Twenty years ago or so, buying a Japanese kitchen knife, if you lived outside of Japan, was a process. In the early days of Internet commerce, most people were limited to just a handful of major Japanese knife manufacturers at the local branch of their kitchen store chain, where they competed for retail space against their German counterparts. These days, there are multiple online stores that specialize in bringing over the work of individual Japanese knife shops, and the influence of fine dining as pop culture (see: over 20 years of Top Chef combined with the success of The Bear, and several seasons of Chef's Table) has made knife-curious home cooks more interested in hunting down unique, hand-forged blades.
The top picks
- The best Japanese gyuto: Kazan Arare by Shibata Gyutou 210mm
- Another top-performing Japanese chef’s knife: Togiharu 440 Wa-Gyuto 8.2"
- The best budget traditional Japanese chef’s knife: Akira-Saku White #1 Funayuki Gyutou 180mm
- The best hybrid Japanese chef's knife: Misono UX10 8.2-inch Gyuto
- The best budget hybrid chef's knife: Tojiro Classic 8.2-inch Gyuto
Picking out the best Japanese knife is tricky. Aside from a few larger knife makers, many Japanese knives are still made in small knife shops and studios and imported by companies that help brand them for an American audience. These knives are often made to specifications requested by the importer and sold under an in-house name exclusive to that knife store. That can make some knives harder to find, and you may discover a knife you love only to learn it’ll never be made again. There are though, a handful of well-known and well-respected knife makers in Japan who produce high-end knives that are reliably available. To make sure the recommendations below can be useful, we focused on larger brands and online knife sellers who work directly with knife makers.
The best Japanese gyuto from my tests: Kazan Arare by Shibata Gyutou 210mm
Pros and cons
Pros
- Almost unbelievably sharp
- Beautiful design and details
Cons
- Pricey
- SG2 core steel requires regular maintenance
Specs
- Blade length: 8.2 inches
- Weight: 5.9 ounces
- Core steel: SG2 high-carbon stainless steel
- Bevel: 50/50 double bevel
The Kazan Arare gyuto is everything we could ever want out of a kitchen knife—comfort, performance, and stunning design.
What we love: Out of the box, this knife is eye-catching. With an ebony handle and gorgeous decorative hammer marks, the Kazan Arare gyuto is a piece anyone would proudly display in their home. But what really sold us was its performance. Those repeating geometric hammer marks? They’re more than decoration—they prevent food from sticking to the knife, so that each slice of tomato gently falls to the cutting board. Similarly, the ebony handle is naturally resistant to moisture and bacteria, giving you all the benefits of an engineered material with the feel of natural wood.
In our tests, the Kazan Arare gyuto effortlessly sliced through anything in its path. It immediately bit into the paper and cut perfect, clean strips, fell through every layer of the onion with zero resistance, and sliced through a tomato…one-handed. Without exaggeration, it felt like a magic trick—even slicing through fibrous flank steak felt smooth and easy.
The Kazan Arare line is a collaboration between Chubo Knives and master knifemaker Takayuki Shibata of Shibata Knives fame. This line is forged and finished by the same team behind his other lines, delivering a similar level of excellence. If you’ve ever wanted a hand-forged, high-performance Japanese knife at a more affordable price point, the Kazan Arare gyuto is clearly the best choice available.
What we’d leave: Despite performing like a more expensive knife, the Kazan Arare is still one of the most expensive knives we tested. The knife is also made of SG2 steel, a high-carbon stainless steel that is susceptible to rust and corrosion. In our testing, we noticed it picked up water spots when it wasn’t dried thoroughly after use.
Another top-performing Japanese chef’s knife: Togiharu 440 Wa-Gyuto 8.2"
Pros and cons
Pros
- Lightweight
- Extremely sharp
Cons
- Pricey
- Simple, plain design
Specs
Blade length: 8.2 inches
Weight: 4.2 ounces
Core steel: 440 High Chromium Stain Resistant Steel
Bevel: 70/30 double bevel
This no-frills knife was the lightest we tested and extremely adept at slicing.
