The Tadafusa Hocho-Kobo - The Best Beginner Japanese Knife Set


It should come as a surprise to absolutely no one that the knife I’m using in my kitchen is important to me. As a professional chef turned career knife nerd, reaching that ultimate kitchen-zen feeling is a driving force in my life, but always playfully out of reach, always challenging me to improve. I imagine a guy like Tadayuki Sone-san, the third-generation owner of Tadafusa Knives, has a similar attitude towards his craft, too.

While the blades at Tadafusa are forged by machine,
much of the work is done by hand by expert craftspeople.

Sone-san has learned from the past—his grandfather, Torasaburo Sone-san, founded Tadafusa in Sanjo way back in 1948. Sanjo has been something of a blacksmithing epicentre for several hundred years. It’s also home to some of the most well respected Sake distilleries and winter sports resorts. Yes, Sanjo truly has it “going on” in all the conventional senses. Unsurprisingly, Sone-san has a very strong sense of civic pride. He’s dedicated to keep all of their production in Sanjo to help create employment opportunities locally. This extends not just to his generation, Sone-san wants Tadafusa to stay in Sanjo so the next generation can inherit this tradition and improve upon their craft.

When I’m looking for a knife, there are a lot of questions that run through my mind. How well will it hold an edge? How does it perform? Is it stainless, or will it rust? How does it  feel?  For me, the Tadafusa “Hocho Kobo” (which simply translates to “Kitchen Knife”) checks all of my most important boxes. The first time I held one in my hand, even before I felt the way it could effortlessly glide through a tomato, I already knew it was special. Its incredible thinness and chestnut handle make it light as a feather. It possesses a very simple beauty—brushed steel and wood give it a clean, elegant appearance. It is, in many ways, an understated knife.

The Hocho Kobo 210mm Gyuto is one of the most popular blades for home cooks.

Not only are they elegant, sharp, and nimble, but they’re also built to last. Sone-san has chosen to forge his knives out of a material called SLD, a steel originally developed to be used to cut other types of steel. Neat! Like many other types of Japanese steel, it holds it’s edge exceptionally well, but it’s also easily honed and sharpened. It’s more durable than most carbon steel knives, and has the added convenience of being relatively stainless. It will oxidize and darken very slowly, but if you take good care of it, you won't need to worry about rust. Furthermore, the chestnut handles have been worked using a charcoaling process - this means they’re water resistant and anti-bacterial!

An entire set of Tadafusa Hocho Kobo can be had for a very good price!

And then there’s the price. It’s easy to imagine the knife I’m talking about being placed out of reach—on a pedestal surrounded by velvet rope—but you’d be mistaken. In fact, none of the knives in the whole Hocho Kobo line are over $180 CAD. The 210mm Gyuto, most chef’s favourite tool, is only $169 and a whole set can be had for around $400-600. Simply put, Tadafusa makes some of the best knives in the world, but their production is dialed in to the point where you need not sacrifice your whole paycheck on a set of insane knives. Tadafusa? More like… RADafusa.

Shop the Tadafusa Collection

L
larchwoodwolfville
11/15/17
The warm chestnut handles of the Tadafusa knives pair beautifully with the stainless welded bolster blade. These knives are amazingly light and comfortable to hold, with an edge that will make easy work of your dinner prep! #knifewear #sharp
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Francis J.
Verified Buyer
5.0 star rating
09/04/18
Good for the buck
Review by Francis J. on 4 Sep 2018 review stating Good for the buck
The blade it self is pretty basic. Sleek, and the handle feels very good and natural. The wood as a good grip. I bought it as a gift for my brother in law who love to cook. As a chef i wanted to give him somethings different and better than what we find in regular stores.
F
Francis J.
Verified Buyer
5.0 star rating
09/04/18
Good for the buck
Review by Francis J. on 4 Sep 2018 review stating Good for the buck
The blade it self is pretty basic. Sleek, and the handle feels very good and natural. The wood as a good grip. I bought it as a gift for my brother in law who love to cook. As a chef i wanted to give him somethings different and better than what we find in regular stores.
K
knifewear
05/17/16
From the lowly tin of tuna you've had in the cupboard for months to the mighty bonito. We have something fishy for every kind of chef. Tinned Fish has the basics and the not so basics. Gourmet canned fish is a booming trend in Portugal, but you can make a lot of these recipes with house brand grocery store fish too. #herefishyfishy #knifewearyyc ⛵️🐟
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knifewear
05/09/16
@alicelouisewaters has really hit the nail on the head! Keep it simple stupid! The Art of Simple Food $44! #knifewearyow 613.695.4200
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knifewear
07/06/17
The simple and stylish @tadafusa_hocho_kobo santoku. If you want a killer Japanese cutting edge, at a very competitive price, this is the knife. Perfect for the minimalist chef. ($148)
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knifewear
05/21/16
No wonder we can't find Nemo!!! Fish spatula $30, fish scaler $14, Tadafusa Deba $138 and fish tweezers $11. #sharpknivesrock #knifewearyow 613.695.4200
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reclaiminghomedecorating
08/06/18
I would say 90 percent of what I own is second hand. I love thrifting. I love not paying full price. I love giving old things new life. I love reclaiming things that others don’t want anymore. However once in a while I buy something new. I bought my first “adult” kitchen knife with my birthday money this week. It is Japanese, super sharp and so pretty. I keep making up excuses to use it. I paid full price for it and think it was worth every single penny. If I take care of this knife it will outlive me. Which means that its price tag is totally worth it. @knifewear in Edmonton was the most amazing shopping experience. Everyone clearly knew what they were talking about and the service was outstanding. I haven’t ever had a shopping experience like it. I highly recommend them. #notanad #knifewear #santukoknife #birthdaypresent #heirloompiece #sopretty #amazingservice #chopallthethings
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teddy.h.underhill
11/09/18
My work is filled with passion, everywhere, from the smiles I'm excited to see everyday, all the way down to tools i love. Glamdring, Orcrist and Sting cut me through the thicket. Thank you knifewear setting me up for ultimate protein deconstruction ☠ these knives cut through like they were just off the forge. #donttouchmyknives#japanesesteel #knifeporn#tadafusa#takedanas#fujuiwaranohoto#sharplikeaknife XX Thank you shiftresto for our one year adventure together and the hard working family i have gained under our amazing Captain Chefjonathan_harris819 ! The incredible stitch work done by rougegallery
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Mathias L.
Verified Buyer
5.0 star rating
10/02/18
Very highly recommended!
Review by Mathias L. on 2 Oct 2018 review stating Very highly recommended!
I bought this knife a couple of weeks ago, so this review is an initial impressions review, not a long-term user review. I do have some experience with fine, hand-made kitchen knives, and also with sharpening. My experience when buying this Santoku was very positive, I checked out a lot of their knives in this price category and was also shown cheaper and more expensive alternatives. Right from picking up the knife, I knew that I would like it very much. It is light, love the wooden handle, perfect balance, just the right length for me. Enough curvature for slight rocking motions, too. It was sharp out of the box, although not quite shaving sharp. I purchased Clapham's mineral oil and beeswax-based wood care product, too, and would highly recommend to apply it twice before using the knife, so the wooden handle is protected. The first cutting experience was awesome, right now it is my favorite knife. I wished they would introduce a small (8-9 cm) paring knife, and maybe a shorter Gyuto (18 cm), too. I cannot comment on edge retention or ease of sharpening, yet. So far, very highly recommended! Stay sharp!
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