Best Japanese Kitchen Knives- Best 7 Recommendations

When it comes to knife shopping, the endless options can be daunting. Between different knife functions (a carving knife, utility knife, slicing knife, steak knife, etc.) to different chef regions (A western knife, German knife, etc.) it can be intimidating to get started.

If you’re looking to invest in a high-quality knife that is versatile in function, we suggest you look no further than a Japanese knife! When people think of a Japanese blade, they may picture a classing Yanagi knife/sashimi knife.

However, there are dons of different kinds of Japanese knives on the market that serve different purposes! If you’re looking for a new kitchen knife, any kind of Japanese knife is a worthwhile addition to your kitchen.

A Japanese kitchen knife is versatile – you can use them to cut anything including sushi, bread, meat, and many more. They are ultra-thin and ultra-sharp, which makes them easy to handle. When choosing one assess what exactly you need out of a chef’s knife and select the one that best fits.

With the wide range of Japanese kitchen knives on the market, it can be a daunting task to narrow down to one or a few. This article will review 7 of the best Japanese knives from the various knife brands on Amazon to help you narrow down to your preferred choice more easily.

7 Best Japanese Kitchen Knives

Ready to explore the world of Japanese cutlery? The knives found here are comparable to the Japanese chef’s knife you’d find in any professional kitchen! Here is an overview of the 7 best Japanese knives on Amazon.

1. Best Multipurpose Japanese Knife: Usuki Gyuto Chef’s Knife

Product Specifications

• Type: Gyuto
• Blade material: Alloy Steel
• Blade finish: Damascus
• Handle design: Classic Japanese
• Blade length: 8inches
• Weight: 12.8 ounces

This Japanese chef knife is made of 3 layers of alloy steel that offers durability and sturdiness. The double-sided blade has excellent sharpness retention and cuts with precision. Its classic Japanese handle is octagonal shaped for a comfortable, non-slip grip.

This is a multipurpose knife that can be used for cutting, slicing, and mincing foods such as fruits, meat, fish, and vegetables. The manufacturer offers a satisfaction guarantee and will replace the knife if it is delivered defective.

Pros

• Balanced handling
• Well-engineered
• Comfortable on your hands
• Beautiful finish
• Sharp blade
• Ideal as a gift
• Multipurpose

Cons

• Pricey

2. Best Premium-Quality Japanese Knife: Oxford Chef Kiritsuke Chef’s Knife

Product Specifications

• Type: Gyuto
• Blade material: High Carbon Steel
• Blade finish: Damascus
• Handle design: Classic Japanese
• Blade length: 3.5 inches
• Weight: 1.1 pounds

This is a premium-quality Japanese knife made by knife smiths who are highly trained in traditional Japanese knife-making techniques. The blade’s cutting core is made of Japanese VG-10 super steel for flexibility and maximum edge retention.

The Damascus steel finishing is achieved by cladding 66 layers of high carbon steel. The multiple layers ensure that the knife is resilient against rusting and corrosion.

The cutting edge is polished at an 8–12-degree angle, which makes the knife super sharp. This knife is multifunctional and can be used for mincing, slicing, and chopping different foods including vegetables and meat. It is so sturdy that you can use it to disjoint large cuts of meat.

Its western-style handle is designed for optimal comfort and excellent performance. It also offers ample knuckle clearance, rounded with a tapered pinch-grip bolster for a natural, balanced, and slip-resistant handling.

The manufacturer offers a lifetime guarantee on this Japanese knife either for a replacement or a full refund. They also have a sharpening policy that allows customers to send their knives back for a free tune-up.