What we love: Togiharu is an in-house brand from Korin, a company that has been importing and selling Japanese knives since 1982. This gyuto offers extremely high slicing performance made from high-quality materials. The blade is made from high-carbon 440 stainless steel, the handle is magnolia, and the bolster is crafted from natural horn. What truly sets this knife apart from the competition is its overall weight—coming in almost two ounces lighter than other knives of the same length, the Togiharu’s blade feels paper-thin—it neatly sliced through everything in its path with almost zero resistance, perfectly showcasing the benefit of a 70/30 asymmetrical bevel on a blade-forward gyuto design. While 440 steel isn’t as hard as other knife steels we tested (and may not keep its edge for quite as long), it’s more stain-resistant, making this knife a low-maintenance slicer that can make quick work of any dinner prep.
What we’d leave: There’s no way around it—it’s a more expensive knife that lacks the small hand-hammered details, custom inlays, and other flourishes that I’d hope for at this price point. What it lacks in design details, it makes up for in usability—the most beautiful knives we tested require more care and maintenance, so if you want a superior slicer without the extra work, this is a great option.
The best budget Japanese chef’s knife (traditional style): Akira-Saku White #1 Funayuki Gyuto 180mm
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Pros and cons
Pros
- Traditional gyuto design
- High-quality carbon steel
Cons
- Requires more maintenance
- Factory edge could be sharper
Specs
Blade length: 7 inches
Weight: 5.4 ounces
Core steel: White #1 carbon steel
Bevel: 50/50 double bevel
For the same price as a mass-produced hybrid knife, the Akira-Sauke gives you a quality, traditional, hand-forged Japanese knife.
What we love: Produced exclusively for Chubo Knives by a father and son blacksmith team, the Akira-Saku Funayuki Gyutou showcases a more traditional knife shape that’s a hybrid of the funayuki (a traditional Japanese fisherman’s utility knife) and a gyuto. Clad in soft iron that protects the core White #1 carbon steel, it has a slightly thicker spine than other knives we tested, with a nice taper towards the point, making it excellent for push cuts without sacrificing precision for point work. It was comfortable to hold, and the magnolia wa-style handle made it easy to adjust my grip forward or back to find the most comfortable position for every type of cutting motion. It’s a truly beautiful knife made with high-quality carbon steel, available for the same price as most mass-produced knives we tested. While we tested (and liked) the 180mm/7-inch version, Chubo also offers a 210mm/8.2-inch version.
What we’d leave: While the iron cladding helps protect the carbon steel core from rust and corrosion, there’s still a fair amount of exposed edge that needs to be dried thoroughly and oiled to maintain the knife’s integrity. We were also less than impressed by this knife’s factory sharpness. It improved quickly after a few passes with a ceramic honing rod, but it’s just something to know when you unbox yours.
The best hybrid Japanese chef’s knife: Misono UX10 8.2-inch Gyuto
Pros and cons
Pros
- Incredibly sharp
- Meticulous build quality
Cons
- Expensive
- Difficult to sharpen
Specs
Blade length: 8.2 inches
Weight: 5.6 ounces
Core steel: Swedish stain-resistant steel
Bevel: 70/30 double bevel
A longtime favorite amongst professional chefs once again proved it’s hard to beat.
What we love: Misono’s UX10 gyuto is one of the best slicers I’ve ever tested. Its 70/30 asymmetrical edge bevel is razor sharp, and in testing, it could produce paper-thin slices of tomato with almost no effort. This knife features a hybrid design—it has a full-tang handle construction made with high-carbon Swedish stainless steel. That makes it sturdy to hold and low-maintenance compared to other high-carbon Japanese knives. We also love the tiny details of this knife—every corner is polished smooth, and the bolster is set at a diagonal angle, giving you better clearance for a variety of pinch grips. For a full-tang knife, it’s also remarkably lightweight, allowing it to slice through everything in front of it with almost no resistance.
