The Japanese are remarkable knife makers. If you cook in any capacity, either at home or commercially, the Japanese knife will give you that extra edge you need to dominate.
If you know anything about the Japanese, you probably understand that precision is a way of life. Japanese kitchen knives emulate the same principle.
Usually, the Japanese knife is lightly crafted and thin at the edges, and so, they’re useful for delicate vegetables, and other soft items that you might cook.
Also, Japanese kitchen knives give you the freedom to make aesthetic cuts and deliver tasty meals artistically to your friends, family, and customers.
While the Japanese knife is perfect if you have a family, or cook for a living. Knife collectors can also get in on some of the most well-crafted steel knives on the planet.
Whether you’re interested in knives for cooking or as a way to store value for arbitrage, the Japanese knife is a good investment.
To this end, the list below is a definitive guide to some of the best knives money can buy in Japan.
Best Knives to buy in Japan: A Quick Look
Global Cromova 18 G-S Japanese Knife
Item weight: 236 g Material: Molybdenum/Vanadium Price: ¥11,000
Osawa Knives Ryusaku Japanese Knife
Item weight: 0.599 kg Material: Steel Price: ¥6,700
VKing Ceramic Japanese Knife Set
Item weight: 0.581 kg Material: Ceramic Price:¥4,580
Shimomura Kogyo Verdun Japanese Knife Set
Weight : 0.721 kg Material: Steel Price: ¥6,381
Dark State Grandson (チタン) Japanese Knife Set
Weight : 0.721 kg Material: Steel and titanium Price: ¥5,348
Best Knives to buy in Japan: More Details
Global Cromova 18 G-S Japanese Knife
If you love to cook, and need a knife that will give you the edge smoothness you need to deliver crisp, beautiful food cuts at the speed of thought, look no further than the Global Cromova 18 G-S Japanese knife.
Powerful source materials
If you are in the kitchen quite a bit, you need kitchen utensils that do work. To this end, the Cromova comes complete with a dangerous cocktail of source materials such as Vanadium, Molybdenum, and Chromium.
This potent mix of alloys, comes in a double-edged knife that allows you to experience the joy of cooking with activities such as slicing, chopping, and dicing as it hits home.
Great for delicate cuts
Also, with the Cromova, you get a straight, thin craft that is invaluable when you have to make delicate cuts. Also, you get sand-filled hollow handles that provide the perfect weight and balance for convenience and easy access.
For even more access, the Cromova Japanese knife comes with a double-edged handle that makes it a charm whether you are dominant in your left hand or right.
Powerful blade
If you are a cook or an enthusiast in the art, this blade has a 20cm blade that absolutely shreds everything in its path. If you are catering to your colleagues on a home visit, or a team bonding session, you can use that feeling.
The Cromova 18 Japanese knife is incredibly easy to maintain, durable, and incredibly sharp on the shredding board, and if you’re on the market for a sleek, well balanced professional knife, then the Global knife is your best bet.
Osawa Knives Ryusaku Japanese Knife
These knives are made by SekiRyu, a reputable brand that specializes in manufacture of blades, kitchen knives, and even traditional Japanese Samurai swords.
Once you make your purchase, you get a set of incredibly sharp, thin blades that slice through food items with ease and precision.
Smooth ergonomic handle
You also get a wide range of smooth stainless steel blades that guarantee durability and easy sharpening whenever you need to cook.
The Osawa knives come with a smooth ergonomic handle that is made with poplar wood.
Poplar is one of the best options for woodwork finishing. It’s also lightweight, sturdy and firm and is the ideal option for fish filleting.
Wide range of specialty knives
The Osawa also comes with specialty knives that serve several use-cases. The Deba knife in this set will help you extricate every piece of bone in your fish for meals, and it’s also great for cutting through meat.
The Sashimi knife in this collection is ideal for prepping the tiniest slices of fish, and for making tasty sashimi dishes.
During your time here, you probably discovered that the Japanese make some of the best fish dishes in the world.
Within this range, you get a Santoku knife as well as a Nakiri that is fantastic for Julienne, meat, fish, and vegetables.
Armed with this knife set, you can, in the comfort of your kitchen, replicate some of your favorite Japanese meals.
If you want a Japanese Knife set that’s designed to apply precision slicing to tasty fish, vegetable, and bread meals, the Osawa Japanese Knife is a great bargain.
VKing Ceramic Japanese Knife Set
If what you require is a multi-purpose Japanese Knife that’s built for convenience and tends to various use cases by providing full cover once you’re in the kitchen, the Vking Ceramic Knife is a great option.
Dynamic knife set
The Vking Ceramic Knife is a super value, five-piece set of knives with 4 blades that each serve a different purpose.
With this Japanese Knife, you get a 15 cm Santoku that is perfect for making neat, thin cuts of meat, vegetables, and other soft food items.
Once you’ve bought this Knife, you never have to worry about keeping low-quality, all-round use knives as you get both range and quality once it arrives.
Ceramic source material
Also, because the Vking knife is made out of ceramic, its edges are thinner, sharper, and even more durable than the average Knife.
Besides, the Vking comes with a 10cm blade that is perfect as a utility knife.
This Japanese Knife is ideal for slicing fruits and also, correctly angled, it will peel vegetables, carrots, potatoes, and other food items to perfection.