Pros

• Premium-quality build
• Beautiful Damascus finish
• Comfortable and functional handle
• Multipurpose
• Durable
• Lifetime warranty

Cons

• Quite pricey

3. Best Japanese Knife Set: DFITO Kitchen Chef Knife Set

Product Specifications

• Type: Santoku, Nakiri, Bread, Boning, and Paring knife
• Blade material: High Carbon Steel
• Blade finish: Waved-laser etched pattern
• Handle design: Classic Japanese
• Blade length: 8”,7”,7”, 5”,3.5
• Total Set Weight: 3.3 pounds

This 5-piece Japanese set constitutes of:

• 8″ Bread Knife
• 7″ Santoku Knife
• 5″ Boning Knife
• 7″ Nakiri Knife
• 3.5″ Paring Knife

Each knife on the set is engineered with precision for excellent performance. The knives are made with high carbon and forged with stainless steel for durability, rust, and corrosion resistance. Each side of the cutting edge is ultra-thin and sharpened at a 13-15-degree angle for a smooth cutting and optimal edge retention.

This set provides you a knife for every purpose. The Santoku knife is multifunctional and can be used for cutting, chopping, or slicing fish, meat, and vegetables.

The boning knife can be used to remove chunks of meat and fish from the bones while the bread knife can be used with bread, pizza, and fruits. Finally, the paring knife is excellent for fruits and vegetables.

These knives have a unique waved-laser etched pattern. The Pokka wood classic-Japanese style handles are durable, strong, and offer a comfortable grip. They have a finger guard that offers additional protection when using the knife. These knives come with a sheath for easy and safe transportation and storage.

Pros

• Affordable
• Well balanced handling
• Ultra-sharp cutting edges
• Corrosion and rust-resistant
• Multifunctional
• Come with sheaths

Cons

• The cutting edge dulls easily

4. Findking Dynasty Series Nakiri Knife

Product Specifications

• Type: Nakiri
• Blade material: Stainless Steel
• Blade finish: Damascus
• Handle design: Classic Japanese
• Overall length: 7 inches
• Weight: 13 ounces

This 7” Nakiri knife is blade is made of 9CR18MOV alloy, which has a 60±2 hardness. The blade is durable and offers razor sharpness. It is particularly designed for cutting vegetables and should not be used on bones or hard foods such as frozen food and shelled nuts.

This knife goes through an intricate forging process to achieve the Damascus finish and ensure durability, edge retention, and excellent performance.

Its core is made of high-quality steel and then forged with three layers of composite steel. Its handle is made of rosewood and has an octagonal shape for easy, comfortable, and balanced handling.

It comes in beautiful packaging to ensure safety. This knife would be ideal as a gift to family or friends who love cooking.

Pros

• Affordable
• Razor-sharp
• High-quality build with stainless steel
• Ergonomic handle design
• Balanced handling

Cons

• The blade is prone to rust

5. ALLWIN Professional Damascus Chef’s Knife

Product Specifications

• Type: Gyuto
• Blade material: Stainless Steel
• Blade finish: Damascus
• Handle design: Classic Japanese
• Overall length: 7 inches
• Weight: 13.8 ounce

This multipurpose knife is made through an elaborate forging process to achieve a sturdy blade and beautiful Damascus finish. Its core is made of VG 10 high-quality steel that is folded and forged with 33 layers of steel on each side. Its round handle is made of pakkawood for non-slip, comfortable handling. This knife design is also available in 3 other sizes: 3.5”, 5.5”, and 7”.

Pros

• Made with high-quality stainless steel
• Multipurpose
• Razor-sharp
• Well-balance and comfortable handling
• Lightweight
• Suitable for gifting

Cons

• Not durable
• Several complaints that the knife was defective at the time of delivery

6. LEVINCHY Damascus Chef’s Knife

Product Specifications

• Type: Gyuto
• Blade material: Stainless Steel
• Blade finish: Damascus
• Handle design: Classic Japanese
• Overall length: 12.7 inch
• Weight: 223g

This knife has a unique circle pattern Damascus style finish that is achieved by forging 67 alternating layers of S/S 431 and 304 high carbon steel on a 10Cr15CoMoVcore using the traditional 3-step Honbazuk process.

The blade has a hand-finished, and mirror-polished as 8-12 degree angle for a razor-sharp edge. Its pakkawood handle offers ergonomic and comfortable handling for high precision cutting.