What we’d leave: This is the most expensive knife we tested, and its 70/30 asymmetrical bevel requires careful sharpening. We think it’s a nearly perfect knife for precision slicing, but it’s not an all-purpose kitchen knife the way the Tojiro below is.
The best budget hybrid Japanese chef's knife: Tojiro Classic 8.2-inch Gyuto
Pros and cons
Pros
- Incredibly sharp
- Affordable price point
Cons
- Some rough corners
- Heavy for a gyuto
Specs
Blade length: 8.2 inches
Weight: 6.8 ounces
Core steel: VG10 high-carbon stainless steel
Bevel: 50/50 double bevel
A longtime favorite, this budget-friendly gyuto slices, chops, and cuts with the best of them.
What we love: Tojiro’s knives have been longtime favorites, and their Classic-line gyuto has been thoroughly tested over the last few years as a personal knife for multiple people. Its VG10 core is clad in stainless steel to protect it well during everyday use, and its full-tang handle design is sturdy and comfortable to hold. Compared to other hybrid-style knives, the Tojiro has a longer handle and a bit more heft, making it more comfortable to hold and more versatile. If you’re used to Western-style knives, the Tojiro chops, slices, and cuts with the same level of durability. Somehow, it also has a razor-fine edge right from the factory, easily slicing through paper, flank steak, and onions with little to no effort. In the world of Japanese knives that can easily run into the hundreds of dollars, it’s a budget knife that overperforms its price.
What we’d leave: The biggest downside to the Tojiro gyuto is the lack of proper finishing—these knives can have sharp burrs and rough corners along the spine or where the blade meets the bolster. You can buff them out with a little sandpaper, but it’s definitely a trade-off compared to more expensive knives.
What is a Japanese Knife?
A Japanese knife, to put it plainly, is a knife made in Japan. That answer’s not as glib as it might seem—we wanted to separate the knives considered here from the broader category of “Japanese-inspired” knives sold by direct-to-consumer kitchen brands.
The most prominent style of Japanese kitchen knife (and the one this review is focused on) is the gyuto, a Japanese chef’s knife that translates to “cow sword.” This knife, however, is already a Japanese interpretation of a Western-style knife. Before the gyuto was introduced in the late 1800s, most Japanese knives were designed for very specific tasks. The gyuto was born when Western culinary influences became de rigeur, and chefs needed a more versatile blade shape, adept at push cuts and pull-through slicing, with a slight curve that allowed some light chopping.
As the gyuto has grown in popularity in recent years, many new knife designs from American companies have taken inspiration from the gyuto shape. That’s right: We’re talking about Western knives, inspired by Japanese knives that were themselves inspired by Western knives. It’s a bit of an ouroboros situation. By focusing on knives exclusively made in Japan—and featuring traditional gyuto elements—we hope to put a spotlight on unique pieces that can upgrade a home knife rack.
But before getting into which gyuto is best, you need to decide if its style will work for your cooking. So let’s go deep on what makes a gyuto a gyuto.
How Japanese gyuto knife blade shape vs. Western-style chef’s knife
Most Western-style blades curve upward toward the point. This makes them easy to rock up and down on the cutting board for fast chopping. These knives also feature a sturdy spine for extra heft and durability. A gyuto, on the other hand, has a much gentler curve with a drop point (sometimes called a sheep’s foot).
The straighter blade comes from traditional Japanese knives designed for pull-through slicing, during which the tip is placed on the cutting board and maintains contact with the board throughout the entire slicing motion. The slight curve on the gyuto allows for some light chopping (think: dicing herbs, not mincing onions), but overall, these knives tend to be thinner and lighter than the average Western-style knife.
