Where to Buy Japanese Kitchen Knives - And All The Types
Japanese knives are famous for their thin, delicate, razor-sharp blades. Not only do they look stunning, but their superior workmanship preserves ingredients and enhances the taste of the final dish. If you're wondering where to buy Japanese kitchen knives, don't worry, you don't need to go all the way to Japan! We've got you covered.
With a wide range of the top Japanese knife brands all under one roof, you don't need to go further than our store for all your knife needs. Japanese knives can be quite confusing, so here we've broken down the main types of Japanese knives with examples from some of the top brands.
Types of Japanese Knives
The Japanese use different knives for different purposes. While each knife type has its own unique features, all of them boast top-quality handcrafted workmanship which has catapulted them to the top of the culinary food chain when it comes to knives.
Let's have a look at some of the most popular Japanese knives so you can take your pick according to your cutting and peeling requirements.
Deba
This knife has a thicker than usual blade because it is typically used to cut through fish bones when making fillets. Although it is mostly a fish knife, it can be used to cut meat as well.
If you're searching for a high-quality Deba knife, look no further than our collection. Among other Deba knives, we have the Tojiro Pro Flash 63 Layer Damascus Deba Knife. Handcrafted in Japan, this knife can be used to cut poultry and crustaceans as well as fish. With its thick, durable blade, cutting through bones, cartilage and crustaceans is not a problem.
Gyuto
An all-purpose knife, this is the Japanese version of the common western knife, the chef's knife. Gyuto knives can be used for anything, from cutting fish to chopping vegetables and meat.
Their slightly curved blades also make them suitable for rocking. A good example of a good quality Gyuto knife is the F. Dick Premier Plus Gyuto 18cm. Its ice-hardened stainless chrome-molybdenum-vanadium steel blade has long edge retention, giving you a durable and perfectly balanced knife.
Kiritsuke
Kiritsuke knives have an angled tip and tend to be longer than most knives. They are famously difficult to use and are traditionally used by the executive chef in a restaurant.
They are generally all-purpose knives and are great at slicing cooked meat.
The Shun Kai Classic Kiritsuke Knife is a good example of a Kiritsuke knife. With a blade consisting of 324 layers of Damascus steel, this knife can be used for a wide range of tasks including portioning fish and other boneless proteins; and dicing vegetables. It also has a slightly curved edge to enable rocking cuts.
Nakiri
The Nakiri is mostly used to make precise cuts such as the Julienne for vegetables, but it can also be used on thick-skinned products like squash and potatoes.
It has a double bevel, which makes it easier to use than the Usuba. An example of a high-quality Nakiri knife is the Tojiro Hammered Nakiri Vegetable Knife 16.5 cm. With its straight blade edge, you can cut through vegetables easily without having to do horizontal pushing and pulling. Its hand-hammered blade prevents food from sticking to it when cutting. The blade is also made of Shirogami (white) #2 carbon steel, which is sharper than stainless steel.
Usuba
Like the Nakiri, this knife is used for complicated vegetable cuts like dicing and Julienne. However, unlike Nakiri, the Usuba is more difficult to use due to its single bevel. This makes it ideal for really thin slices.
The F. Dick Premier Plus Usuba Vegetable Knife 18cm features a high quality stainless chrome-molybdenum-vanadium steel which has been ice-hardened to retain the edge longer. It also has a seamless bolster and integrated tang for better stability. A comfortable plastic water-resistant handle is connected seamlessly to the tang.
Petty
This is a small knife used for fine work on small vegetables and fruits. It is similar to the Western paring knife and is ideal for styling fruits or simply for preparing meals.
The Tojiro Shirogami Double-Bevel Petty Knife 15cm is a great example of a petty knife. It works great for peeling fruits and making decorative cuts. Its Shirogami steel blade featuring a soft iron outer layer retains its edge for a long time and is easy to sharpen.
A multi-purpose knife, it can also be used instead of the Santoku if it has a longer blade.
Santoku
This is an all-purpose knife used for a wide range of tasks in the kitchen. It can be used to cut vegetables, fish, and meat. Its rounded tip and flat blade makes it more suited for chopping rather than rocking.
If you want good quality Santoku knives, look no further than our collection. Among the Santoku knives in our store, we have the Miyabi Birchwood 5000MCD Santoku Knife 18cm. This knife features a razor-sharp SG2 super steel blade with a core protected by a 100-layer flower Damascus pattern. The blade also goes through a four-step ice-hardening process for extra strength and durability.
The blade is symmetrical, with a hand-honed edge of 63 Rockwell hardness. The well-crafted Japanese workmanship of this knife will have you always reaching for it when preparing food.
Sujihiki
Although this knife resembles the western slicing knife, it has a harder and thinner blade which doesn't require frequent sharpening. It is mostly used to slice poultry, fish, and meat. The hard Japanese steel gives a sharper edge angle.
The Miyabi 5000FCD Sujihiki Slicing Knife 24cm is a fine example of a Sujihiki knife. Uniquely handcrafted and polished, this knife features a rounded spine, choil, and bolster corner, giving a more comfortable grip. There are also no gaps between the handle and the bolster, which makes the knife more durable and hygienic. The handle and blade are also perfectly balanced for precise cutting.
Final Words
High quality Japanese kitchen knives are indispensable in a kitchen where the worker is serious about the culinary arts. Head over to our store and shop now for your pick of the best brands of Japanese knives and find one that suits your needs.
Also Read: Best Japanese Kitchen Knives - 7 Recommendations
Explore our other products: F DICK 1905 Series Carving Knife 15cm, F DICK 1905 Series Magnetic Knife Case 5 Pc Set, and F DICK 1905 Series Paring Knife 9cm.
