The word santoku translates as "three virtues", which refers to the cutting of meat, fish and vegetables or the following three types of cutting: chopping, slicing and dicing. Very versatile, the santoku is one of the types of knives we recommend as the first or main knife in the kitchen.
Simply explained, Aogami #2 developed by Hitachi Metals is a steel made from Shirogami #2 in which some chromium and tungsten are added for better durability and corrosion resistance. In addition to that, the higher carbon content of the steel allows for better cutting retention. Objectively, the Aogami #2 is an improvement over the Shirogami #2. For patina lovers, however, Shirogami steel will be more reactive to oxidation and could be an advantage.
The Hitohira brand is a guarantee of excellence and assures you that every knife sold under this name meets rigorous quality standards.