Different gyuto edge styles
Western-style knives have 50/50 bevels, which means that both sides of the knife’s edge are sharpened at the same angle. That’s true of some gyutos as well, but a handful of the knives tested for this piece had 70/30 bevels—inspired by the traditional single bevel knives. That means one side is sharpened at a steeper angle than the other, making them useful for left-handed slicing or right-handed slicing (depending on which side has the smaller angle), but not both. These types of knives also require extra care when sharpening because you’ll need to maintain the different angles, but tend to be a little sharper than 50/50 bevels.
Handle style: Wa vs. full-tang construction
The tang is the metal part of a knife that extends from the back of the blade and anchors itself in the handle. In a traditional Japanese handle, a wa-style handle, the tang thins out into a strip of metal that’s completely buried in a cylindrical or octagonal wood handle. That makes the knife’s balance point slightly nearer the tip, and it makes the knife lighter. A more traditional Western-style handle features a full tang, in which the metal extends through the entire handle. Lovers of Western knives usually appreciate the added heft of a full-tang while chopping, but it’s less necessary in Japanese-style knives, which are more suited to slicing. Some gyuto,s though, (including the less expensive ones I recommend here) feature a hybrid-style, full-tang handle for added versatility, better weight balance, and easier care.
What makes Japanese knife steel different
The Japanese-style blades I’m focused on here come out of Japanese sword-making traditions of the samurai era, when the sharpness of a katana mattered more than anything else. These blades were often made of carbon steel hardened by cold water or ice, which allowed the steel to better retain its edge but made it more brittle. Over the years, both Japanese and Western knife steels have moved towards stainless alloys that include chromium for rust and corrosion resistance.
But while Western knives tend to prioritize durability, many Japanese knife steels prioritize high carbon content for better sharpness and edge retention. So, while they will stay sharper longer, many Japanese knives require more care than their Western counterparts to prevent discoloration. They are also more likely to chip when used on something hard—you don’t want to chop at bone with a gyuto.
Some Japanese knives are still made with traditional carbon steel, as well, which is much more susceptible to rust and requires regular oiling to maintain its integrity. Carbon steel tends to be cheaper than the specialized supersteel alloys, so some home cooks don’t mind the trade-off of higher maintenance for better value.
How we tested Japanese Chef's Knives
Above all else, the Japanese gyuto is designed for slicing. So, to properly test the sharpness of the blades, we set about slicing paper and tomatoes, dicing an onion, and slicing flank steak to see how each knife performed. We also checked each knife’s balance point and the comfort and grip of each handle.
Sharpness Test
To test the sharpness of each knife, I cut multiple strips of white paper to see how easily the edge could initiate the cut and follow through with clean cuts that didn’t tear. I looked for similar results slicing through tomatoes—noting how well each knife would cut into the tomato skin, both with standard cuts and one-handed cuts.
Cutting Test
To test how well each knife cuts, we diced an onion to see how easily each blade could pass through multiple layers. A knife with a sharp edge and good blade geometry should easily cut through every layer of an onion without any added resistance.
Flank Steak Test
Gyuto translates directly to “cow sword,” so we thought it was only fitting to test each knife's ability to slice fibrous flank steak. We looked for how straight each cut was, how much resistance the steak put up against each blade, and how easy it was to thinly slice the steak.
What to consider when shopping for a Japanese Chef’s Knife
A great Japanese chef’s knife should be razor sharp, be made of high-carbon stainless steel or carbon steel, and have a comfortable handle that accommodates a variety of different grip styles.
A Note About Sharpness
Sharpness tests don’t always tell the whole story—since these knives are all made from carbon steel or high-carbon steel, you will be able to sharpen to be sharper than their factory edge. While we prioritize factory sharpness in our testing, some knives performed much better after a quick touch-up with a ceramic honing rod.
Sharpness
Sharpness is a key factor in a Japanese chef's knife. Since most Japanese chef's knives are lightweight and designed for slicing, the sharpness of the edge does the work for you. Japanese chef’s knives that snag or catch won’t have the heft of a Western-style knife to power through the food you’re cutting, so if it’s not sharp, that’s a dealbreaker.