This is a multifunctional knife that can be used for a wide range of tasks, including slicing, chopping, and cutting meat, fish, bread, fruits, and vegetables. It comes in beautiful black box packaging making it ideal for gifting. The manufacturer offers 24/7 after-sale customer service via email.

Pros

• Durable
• Beautiful design and finish
• Stain-resistant
• Agile and ergonomic handle
• Well balanced and comfortable to use
• Super sharp
• Multipurpose

Cons

• Some people find it too sharp and quite large

7. Simple Song Traditional Japanese Gyuto Knife

Product Specifications

• Type: Gyuto
• Blade material: Stainless Steel
• Blade finish: Damascus
• Handle design: Classic Japanese
• Overall length: 12.7 inch
• Weight: 223g

This traditional Japanese Gyuto knife is made of 420HC high-quality stainless steel for optimal sharpness and edge retention. The blade is reinforced with chromium to ensure rust and corrosion resistance. It is also heated during the forging process for optimal hardness and edge retention.

The knife has a full-tang design with the steel blade running through the entire length of the blade into the handle. The handle assumes the classic Japanese design and is made of rosewood.

Rosewood not only offers a beautiful handle aesthetic, but it is also durable and comfortable on the hands. It also offers a balanced feel and a non-slip grip.

The blade design incorporates a single bevel edge on the right side that is sharpened at a 15 degrees angle for meticulously precise cutting. Since the left side of the knife-edge is flat, easily separates food slices.

The long blade enables you to make long strokes when cutting vegetables or sashimi. The blade is also strong enough to handle tough meats such as pork belly.

The manufacturer offers a 30-day satisfaction guarantee within which you can contact customer support to request a return.

Pros

• Durable
• Beautiful design and finish
• Stain-resistant
• Well-balance and comfortable handling
• Lightweight
• Suitable for gifting

Cons

• Dulls quickly
• Some previous customers reported that the blade became loose after a few uses

Buying Guide: How to Choose a Japanese Knife

The following are factors are important to consider when choosing a Japanese knife:

1. Blade Material

Typically, Japanese knives are either made of stainless steel or carbon steel. Stainless steel is sturdier, more durable, and corrosion and rust-resistant. On the other hand, carbon steel is lighter, makes more precise cuts, but is more prone to rusting and corrosion. To prevent your carbon steel knife from rusting, ensure you clean and dry it immediately after use.

Some Japanese knife brands are now making carbon steel knives that are platted with stainless steel to improve the durability and rust and corrosion resistance capabilities of the knife.

2. Type of Japanese Knives

There are different types of Japanese knives according to the specific purpose for which they are used for. The most common types of Japanese knives include:

Deba Knife: Used for beheading fish and separating the fish fillet from the skeleton.

Yanagiba Knife: Smoothly cuts raw fish. They are sharp and long.

Honesuki Knife: Used for cutting meat and poultry. They have a pointed tip for easy separation of the cartilage and bone.

Nakiri Knife: Used for cutting vegetables. They are heavy, wide, and long.

Gyuto Knife: This is the most versatile Japanese knife. It can be used to cut vegetables, fish, and beef. It is the most ideal starter knife if you want to try out a Japanese knife for the first time. Their length ranges between 160-180mm.

Santoku: This is another versatile Japanese knife. It is large enough to handle big pieces of meat but can also cut vegetables. Their length ranges between 160-180mm.

Other types of Japanese knives include bread knives, boning knives (Hankostu), and slicer (Yanagi).

3. Handle Design

Japanese knives either have a “Wa” or “Yo” handle design. The “Wa” handle construction is the classic Japanese design that uses Magnolia. The handles are either Octagon, Oval, or D-shaped. They are lightweight and offer a firm grip even when handled with wet hands.

On the other hand, the “Yo” handle design is a western design. The western handle has a piece of steel at the base and through the center, the wood part is riveted to the steel part. This kind of handle is sturdy and heavy. It also offers ambidextrous handling.

