the kitchen. They may be a bit pricier than other knife brands, but they will last long and serve you well. The knives discussed here are all worth the investment.