Carbon steel or high-carbon stainless steel
A knife steel’s carbon content affects how hard it becomes during heat treatment. The harder the steel, the more rigid it gets and the more brittle it becomes. Higher hardness ratings for a knife mean it can hold an edge longer and that it is less likely to roll with prolonged use.
Handle comfort
Traditional wa-style handles allow the user to grip the knife in a variety of positions, maximizing its versatility and the weight balance of each blade. Since Japanese chef’s knives are designed for precision, a comfortable handle with flexibility for how it can be gripped is key.
Others knives I liked
MAC Professional Series 8-inch Chef's Knife
Mac’s hollow-edge chef’s knife is great—it’s one of our overall favorite chef’s knives in fact—but its blade shape is just a little more curved than a traditional gyuto shape, and we found that we like it a bit more as a general chef’s knife rather than a specific Japanese chef’s knife. It’s still an incredible knife at a great price point, but for this category, we thought there were knives that better represented the style. We really like that MAC uses a proprietary high-carbon stainless steel, and its factory edge is sharp and versatile for a variety of precision cuts.
Sakai Takayuki Nashiji Gyutou 210mm
This gyuto is hand-forged and features the Nashiji (pear skin) pattern, hammered into the steel to prevent food from sticking when slicing. We really liked how sharp this knife was, along with its high-quality ebony wood handle. In our tests, the only thing that held it back was the price—it’s a little more expensive than some of our other picks, and we also noticed the shoulders of the tang weren’t fully sunk into the handle. It’s a minor detail, but for a more expensive knife, we want the fit and finish to be more polished. This was another knife with a slightly less sharp factory edge that needed several passes on a honing rod.
Suisin High Carbon Steel Gyuto 8.2"
This carbon steel gyuto with a 70/30 bevel and a hybrid-style handle from Suisin sliced well, but it was slightly outperformed by the Tojiro. Its carbon steel blade and asymmetrical bevel require more maintenance than the average home cook might be ready to handle. However, if you’re up for a challenge, it’s a great knife at a great price with potential to be a go-to daily knife for all types of tasks.
Misono EU Carbon Steel 8.2" Gyuto
Misono’s EU Carbon Steel gyuto is a more affordable version of their UX10 knife recommended above, and its less polished details reflect its lower price. Its blade shape is similar to the Suisin gyuto (and is also made from carbon steel with a 70/30 bevel), but it’s slightly heavier, and its factory edge was less sharp. Still, it’s a solid knife at a solid price point, and with a bit of extra sharpening should be able to perform nearly as well as the UX10. Just be aware that the carbon steel and 70/30 bevel require a bit more know-how than your average chef’s knife.
Chubo Inox Gyutou 210mm
Chubo’s in-house high-carbon stainless steel gyuto has a full-tang handle and a 70/30 bevel, but with less carbon in its blade than the Suisin and Misono EU, it’s lower maintenance. It sliced well, but the factory edge could have been sharper—it sliced paper really well, but snagged a bit on the tomato skin. Still, we think most people would be happy with this knife, just as long as you’re ready to learn how to sharpen an asymmetrical bevel.
Miyabi Koh 9.5" Gyuto
Miyabi’s knives make a lot of marketing claims, like that they're made from ice-hardened FC61 fine carbide stainless steel. Acquired by Zwilling J.A. Henckels in 2004, Miyabi’s knives offer traditional Japanese styles backed by the German knifemaker group’s flourishes. Their Koh line features a fully integrated steel bolster incorporated into a wa-style handle (complete with decorative pin), putting a slight twist on traditional Japanese handle construction. It had a very fine edge and performed well on cutting tests. It’s a good knife at a good price point; we just thought other knives outperformed it. We tested the larger 9.5-inch version, though it's available in a variety of lengths, if you’re more of a traditional 8.2-inch knife person.
