The nakiri, whose name translates as 'leaf cutter', is purpose-built for vegetable work. Its rectangular blade and squared tip maintain full board contact on each cut, with no rocking motion. The generous blade height keeps fingers clear and supports repetitive cuts: julienne, brunoise, dense root vegetables. This format works well as a primary knife in vegetable-forward kitchens, or as a dedicated complement to a gyuto.
The tsuchime finish covers the blade face with irregular hammer marks. These indentations create small air pockets between the steel and the food, reducing surface adhesion during cutting. On a nakiri, where the wide blade stays in close contact with dense vegetables, this is a practical advantage: slices release more freely without sticking to the flat.
The steel is VG10, produced by Takefu Special Steel. Its composition includes 15% chromium for strong corrosion resistance, and 1.5% cobalt, which allows the steel to reach 60,61 HRC despite that high chromium content. Edge retention is solid in daily use. The trade-off is a slower response on the whetstone: VG10 requires more passes than lower-alloy steels to reach a fine edge. Quality whetstones are recommended.
Care
Rinse and dry after each use. Do not put in the dishwasher.
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