Knife guides
Japanese knives, explained.
Choose the right knife, keep it sharp, and enjoy it for decades. Four steps, a few minutes each.
Step 1 · Shape
Choose your knife.
Each shape is made for a different job. Pick by what you cook.
-
Gyuto牛刀
Best for: everythingFrom $144.99 -
Santoku三徳
Best for: smaller boardsFrom $144.99 -
Kiritsuke切付
Best for: long, flat slicingFrom $169.99 -
Nakiri菜切
Best for: vegetablesFrom $144.99 -
Usuba薄刃
Best for: fine vegetable workFrom $239.99 -
Pettyペティ
Best for: small, precise workFrom $104.99 -
Paringペティ
Best for: peeling in the handFrom $149.99 -
Sujihiki筋引
Best for: carving and slicingFrom $169.99 -
Yanagi柳刃
Best for: sashimiFrom $249.99 -
Takobiki蛸引
Best for: sashimi, Kanto styleFrom $319.99 -
Deba出刃
Best for: whole fishFrom $239.99 -
Mioroshi身卸
Best for: breaking down and filleting fishFrom $299.99 -
Honesuki骨スキ
Best for: jointing poultryFrom $189.99 -
Garasukiガラスキ
Best for: poultry at volumeFrom $299.99 -
Kenmuki剣剥
Best for: peeling and garnishFrom $279.99 -
Edosaki江戸裂
Best for: eelFrom $399.99
Step 2 · Steel
Which steel is right for you?
Steel mostly comes down to how much care you want to give it. Here are the most common groups.
Easy careStainless
VG-10 · Ginsan · AUS-10- Care
- Hand-wash and dry. No rust worry.
- Edge
- A good edge that holds up well.
- Best for
- Everyday cooking, and a first Japanese knife.
Sharpest edge · most careCarbon
White Steel · Blue Steel- Care
- Needs the most care: dry right after every use and oil before storing, or it will rust.
- Edge
- The sharpest edge, and the easiest to sharpen.
- Best for
- Cooks who want the finest edge and don't mind the upkeep.
Longest lastingPowder and high-speed
SG2 · ZDP-189 · HAP-40- Care
- Dry right after washing. HAP-40 also needs oil before storing.
- Edge
- Stays sharp the longest, but takes longer to sharpen.
- Best for
- Cooks who want to sharpen as rarely as possible.
Step 3 · Sharpen
Keep the edge you paid for.
A medium and a fine stone cover almost everything. Ten minutes every few weeks keeps a Japanese edge razor sharp.
Step 4 · Care
A minute after cooking.
Three habits keep any Japanese knife looking new.
-
Hand-wash
Warm water, soft sponge. Never the dishwasher.
Care guide → -
Dry right away
Every time, straight after washing. Carbon steel will rust if it's left wet.
Removing rust → -
Store it safe
A saya protects the edge. Oil carbon steel before putting it away.
Cutting boards →
Go deeper
Every guide.
Knives
-
Japanese Knife Terminology GlossaryJapanese knife terms explained: steels like Shirogami and Aogami, honyaki and kasumi construction, finishes, blade parts, knife types, handles and sharpening.
-
How to Measure Your Japanese KnifeJapanese blade length runs from the tip to the machi, where the blade meets the handle. How to measure yours, blade vs edge vs...
-
Single Bevel vs Double Bevel KnivesSingle vs double bevel Japanese knives: edge angles, sharpening, left-handed options, and which suits you before you buy.
-
Complete Guide to Japanese KnivesJapanese knife types and uses, from gyuto and santoku to deba, yanagi and honesuki, plus single vs double bevel, so you can match the...
-
Japanese vs German and Western Chef’s KnivesJapanese vs. German chef's knives compared on steel hardness, edge angle, weight, and handle style, so you can pick the right knife for how...
-
Complete Guide to Gyuto Chef KnivesA complete guide to gyuto chef knives: what makes them different, which steels to consider, top uses, and how to care for and sharpen...
-
The 3 Essential Single-Edged Japanese Knives Every Chef Should OwnThe Yanagi, Deba, and Usuba are the three core single-bevel Japanese knives: for sashimi, filleting fish, and vegetable prep. See which to start with.
-
The Anatomy of the Japanese Single-Bevel KnifeA breakdown of single-bevel Japanese knife anatomy — the shinogi surface, urasuki, and uraoshi — and how each part affects cutting and sharpening.
Steel & craft
-
What is Stainless Cladding?What stainless cladding (san-mai) means on a Japanese knife, why bladesmiths wrap a carbon steel core in stainless layers, and how to care for...
-
Understanding Japanese Knife FinishesA practical guide to Japanese knife finishes — kurouchi, nashiji, kasumi, hammered and suminagashi damascus, and mirror polish — and their real trade-offs.
-
Japanese vs. Western Knife HandlesJapanese wa handles and Western knife handles are built differently for balance, weight, and grip. Here's how each is constructed and how to choose.
-
Japanese Knife Steel GuideCompare Japanese knife steels — White, Blue, ZDP-189, Ginsan, VG-10, INOX, R2/SG2, HAP-40, SRS13 — by edge retention, hardness, and required care routine.
-
The Japanese Knife Making ProcessHow a Japanese knife is hand-forged: bonding iron and steel, shaping, annealing, quenching, tempering, grinding, and handle attachment, step by step.
-
SG2 vs R2 SteelSG2 and R2 are the same premium Japanese knife steel. See its typical composition, hardness range, edge retention, and how to care for an...
-
High Carbon Steel ExplainedHow White Steel, Blue Steel, and Super Blue compare in Japanese knives, and how sharpening skill, usage habits, and budget should guide which one...
-
Yoshihiro Japanese Knives Handcrafted with Samurai Swordmaking TraditionYoshihiro knives trace their forging techniques back to Sakai City's samurai sword-making tradition. Here's the history behind how our knives are made.
Use & care
-
Why a Sharp Knife Makes All the DifferenceWhy a sharp knife cuts cleaner, preserves ingredient texture and flavor, and takes less effort than a dull one — plus how often to...
-
How to Remove Rust from KnivesHow to remove light surface rust from a high-carbon steel knife with a rust eraser and oil, when to see a professional, and how...
-
How to Care For and Maintain Your Japanese KnivesHow to clean, dry, oil, store, and sharpen a Japanese kitchen knife the right way, plus which whetstone grit to use for repair, sharpening,...
-
How to Sharpen Your KnifeHow to choose the right whetstone grit and sharpen double-edged or single-edged Japanese knives step by step, from 400 grit repair work to a...
-
Why Everyone is Switching to Hi-Soft Cutting BoardsA look at what actually protects a knife edge on a cutting board — how wood, plastic, bamboo, and rubber/EVA compare, and why Yoshihiro's...
-
What Whetstones Should I Get?How to choose a whetstone by grit, from 400-grit repair stones to 10000-grit polishing, plus how to sharpen, flatten, and maintain your stones.
Still deciding?
Tell us what you cook and we'll recommend a knife.