THE GUIDE: WHICH JAPANESE KNIFE TO CHOOSE?

Which Japanese knife to choose?

Looking to buy a Japanese knife ? Not sure where to start? Well, look no further, this guide will help you identify which Japanese knife is best suited for your needs.

A knife is the most important tool in the kitchen and Japanese kitchen knives are some of the best knives you can buy. They are unmatched in quality, sharpness and durability, just ask any knife enthusiast!

Compared to European knives, Japanese knives are generally made from stronger steel. This means that Japanese knives are thinner, lighter, and incredibly sharper.

Different types of knives

Unlike Western knives that are known for their versatility, Japanese knives are designed for specific tasks. There are several to choose from, so when shopping, you should consider what you will be using them for. Here are the different Japanese knives :

• The Guyto

This type of knife is the equivalent of a traditional Western chef's knife. Gyuto roughly translates to "cow blade" as it was originally used for cutting meat and fish. However, it makes for a great all-purpose knife.

The edge has a gentle curve towards the tip, making it ideal for cutting harder products such as fruits and vegetables in a rocking motion. It is also high enough to provide good surface contact for your knuckles when cutting. The blade profile allows for more contact with the cutting board, meaning less fatigue for the user.

This knife is lightweight and excels at precision work such as chopping vegetables. However, it would not excel at slicing large materials or cutting dense products.

• The santoku

Santoku knives are another type of chef's knives. Therefore, the Santoku knives are true all-purpose workhorses.

Their name is Japanese for “three virtues.” These virtues refer to the work of meat, fish and vegetables as well as the possibility of three different cutting techniques: slicing, dicing and mincing. You can use a Santoku in most recipes that require knife work.

Santoku knives are larger, more versatile knives. Some (especially women who typically have smaller hands and grips) consider Santoku to be more agile than Gyutos due to their size. They are generally shorter than long chef's knives (less than 21 cm) and have wide, flat blades and fairly blunt or slightly rounded tips. This helps combat hand fatigue and compensates for the fact that you have to actually chop and not tilt.

• The Deba

The Deba is a traditional Japanese filleting knife. This knife is especially used for preparing fish and breaking down poultry and small-boned meats. It has a sharp point due to its curved tip and spine. The deba is single-beveled, meaning it has a flat back side that makes it more effective when filleting.

It is thicker than most other Japanese kitchen knives. This weight is desirable because the sturdy heel section of the knife can be used to cut or chop bones found in small to medium sized poultry and fish.

• The Nakiri

Japanese Nakiri knives are mainly used for cutting vegetables. They have a thin, wide blade and square tips. The straight blade is usually 150 to 180 mm (5 to 7 inches) long .

Since it’s designed for chopping vegetables, the knife has a straight blade that can cut through long items (think eggplant, carrots) as well as make super thin slices of cucumber, bitter gourd, tomatoes and more. Its double bevel makes it perfect for both left- and right-handed use.

• The Yanagiba

Yanagiba knives are another type of traditional Japanese filleting knife. These are primarily used for slicing boneless fish for sushi and sashimi dishes. However, they are also often used for skinning fish.

The long, narrow blade and relatively sharp edge angle allow fish to be cut in a single pulling motion from heel to tip. Their blades are available in a variety of lengths from 210 mm to 360 mm (8 to 14 inches).

Knife care and protection

Like most equipment, knives need a little love and care. You should sharpen them regularly and depending on the type of steel, dry them immediately after use. To make it easier for you, here are 3 general rules you should follow:

• Never put your knife in the dishwasher.
• Store your knives either on the magnetic knife strip , on the knife rack , or stored in the utensil drawer.  
• Do not slide your knife, blade down, across the cutting board to remove what you have just cut.