Are you new to the world of Japanese knives? Do you need one knife to do it all? Baby, you need a santoku.
If you’ve heard anything at all about Japanese kitchen knives, odds are that you’ve heard the term "santoku". The santoku is easily the most popular Japanese knife shape. It's so popular that even European knife makers have made their own version of them. Can you really blame them? This knife rocks! It truly is the jack-of-all-trades in the kitchen.
What is a Santoku Knife?
The word Santoku translates literally to "three virtues" or "to solve three problems". Interpretations vary, but folks say it covers fish, meat and vegetables, or rocking, chopping and slicing. Either way, it covers all of your bases. I see this knife as being the perfect gift, or a great first-knife in a household.
Santokus have a unique shape, with a profile that makes it good at just about everything. I’ve often said that the santoku is like the lovechild between a gyuto and a nakiri because it excels equally at cutting both protein and vegetables.
What's the best Santoku?
Most santokus are around 165-180mm in length. This is the perfect size for most tasks. While you can certainly find ones that are shorter and longer, they are much less common. The relatively short blade, compared to a chef's knife, feels more comfortable in the hands of a beginner; It is easier to control and less intimidating than a full-size chef's knife. This also makes them popular for folks with smaller hands, however their blades are a bit taller than that of a gyuto, so they're still perfectly comfortable and easy to use for anyone with larger hands. There’s tons of room between the handle and cutting board for beefy knuckles!
As I mentioned earlier, the profile of the knife is what makes it so versatile. It shares the flat heel that you would find on a nakiri, so you can slide the knife gently through your veggies for a clean cut, without them still being tied together like a paper doll. About halfway down the blade the edge starts to gently curve up towards the tip, lifting it up off the cutting board. This means you can also rock with your santoku when mincing garlic or chopping herbs. You could even carve a small roast or a steak with one!
I use my santoku any time I just want to cook a small meal, and I don't need to do a ton of chopping. It’s the perfect weekday cooking knife, and I keep my larger 240mm gyuto as my weekend/big meal prepping knife.
If it's time for you to grab a santoku, I've picked out our top 5 santokus so you can find the right one!
When someone says the words 'Japanese Knife', this is exactly what I picture: a rustic handcrafted blade with a simple wooden handle. Understated and elegant. The Kokuto keeps a fantastic edge, and isn't a pain to maintain!
What Customers Say
5.0 star rating
I have been enjoying my
I have been enjoying my new knife for a couple of months. It feels lovely and light to use, and cuts wonderfully. It's also very well crafted and quite beautiful to look at. When I went into the store to purchase, the advice and direction I got from the staff was pleasant and helpful. I would recommend a trip to the store to help you choose a knife that will become one of your kitchen favourites.
The Fujimoto Hammer Tone series is one of our favourites at Knifewear, forged exclusively for us. The incredible good looks are matched by outstanding performance, as the SLD steel core allows this knife to cut like high-carbon steel, without a big risk of rusting. While SLD can rust, it does so extremely slowly, so you can build a beautiful patina on your blade.
What Customers Say
5.0 star rating
Strong as a Hammer!
Solid look and feel. Edge stays sharp. Thick spine feels secure for cutting into thicker cuts of meat.
Hand-forged by Kato-san in Takefu Knife Village, the Yuki Santoku was the first knife I ever sold at Knifewear! It's made with super-sharp high carbon steel with a layer of protective stainless steel on the outside, so you only have to worry about keeping the edge dry!
What Customers Say
5.0 star rating
Nice change over my bunka
Fantastic knife super sharp and thin enough... just the right thickness. Had to replace my Masakagi bunka after mistreating it (breaking it). Almost cried.
Need a gift for a wedding, birthday or Christmas? This guy is the way to go. It's got a clean, modern look, it cuts like crazy, and it's super ergonomic. Need I say more?
What Customers Say
4.0 star rating
Simple elegant versatile knife
Great looking knife at an affordable price point. My first general purpose Japanese knife. The blade is a little thin for copying chopping anything hard, but otherwise it's the only knife I need for day to day home cooking. Handle is very comfortable.
Okay, so it's technically a bunka, but bunkas and santokus are basically the same thing. The Seki Kanetsugu series offers insane performance with a steel that won't rust, all bundled in a STUNNING package.
What Customers Say
5.0 star rating
Awesome
Beautiful and useful. Service was great and very helpful for me to make the best choice.
Hopefully this article made it easier, not harder, to pick a Santoku for your collection. I know that with so many great options, choosing can be challenging. If you ever need more help choosing, don’t hesitate to contact us or visit our shops in person. For our full line of santokus, you can check out the full selection here.
Nathan started at Knifewear in 2013, when he left the restaurant industry to slang knives. Nowadays, he handles our communications, social media, and YouTube channel. If you're reading words on this website or watching one of our videos, Nathan was involved. He spends his spare time growing food, cooking, fermenting food and booze, and enjoying the great outdoors.
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