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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