Shun Classic 8-inch Chef's Knife
We really like Shun’s Classic chef’s knife (it’s one of our favorite chef’s knives), but the blade shape was slightly closer to a Western-style knife than a traditional gyuto. It’s razor sharp and performed well on all of our cutting, but the curve on its blade and the height of its heel make it more suited for chopping than slicing. Still, Shun’s knives are very well polished with a beautiful Damascus pattern, and we think they’re well worth their slightly premium price point.
Japanese Chef’s Knives I do not recommend
Yoshihiro’s gyuto performed well in our tests and is generally well-made, but it was more expensive than better-performing knives, leaving it without a home. It’s a solid option for a traditional gyuto, and Yoshihiro’s general availability makes it easy to find in stock.
Shun’s Kazahana line offers a more traditional gyuto shape than their Classic line, but we don’t like how the tang sticks out from the handle, creating sharp edges and making the knife less comfortable to hold.
Global’s knives are generally sharp, and their chef’s knife helped introduce the gyuto shape to the United States. In our testing, however, it didn’t live up to the sharpness of its competition and the steel handle was one of the least comfortable we tested.
Miyabi’s Kaizen II offered the same performance as their Koh line, but with an aggressive Damascus pattern and a premium price point. It was a good knife, but there are better, more affordable options.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
[Panel 4]
Sharpening a 70/30 asymmetrical bevel requires two different sharpening angles. Typically, the shallower 30% side is sharpened to a 20º angle, while the 70% side is sharpened to a steeper 10º angle. If you’re concerned with making specific angles, you can always pick up some angle guides to assist your sharpening practice.
[Panel 5] Is a Japanese wa-style handle or a full-tang knife handle better?
What’s the best type of steel for a Japanese knife?
Most Japanese knives are made with traditional carbon steel or a high-carbon stainless steel. Both offer high-quality sharpness, though carbon steel is susceptible to rust and corrosion. High-quality high-carbon stainless steels offer performance and durability, but tend to be more expensive. Picking the right steel is more about the knifemaker's and the end user's personal preferences, but a high-quality, high-carbon steel offers excellent sharpness with low upkeep. It just comes at a higher price.
How do you care for carbon steel knives?
Carbon steel knives are susceptible to rust, discoloration, and corrosion. The best way to care for them is to dry them thoroughly after use and to apply a thin layer of tsubaki oil if they’re going to be stored for an extended period between uses.
Is a single bevel or a double bevel better for a knife’s edge?
Single-bevel knives can be sharpened to a finer point, though they require more training and practice to sharpen. Double-bevel knives are easier to sharpen at home, just by balancing the same sharpening angle on both sides. Some double-bevel knives have a 70/30 asymmetrical bevel rather than a 50/50 bevel and require more practice to sharpen properly. So the question isn’t “which is better,” it’s ”which are you more comfortable maintaining?”
How do you sharpen a 70/30 asymmetrical bevel edge on a knife?
Sharpening a 70/30 asymmetrical bevel requires two different sharpening angles. Typically, the shallower 30% side is sharpened to a 20º angle, while the 70% side is sharpened to a steeper 10º angle. If you’re concerned with making specific angles, you can always pick up some angle guides to assist your sharpening practice.
Is a Japanese wa-style handle or a full-tang knife handle better?
Both handle styles can be high quality and comfortable to hold, but each offers a different experience. A full-tang knife may feel more balanced, but a wa-style handle will be lighter and more comfortable for a variety of grip styles.
Get to know your reviewer
Jesse Raub: I’ve been a professional kitchen product tester since 2021, where I tested nearly everything: espresso machines, wooden spoons, bread proofing baskets, pizza stones, garlic presses, and more. My fascination with kitchen knives began in 2003 when the chef at the kitchen where I worked let me use his personal Wüsthof knives during prep work one day. Over the last two years, I’ve tested over 70 different knives for Bon Appétit and written about the best knife sharpeners and how to best sharpen your knives at home. If you’re ever on the phone with me and hear a light scraping noise in the background, just know that I’m likely touching up my kitchen knives on a whetstone and testing their sharpness by slicing sheets of paper.