The Best Japanese Kitchen Knives for All Recipes
Japanese kitchen knives are perfect for cutting food and preparing any perfectly prepared dish. Born for the oriental cuisine, today they are used by chefs all over the world for their great precision, reliability and endurance. As for chef’s knives, even among Japanese knives we find different models designed to cut and work different food groups. In this guide, we see what are the best Japanese kitchen knives, what are the types and how to choose them according to the type of food to prepare?
The best and most high-end Japanese kitchen knives are made of durable materials such as damask steel and have worked with ancient techniques that make the knife sharp but durable for many years.
Thanks to their characteristics, these knives are used in professional kitchens. However, they are perfect to be used at home by those who love to cook and are sensitive to research and preparation of dishes in an impeccable manner. Also, if cleaned and stored with the right care, they will not need to be sharpened for long.
Cutting food is essential and is different depending on the cooking we will do. Also, slicing or chopping food with the right blade allows you to preserve its qualities best.
For example, filleting the fish or cleaning fruits and vegetables with a suitable knife means not spoiling the food and preparing it for cooking properly. Then, chopping sturdy vegetables such as carrots and potatoes or cutting the meat for the stew will become easy without relying on food processors.
Buying Japanese Kitchen Knives means buying high-quality products that last over the years, adding value to our table and improving recipes and the presentation of dishes.
Table of Contents
How to choose Japanese kitchen knives: Types and Characteristics
Cut
One of the most important aspects of Japanese kitchen knives is that the blade has a sharp cut only on one side. Therefore, holding the knife in your hand will not sharpen the left side of the blade, so your left hand can drive the knife more securely than normal knives.
Material
The most common material used in Japanese knives is steel or damask steel. The steel is worked with particular techniques to be folded dozens of times to obtain a strong, durable, almost indestructible blade.
The blades of Japanese kitchen knives do not corrode or rust or deform. Moreover, the knives’ weight is greater than the standard knives. This favors the precision of the movements without force with the hand.
Handle
An essential part of the knife is the handle that guarantees an excellent grip. This will be necessary to obtain a clean cut and prevent the knife from slipping from the hand. The handle is traditionally made of wood, for example, bamboo, but we can also find it in other materials.
One of these is the micarta, a collection of natural materials such as cotton, linen, and paper worked with resin. Sometimes, the handle is not treated, so you must not leave it in contact with water when it is washed.
Types of Japanese kitchen knives
As mentioned, there are different types of Japanese knives. We see which foods are most useful in the kitchen and which are more suitable.
Santoku: The Japanese santoku knives are the most widespread and used ones. The main reason is that they are suitable for cutting vegetables, meat, and fish, so they are versatile. In addition, their shape is very similar to Western knives, so they are easy to use even for those unfamiliar with Japanese knives.
Nakiri: Nakiri knives are wide-blade knives, perfect for slicing vegetables and fruit. The shape of the blade is not smooth. This prevents vegetables and vegetables from sticking while being cut or minced.
Gyuto: The Japanese knife Gyuto is considered the Japanese alternative to the carving knife. Like the Santoku, this is also very versatile and is used for vegetables, meat, and fish. Its blade is smooth and can be a good choice for a multi-functional knife at home.
Sujihiki: The Sujihiki, unlike other Japanese kitchen knives, has a sharp blade on both sides. This allows more experienced chefs to slice and chop faster.
Yanagiba: The Yanagiba Japanese knives are specific to preparing sushi and sashimi. They are perfect for filleting and cutting fish, both raw and cooked, even in Western recipes, because they have a delicate and precise cut. In addition, the Yanagiba is lighter than other Japanese knives.
These models of Japanese kitchen knives are most suitable for the kitchen, but there are many other types, such as the Maguro Bocho, suitable for cleaning and cutting freshly caught tuna.
The best Japanese kitchen knives
Now let’s move on to the purchase phase and see the best Japanese kitchen knives and the most reliable brands with their prices and features. Japanese kitchen knives can vary between $30 and $300.
The difference is in the processing of the blade and the materials used for the blade and handle. Among the most important brands and the most expensive Japanese kitchen knives, we find Miyabi, with Santoku and Gyuto knives first in the ranking, and Kasumi, produced with high-quality materials that are versatile and usable for all foods with excellent results—an excellent investment for those who want to make a lasting purchase over time.
We see below the ranking with prices, models, and features.
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- RAZOR SHARP WITH DURABILITY - This stainless steel knife set features rock solid design...
- PREMIUM QUALITY - Each chef knife set has undergone stringent quality inspection and...
- 【Precision Perfection in Every Slice】Our professional-grade kitchen knife are...
- 【Comfort in Hand】Crafted with the user experience in mind, our kitchen knives feature...
- 【Masterful Balance】Perfectly balanced between the blade and handle, this Japanese...
- 24/7 Cutomer Support: We stand by the quality of our products. Our team is available...
- VG-10 Damascus Steel: Sharp out of the box-Damascus knife set features a hand-polished...
- G10 Militrary-grade Handle: Easy to Grip- Our chef knife made of G-10 handle that is...
- [Traditional Japanese Hand Forging] Professional Japanese chef's knife inherits the...
- [Exceptional Cooking Chef Knives] Gyuto chef knife is made of 3 layers of top grade...
- [Solid Rosewood Knife Handle] The Japanese high carbon knife is made of precious summer...
- High-Carbon Stainless Steel Blade: It is manufactured from high-quality stainless steel...
- Multi-functional Knife: The gyutou knife is classified and designed to be a multipurpose...
- Ergonomic Pakka Handle: To make it more professional and minimize any fatigue, finger...
- Japanese Steel Knife Core, Super Sharp: SHAN ZU chef's knife core is made of AUS-10...
- REAL Damascus Knife, not Lazer Etched: SHAN ZU Damascus chef knife layering sheets of...
- A total of 67 Layers Steel, Long-Lasting Use: SHAN ZU Damascus chef knife forged by 67...
- MUTI-PURPOSE CHEF KNIFE SET - The Brewin 3pc Professional Kitchen Knife Set comes with 1×...
- RAZOR SHARP WITH DURABLE EDGES - Sharpness is the key word for cutting knives. The...
- FULL TANG ERGONOMIC HANDLE - Triple-riveted ABS ergonomic handle with fully-forged full...
- JAPANESE CHEF KNIFE: The Shun Premier 8-inch Chef's Knife is expertly designed for a...
- DISTINCTIVE HAMMERED FINISH: Part of the Premier Series, this knife features a beautiful...
- SUPERIOR SHARPNESS: Crafted with VG-MAX steel and 68 layers of Damascus cladding, this...
- JAPANESE TRADITIONAL HAND FORGED: Professional Japanese Chefs Knives inherits the Japanese...
- FINELY CRAFTED GYUTO CHEF KNIFE: Japanese knife made from 3 layers of 9CR18MOV high carbon...
- SOLID ROSEWOOD KNIFE HANDLE: Japanese high carbon knife made of summer sourwood from...
- JAPANESE CHEF KNIFE: The Shun Classic Blonde 8-inch Chef's Knife is expertly designed for...
- PIONEERING EXCELLENCE: Bring home a piece of the renowned Classic Series – the original...
- SUPERIOR SHARPNESS: Crafted with VG-MAX steel and 68 layers of Damascus cladding, this...
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