Japanese kitchen knives, explained from Japanese sources
Buying guides and care guides built from what Japanese knife makers and shops tell their own customers — with hands-on notes from our editor in Japan where we have them. How we work
New to Japanese knives? Start here
- Types of Japanese knives: a home cook’s guide (the big picture first)
- Gyuto vs santoku: which Japanese knife to buy first
- VG-10 vs Aogami vs Shirogami: steel for a first knife
- How to take care of a Japanese knife every day
- Buying a knife as a gift? Which to give and which to skip
Browse by topic: Choosing a knife · Sharpening · Care & cutting boards
All guides
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The best Japanese knife for beginners: a 4-step guide
A 4-step guide to the best Japanese knife for beginners: shape, steel, handle and sharpening, with sourced defaults and two picks under $150.
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Japanese vs German knives: what the spec sheets say
In this japanese vs german knives guide, maker spec sheets show hardness ranges overlapping across brands, while listed edge angles do not.
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Japanese knife gift: which to give and which to skip
A Japanese knife gift guide for buyers: which santoku, gyuto, petty or nakiri to choose, which gifts can backfire, and whether knives bring bad luck.
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Dento kogeishi meaning: craft titles and seals on knives
Dento kogeishi meaning explained: a title, a craft designation, a sticker, and a trademark are not the same thing. Here’s who grants each one.
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How knife sharpness is measured: Japan’s paper-stack test
A 2014 Gifu Prefecture report explains Japan’s Honda-type paper-stack sharpness test, CATRA, ISO 8442-5, and why results differ by setup.
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Japanese knife sharpener: what a 2026 Japan survey found
What did a 2026 crowdsourced survey of about 300 respondents in Japan say about dull knives? Four sharpener types sold there, plus Ken’s MARNA sharpener.
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Types of Japanese knives: a home cook’s guide
What are the main types of Japanese knives, and which to buy first? A research-based map of Western-style and traditional Japanese knives.
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Petty knife vs paring knife: how Japanese makers size them
Petty knife vs paring knife size guide: how Kai, Zwilling Japan, Sakai Jikko and Tojiro define each one, in their own blade-length numbers.
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Single bevel vs double bevel knife: which should you buy?
Single bevel vs double bevel knife: see what Tojiro and Sakai Jikko say about the grind, left-handed options, and which to buy first for home cooking.
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Can you use a knife sharpener on Japanese knives?
Yes, on a double-bevel knife with the right sharpener — what Japanese makers say about sharpeners, honing rods, and whetstones, and which fits your knife.