This gyuto 240 mm forged by Kenji Togashi in Sakai handles the full range of kitchen tasks, from dense vegetables to larger cuts of meat. At 240 mm, the curved blade profile suits both push-cut and rocking techniques, with enough blade height to keep knuckles clear of the board. It is the standard professional format, versatile without sacrificing precision.
Forged in Sakai, Japan's historic centre of knife-making, this gyuto comes from the Togashi workshop, one of the rare ateliers in the region where forging and hand-grinding take place under the same roof. Kenji Togashi, a Dentokogeshi craftsman active since 1966 and recipient of the Order of the Sacred Treasure, forges exclusively in sanmai, with a hagane core and jigane cladding. Kenya Togashi, the workshop's dedicated hand-grinder, shapes the concave bevel characteristic of Togashi's craft, reducing drag in the cut and making sharpening on a whetstone more responsive. The kurokaki handle, a dense black persimmon wood with tight grain and deep tone, provides a firm grip and a strong visual contrast with the blade.
The Shirogami #1 (White Steel #1) is the purest carbon steel in the Hitachi Metals lineup, with no chromium or tungsten and a carbon content of 1.25 to 1.35 %. That purity allows the edge to reach a level of fineness that alloyed steels rarely match, provided the sharpening session is thorough: Shirogami #1 requires more passes on the stone than Shirogami #2, but responds precisely once the bevel is set. The trade-off is straightforward. Without chromium, the blade reacts quickly to moisture and acids. A patina develops naturally over time and gradually protects the steel, but wiping the blade immediately after every use is not optional.
Care
Wipe the blade immediately after use and do not leave moisture or acidic residue in contact with the steel. Apply a thin coat of camellia oil before storage. Never put in the dishwasher.