SANTOKU 三徳 All-purpose Home Knife 150-180mm
A santoku is the knife most people start with. The flat, tall blade handles vegetables, fish and meat with a push cut, and 150 to 180mm fits a home kitchen board. Order online, or try one in our Tokyo and Kyoto stores.
About Santoku
Hand-wash and dry every knife after use. Stainless (VG10, Ginsan, SG2) is the easiest to care for. SLD is semi-stainless and Blue Steel #2 is carbon steel, so dry those straight away.
Finishes run from damascus and kurouchi to mirror polish. Every knife here is made in Japan, and you can try them at our four stores in Tokyo and Kyoto.
Safer, user-friendly for beginners; compact for small kitchens.
Shorter, taller blade; “three virtues” = meat/fish/vegetables.
QUALITATIVE SPECIFICATIONS
WHY CHOOSE THE SANTOKU
三徳 ⎯ SANTOKU ⎯ ALL-PURPOSE HOME KNIFE
Overview
The santoku is Japan's everyday kitchen knife. Shorter and lighter than a Western chef's knife, the 150–180mm blade handles meat, fish, and vegetables with equal competence — that's what the name means: three uses. Flat edge profile, minimal knuckle clearance, forward tip. Built for push cuts and chopping, not rocking. The knife most Japanese home cooks reach for first.
Beginner-friendly
A natural entry point into Japanese kitchen knives. The geometry is approachable, the cutting motion is intuitive, and the learning curve is short. No prior knife experience required to get real results. Start here, build from here.
Easy to handle
Balanced for a natural grip from the first use. Light enough to follow the hand without fighting it, compact enough to stay in control through extended prep. The knife adapts to your technique, not the other way around.
Perfect for smaller kitchens
A compact blade that works within the space you actually have. Fits standard home cutting boards, stores without dominating the block or drawer. No sacrifice in function — just a format scaled for real-world kitchens.
Lightweight
Less steel means faster movement and lower fatigue across long prep sessions. The lightweight build keeps the hand fresh when the work runs long. Built to move, not to sit.
BROWSE OTHER KNIFE TYPES
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Vegetable Knife
165-180mm
Built for vegetables; flat edge keeps full board contact for clean push cuts. Rectangular blade, no tip, thin and light.
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