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All purpose knife (Santoku & Bunka)

The art of cooking depends on the quality of the tools you use, and Japanese knives have long earned a reputation for excellence in the culinary world. Among these knives, the Santoku and Bunka stand out as versatile all-purpose Japanese knives. Learn more about the characteristics and history of these two iconic knives, as well as their advantages in the modern kitchen.

Japanese all-purpose knives, such as the Santoku and Bunka, embody the art and tradition of Japanese cuisine, while meeting the modern needs of cooks the world over. Santoku is the epitome of versatility, while Bunka shines for its precision. Choosing between these two knives will depend on your personal preferences and the tasks you perform most often in the kitchen. In any case, investing in a quality Japanese knife is a wise choice to enhance your culinary skills and your pleasure in the kitchen.

The Santoku

The Santoku

The Santoku, whose name means "three virtues" or "three uses", takes its name from its versatility. It was developed in Japan in the 20th century as a response to the growing popularity of Western chef's knives. Designed to meet the needs of Japanese cooks while adopting elements of Western cuisine, the Santoku quickly became a staple in kitchens around the world.

The Santoku features a wide, rectangular blade with a “Kamagata” shape points, generally 15 to 18 cm long. The blade is sharpened on both sides, making it ideally suited to a multitude of kitchen tasks. The tip of the blade is slightly curved, allowing smooth rocking movements when cutting, and the width of the blade makes it easy to collect cut food.

The Santoku excels at preparing meat, fish, vegetables and even fruit. It is ideal for chopping, slicing, mincing and fine-cutting. Its versatility makes it the preferred tool of amateur and professional chefs worldwide.

You can find our Santoku selection here.

The Bunka

The Bunka

The Bunka is a versatile Japanese knife with its roots in Japanese tradition. Unlike the Santoku, the Bunka is more recent and less well known outside Japan, but it is rapidly gaining in popularity thanks to its exceptional capabilities in the kitchen.

The Bunka is distinguished by its elegant, pointed and slightly curved blade. The blade size generally varies between 150 mm and 180 mm, making it as handy as the Santoku.

The Bunka is a true Japanese all-purpose knife. Its shape allows great precision, making it ideal for cutting fine vegetables and herbs, as well as boning meat or preparing sushi. The tip of the blade is also useful for making meticulous, artistic cuts.

You can find our Bunka selection here.

All purpose knife (Santoku & Bunka)

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  • Original price $170.00 - Original price $170.00
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    Hitohira NM Tsuchime Santoku Mahogany Imitation

    The word santoku translates as "three virtues", which refers to the cutting of meat, fish and vegetables or the following three types of cutting: c...

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    Original price $170.00 - Original price $170.00
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    Current price $170.00
  • Original price $220.00 - Original price $220.00
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    Hitohira TD SLD Nashiji Bunka 170mm Walnut

    The Bunka is a general purpose knife that has a straighter edge profile than a Santoku. This makes the rocking motion more difficult to perform. Ho...

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  • Original price $420.00 - Original price $420.00
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    Yoshikane Shirogami #2 Bunka 170mm Stabilized Birch Wood

    The Bunka is a general-purpose knife with a straighter edge profile than a santoku, which makes the rocking motion more difficult to perform. Howev...

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    Original price $420.00 - Original price $420.00
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  • Original price $170.00 - Original price $170.00
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    Hitohira HG Tsuchime Damascus Santoku 185mm Mahogany Imitation

    The Hitohira HG Tsuchime Damascus Santoku 185 mm is a sturdy, durable all-purpose knife made of stainless steel with an imitation mahogany handle. ...

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  • Original price $210.00 - Original price $210.00
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    Hitohira TD Aogami #2 Kurouchi Bunka 170mm Walnut

    The Bunka is a general purpose knife that has a straighter edge profile than a Santoku. This makes the rocking motion more difficult to perform. Ho...

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  • Original price $195.00 - Original price $195.00
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    Hitohira TD Aogami #2 Kurouchi Santoku 165mm Noyer

    Le mot santoku se traduit par « trois vertus», ce qui réfère à la coupe de viandes, poissons et légumes ou encore aux trois types de coupe suivante...

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  • Original price $215.00 - Original price $215.00
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    Hitohira TD Aogami #2 Kurouchi Bunka 170mm Padauk

    The Bunka is a general-purpose knife with a straighter edge profile than a santoku, which makes the rocking motion more difficult to perform. Howev...

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    Original price $215.00 - Original price $215.00
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  • Original price $170.00 - Original price $170.00
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    Hitohira Chromax Santoku 170mm Pakka

    V-Gin1 is a steel designed by Takefu Special Steel co.ltd in Tafeku Village, Echizen, Fukui. The carbon content of V-Gin1 of 0.95 to 1.05% is compa...

