Santoku knives

Read first: guides about the santoku

• 牛刀ComparisonGyuto or santoku: which Japanese knife should you buy first?Start with a stainless santoku. It is the knife almost every Japanese home uses, for meat, fish and vegetables alike. Choose a gyuto instead if you already cook with a Western chef's knife, or if you cook a lot and want a longer, sturdier blade.
• 研Buying guideDo you need a whetstone? How Japanese home cooks really sharpenNot to get started. Most Japanese households use a simple pull-through sharpener, take their knives to a sharpening service, or don't sharpen at all. Whetstones belong to keen cooks. A stainless santoku and a basic sharpener are enough for everyday cooking.
• 三徳Story from JapanHow the santoku became Japan's household knifeThe santoku took shape around the 1940s by combining the vegetable knife, the fish knife and the Western gyuto, according to knife maker Kai. In a 2022 survey, 96% of Japanese respondents owned one: a single blade now does what used to take several.

All santoku knives

Sort by any column. Care level is worked out from the steel and cladding; see each knife for the rule.