For durability, the Vking Japanese Knife comes complete with nanoceramic materials that prevent rust, a non-slip handle, and emits little to no metal ions which might otherwise affect the taste of your food.
Heat resistant
It’s also heat resistant and does not oxidize. It also is resistant to alkali corrosion that makes it ideal if you’re looking to cut baby food.
Also, these knives are made for your hands as they fit once you start to use them.
If you’ve just started taking cooking lessons and you’re in the market for sturdy, durable and high-performance knives, then you should click on the link above and purchase this Knife.
Shimomura Kogyo Verdun Japanese Knife Set
This is a brand new submission from the Japanese cutlery giants Shimomura and arguably the best of their knives so far.
Professional knife
These knives were crafted with the finest steel for cooking professionals.
These Japanese kitchen knives are incredibly sharp, sturdy, thick, and complete with a thick frame that can literally cut through anything.
Hand forged
Also, this Japanese Knife is hand-forged with perfect balance, weight, and a custom-designed handle for a better grip.
The Shimomura Kogyo Japanese Knife is crafted to slice cleanly, and consistently through fish for Sashimi and is perfect for filleting.
Also, It can slice the tiniest bits of fish, fruits, and vegetables. Because this is such a power-tool, you’ll be left feeling like a professional chef once you enjoy your first few cuts with this beauty.
This set consists of a Santoku knife, a bread slicer knife with serrated edges, a beef knife, and a pan slicer knife.
Powerful steel source
This knife is made with molybdenum steel that makes the blade retain its sharpness as its smooth, flowing form fits perfectly into your hand for cutting, slicing, and chopping.
At this price, you’ll be hard pressed to find a Knife that delivers this much quality in all of Japan. Click the link above to purchase this product while it’s still available.
Dark State Grandson (チタン) Japanese Knife Set
The Dark State Grandson titanium-coated knife is one of its kind; as it’s steel bladed and carries a titanium coating, it occupies a different class relative to other knives on the market.
These knives are handy and exceptionally sharp, and once they ship, you can cut, mince, peel, and scoop with a level of ease that cannot be explained in words.
Great for rapid cutting
Also, the Dark Grandson is super-sharp, with thin blades that facilitate rapid cutting and slicing. Once you buy this Japanese Knife, you get the ability to replicate any type of exotic meal within your home.
Titanium coating
Besides, this Japanese Knife comes complete with titanium coating that makes it easy-to-clean and sharp on the edges for much longer than other products.
This is because its titanium coating makes it rust and wear-resistant and eliminates the hassle of repetitive sharpening.
With the Dark Grandson titanium coated Japanese Knife, you get no sharp metallic and unpleasant smell on your fully prepared meals.
This feature makes it perfect for slicing through delicate food as it does not leave behind a residue taste or smell.
If you’re on the market for a Japanese Knife that will last a lifetime, and slice everything delicately while you’re at it, you should buy the Dark State grandson as soon as possible.
FAQs on Japanese Kitchen Knives
Should I worry about knife laws if I live in Japan?
Simply, No.
However, if you intend to purchase a Japanese knife while you’re here, you should know that the Japanese have strict laws that guide ownership and use while you’re in the country.
For instance, if you do not work as a chef or use knives daily in your work, Japanese laws require that you obtain a permit before you buy one that is over 15 cm on the blade.
Should I worry about knife laws if i’m a tourist?
On the other hand, if you’re a tourist, you may buy knives of any length when you visit and take them with you as you leave.
If you’re visiting Japan, there are special preparations that are made when you buy a knife as a tourist. Usually, they are carefully wound up in cloth and sealed off in a box.
Breaking off the seals can leave you in violation of several laws, so you should probably store your knife away until you travel out of the country.
If you’re why the Japanese are squeamish about knives, a brief exploration of the Japanese honour culture of Harakiri (切腹) will provide some useful insight.
What is the best Japanese knife?
Ultimately, what is best for you will depend on the specifics of your use.
If you’re a culinary professional or in a trade where you have to work with your Japanese knife upwards of 20 hours every week, you’re probably better off buying a Japanese knife that’s built with superior edge retention.
Also, you need to look out for a knife that you can sharpen without much fuss as you will likely do this multiple times every time you make a meal.
On the other hand, if you work in the kitchen and are looking for something that works fine for your small kitchen, a single-edged, sharp cutting blade will do the trick.
Conclusion
Knives are a normative object in Japanese life, and for many centuries, the Japanese honed themselves as a warlike culture.
Within this context, they wielded knives in the ancient tradition of the samurai both in defense of Japan and in the conquest of new lands.
Because of this peculiar history, the Japanese make the best knives in the world.
If you reside in Japan, you’re probably somewhat acquainted with the culture of perfection that permeates all aspects of life in Japan.
If you work in a kitchen, or in any of the crafts that require daily work with a knife, you should buy a Japanese Knife.
Not only do they come with sharp cutting features, and remarkable sand-induced balance, edge retention, and also, they fit into your hand just right and sharpen easily.
If you’re a collector or interested in buying a novelty object for your loved one, you can’t go wrong with a well crafted Japanese Knife.
Whatever you do, make sure to collect as much information as possible about knives on this blog and others like it as small differences in design can meaningfully impact your experience.
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