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The Santoku is the most accessible all-purpose format.
The Gyuto is suitable for large cuts, the Nakiri for vegetables.
The Bunka, Petty, and Kiritsuke complete a first knife.
The steel and handle are chosen once the format is decided.
There are many types of Japanese knives, and the choice between a Santoku, Gyuto, or Nakiri bewilders many buyers. At Stay Sharp, we believe that the right format depends on what you cook, not on a prestige ranking. This guide provides the guidelines for choosing correctly: formats, steel, handle, length, bevel, and maintenance.
Japanese knives are forged from harder steels than their Western counterparts. This hardness allows for finer sharpening angles and a more precise cut. It also requires a different motion: where a Western blade favors rocking, Japanese knives work more by vertical push. Single or double bevel: the type of edge determines the technique, maintenance, and target audience. See the Japanese knives from Stay Sharp.
The Santoku, "three virtues" in Japanese (meat, fish, vegetables), is the ultimate all-purpose knife of Japanese cuisine. Its slightly curved blade, from 16 to 18 cm, offers an excellent contact surface with the board. Its double bevel makes it accessible for sharpening. Often forged in VG-10 or Ginsan, it adapts to most kitchens without any particular technique. It is the natural starting point for those discovering Japanese knives.
The Gyuto is the Japanese answer to the long blade that many cooks already know. Its blade, from 21 to 24 cm, is suitable for large cuts of meat, whole fish, and high-volume preparations. Its curved profile allows for the rocking motion, which makes the transition natural for those coming from a European knife.
The Nakiri is designed exclusively for vegetables. Its straight and rectangular blade cuts cleanly from top to bottom, with full contact on the board. This vertical push motion, without rocking, produces clean slices. It is ideal for julienne, brunoise, and chopping herbs. It is not suitable for meat or fish.
Beyond the trio of Santoku, Gyuto, and Nakiri, other formats exist. The Bunka shares the Santoku profile with a reverse point, for more precise work. The Petty, from 13 to 15 cm, is the Japanese equivalent of the paring knife: ideal for peeling and small cuts. The Kiritsuke, with a long blade and tapered point, is a hybrid single-bevel format, reserved for cooks comfortable with demanding blades. They complete a first knife without replacing it.
The choice of steel is intertwined with the choice of format. Stainless steels, VG-10, SG2, and Ginsan, resist rust and require little care. Carbon steels, such as Aogami ("Blue Paper Steel") and Shirogami ("White Paper Steel"), offer superior sharpness, but require drying after each use. An Aogami Nakiri will be sharper than a VG-10, but more demanding to maintain. Damascus refers to a multilayer finish, never a type of steel.
The Wa handle, traditional Japanese, is light, often made of ho wood or ebony, and shifts the balance toward the blade. The Yo handle, Western, is heavier and symmetrical, often made of Pakkawood, and familiar to those coming from a European knife. Some Wa and D handles are specific to the right or left hand, while octagonal handles are ambidextrous. The choice is a matter of motion and comfort, not manufacturing quality.
Stay Sharp was founded by Olivier Caza-Berthelet, a cook with fourteen years of experience in restaurant dining. Each format in the catalog is selected directly from identified Japanese blacksmiths. The stores in Montreal and Quebec City allow you to hold the blades in your hand before buying, an irreplaceable step for a first Japanese knife.
Length influences ease of use and the space required. A Petty from 13 to 15 cm is agile on small surfaces. A Santoku from 16 to 18 cm is suitable for most home kitchens. A Gyuto from 21 to 24 cm requires a wider board and a more assertive motion. Length also affects sharpening: a longer blade requires more time on the stone. See the sharpening stones.
The vast majority of modern Japanese knives, Santoku, Gyuto, Nakiri, are double-beveled: both sides of the blade are sharpened, which makes them easier to maintain. Single-bevel knives, such as the Yanagiba or Deba, have only one sharpened side: the edge is thinner, but sharpening requires a precise technique. These blades are often specific to the right or left hand.
A Japanese knife is not maintained like a Western knife. The steel rod, designed for softer blades, risks damaging a fine bevel: the appropriate method is the sharpening stone. For carbon steels like Aogami and Shirogami, dry after each use and oil lightly if the knife remains stored for several days. Cut on wood or soft plastic. These habits preserve the blade. The sharpening service from Stay Sharp is also there for you.
The types of Japanese knives each answer a logic of use. The Santoku is suitable for varied daily cooking. The Gyuto is the choice for large volumes and large cuts. The Nakiri focuses on vegetables. Steel and handle are secondary choices, once the format is decided. The right knife is not the most renowned: it is the one that corresponds to your motions, your space, and your cooking. Explore the Japanese knife collection.