4. Finishing

Japanese knives have the following 5 main types of finishes:

Kurouchi: Also referred to as the Blacksmith finishing. This type of finishing looks unfinished, organic, and rustic. It retains the black residue from the forging process. Due to the cut cost of fishing, Japanese knives with this type of finishing are generally cheaper. Although this finish is quite durable, if scrubbed with an aggressive material, it can wear off.

Nashiji: Also known as the pear skin pattern because the finish looks like an Asian pear. It is smoother than the Kurouchi finish. Knives with this finish are quite affordable.

Migaki: Also known as the polished finish. As the name suggests, this type of finish is quite polished with some manufacturer going for a mirror-like polish while other a cloudier one. Although this finish offers an elegant aesthetic, any scratches on the knife stand out conspicuously.

Tsuchime: This is the hand-hammered finish. It has a textured look that is achieved during the forging process by imparting marks and dimples on the knives’ blade. Since the finish is hand-hammered, it is impossible to achieve a uniform finish for all the knives.

Damascus: This kind of finish offers a water-like pattern. This pattern is achieved by repeatedly folding together different grades of steel over a pure grade core. Once the layering is complete, the knife is heated, hammered out, and welded.

This process is repeated for several layers resulting in a unique finish pattern. Due to this elaborate production process, Japanese knives with a Damascus pattern are quite expensive. They are also durable and retain sharpness for longer.

How to Maintain a Japanese Knife

Below are some tips on how to correctly use, sharpen, clean, and store your Japanese knife.

Use

Use your Japanese knife on a wooden chopping board. Avoid glass or plastic chopping boards as they may cause the knife’s blade to chip or get blunt. Do not use the knife to hack on bones, dense vegetables, or frozen foods. Since Japanese knives have light and thin blades, hacking or twisting can cause them to break.

Sharpening

Keep in mind that it is much easier to sharpen an already sharp blade than one that is completely blunt. Therefore, sharpen the blade as soon as you notice even a slight loss in sharpness. Try to sharpen at least once a week. Stroking the blade against a ceramic honing rod will help to retain its sharpness.

On the other hand, if the blade is completely blunt, you will need to sharpen it in two steps. First using a #400 stone or a diamond rod, then finish with a high gritstone or a ceramic rod.

Cleaning

Most Japanese knives are not dishwasher safe. The best method of cleaning them is using warm water with soap and a soft piece of cloth. Immediately dry the knife.

Storage

You may either store your Japanese knife in a drawer or a magnetic wooden knife rack. Japanese knives experts recommend using a magnetic wooden rack and the knives won’t knock against each other. Besides, it makes it easier to retrieve the knives and you get to display your Japanese knives collection. Whichever option you choose, Japanese knives should be stored in a cool, dry, and well-ventilated place.

If you opt to store your Japanese knives in a drawer, put them in a knife roll or blade guard to protect the blade and protect your fingers when retrieving it.

Conclusion

So, which is the best Japanese knife? The Japanese knives discussed above are highly rated on Amazon.

The right one is the one that suits your needs. Consider the purpose for which you will be using the knife, how often and for how long, and preferred finish, handle design, blade material, and your budget. Whichever you choose, ensure to maintain it properly so that it serves you for long.

Best Japanese Kitchen Knives Comparison

Product Image	Product Name	Dimensions	Price
	Best Multipurpose Japanese Knife: Usuki Gyuto Chef’s Knife	16.3 x 3.3 x 1.1 inches	$59.95
	Best Premium-Quality Japanese Knife: Oxford Chef Kiritsuke Chef’s Knife	14.76 x 3.19 x 1.14 inches	$89.95
	Best Japanese Knife Set: DFITO Kitchen Chef Knife Set	14.65 x 5.04 x 1.65 inches	$49.95
	Findking Dynasty Series Nakiri Knife	16.81 x 2.6 x 1.34 inches	$49.99
	ALLWIN Professional Damascus Chef’s Knife	14.53 x 3.35 x 1.38 inches	$35.99
	LEVINCHY Damascus Chef’s Knife	12.7 x 1.6 x 0.83 inches	$47.99
	Simple Song Traditional Japanese Gyuto Knife	14.25 x 2.68 x 1.26 inches	$$