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  • Original price $290.00 - Original price $290.00
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    Hitohira FJ VG-10 Bunka 180mm Ho wood

    This bunka is perfect for you if you love lightweight, high-performance blades. Here, you are not paying for anything superfluous, but for a simple...

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    Original price $290.00 - Original price $290.00
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  • Original price $220.00 - Original price $220.00
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    $220.00
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    Current price $220.00

    Hitohira TD SLD Tsuchime Bunka 170mm Walnut

    The Bunka is a general-purpose knife with a straighter edge profile than a santoku, which makes the rocking motion more difficult to perform. Howev...

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  • Original price $265.00 - Original price $265.00
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    Motokyuuichi Ginsan Nashiji Bunka 180mm Burnt Oak

    Motokyuuichi kitchen knives are hand forged in Shimabara City, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. The Kyuuichi family had a strong reputation for samurai ...

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    Original price $265.00 - Original price $265.00
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  • Original price $280.00 - Original price $280.00
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    Hitohira Futana Nickel Damascus Bunka Tagayasan

    The Bunka is a general-purpose knife with a straighter edge profile than a santoku, which makes the rocking motion more difficult to perform. Howev...

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    Original price $280.00 - Original price $280.00
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  • Original price $210.00 - Original price $210.00
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    Hatsukokoro Kumokage Aogami #2 Damascus Kurouchi Santoku 180mm Tagayasan

    Original price $210.00 - Original price $210.00
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    Hatsukokoro Kumokage Aogami #2 Damascus Kurouchi Bunka 180mm Tagayasan

    Original price $210.00 - Original price $210.00
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  • Original price $210.00 - Original price $210.00
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    Hitohira TD Aogami #2 Stainless Clad Nashiji Yo Santoku 170mm Noyer

    Original price $210.00 - Original price $210.00
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  • Original price $275.00 - Original price $275.00
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    Hitohira Futana Nickel Damascus Santoku 170mm Tagayasan

    The word Santoku translates as: three virtues, which can refer to the cutting of meat, fish and vegetables or to the following three types of cutti...

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    Original price $275.00 - Original price $275.00
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  • Original price $90.00 - Original price $90.00
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    Hitohira Imojiya OKD Shirogami #2 Stainless Clad Santoku 180mm Pakka

    Original price $90.00 - Original price $90.00
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  • Original price $205.00 - Original price $205.00
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    Hitohira TD SLD Tsuchime Santoku 165mm Walnut

    The word Santoku translates as: three virtues, which can refer to the cutting of meat, fish and vegetables or to the following three types of cutti...

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    Original price $205.00 - Original price $205.00
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  • Original price $210.00 - Original price $210.00
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    Hitohira Futana S3 Nashiji Bunka 170mm Cherry

    The Hitohira Futana S3 Nashiji Bunka 170mm is one of the models in Hitohira's Futana range. Made from stainless Ginsan steel, it offers great durab...

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  • Original price $280.00 - Original price $280.00
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    Hitohira TP Santoku 170mm Red pakka

    Le mot Santoku se traduit par: trois vertus, pouvant faire référence à la coupe de viandes, poissons et légumes ou encore aux trois types de coupe ...

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    Original price $280.00 - Original price $280.00
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  • Original price $230.00 - Original price $230.00
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    Hitohira T10 Tsuchime Santoku 170mm Bois de Pakka

    The word santoku translates as "three virtues", which refers to the cutting of meat, fish and vegetables or the following three types of cutting: c...

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    Original price $230.00 - Original price $230.00
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  • Original price $135.00 - Original price $135.00
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    Current price $135.00

    Hitohira Imojiya MZ VG-1 Santoku 165mm Mahogany Imitation

    The Petty is the perfect knife for slicing fresh herbs, cutting small vegetables and peeling fruits. Very versatile, this knife can even be used to...

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    Original price $135.00 - Original price $135.00
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    Current price $135.00
  • Original price $220.00 - Original price $220.00
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    $220.00
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    Current price $220.00

    Hitohira Futana SB Kuro Nashiji Santoku 170mm Cherry wood

    The word Santoku translates as: three virtues, which can refer to the cutting of meat, fish and vegetables or to the following three types of cutti...

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    Original price $220.00 - Original price $220.00
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  • Original price $200.00 - Original price $200.00
    Original price
    $200.00
    $200.00 - $200.00
    Current price $200.00

    Hitohira Futana S3 Nashiji Santoku 170mm Cherry

    The word Santoku translates as: three virtues, which can refer to the cutting of meat, fish and vegetables or to the following three types of cutti...

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    Original price $200.00 - Original price $200.00
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    Current price $200.00
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