A short guide to choosing a Japanese kitchen knife.

The great variety of shapes and functions of Japanese knives.

In Japan, there are as many shapes as there are functions for knives. There is a whole series of knives, such as woodblock knives, that have numerous applications. From Kiridashi to Kurikogatana, the lengths and thicknesses of the blades vary according to their use: marking knives, carving knives, or knives for the art of Ikebana.

As for Japanese kitchen knives, there is also a vast selection available to you. Almost every food has a specially adapted knife shape with variations in form and size. Usuba and Nakiri for vegetables. Deba and Yanagi-ba for working with fish. There are also unique knives, for example for preparing eel: Unagi-saki or for cutting noodles (soba), the Menkiri.

I have listed only a few examples here, but there are many more, particularly for cleaning and cutting large tuna. The point of this introduction is to understand that there is a specific knife for every task.

How to choose your Japanese knife?

The idea when choosing a Japanese knife is to understand your needs and your culinary practices. You will need to identify what you are trying to do or what you do most often in the kitchen. Preparing vegetables? Cutting fish or meat? Thin slicing or cleaning fish? For every application, there will be an adapted knife. Do not hesitate to contact me; I can advise you on the best Japanese knife according to your expectations.

Japanese blades: carbon steel, lamination, or San Mai.

In the world of cutlery enthusiasts (especially in the West), the term "San Mai" steel is used quite loosely. This is actually a bit of a misnomer, because the vast majority of Japanese knives are all San Mai, meaning they are composed of two steels bonded together. Therefore, this "San Mai" label does not indicate much about the characteristics of your Japanese knife's steel.

This lamination consists of a soft backing steel called "Jigane." This can be a modern steel, an old smelted steel called "Kamaji" (often recycled bridge parts, anchors, or boat chains), or even damascus steel ("Suminagashi"). This Jigane gives the knife its character; it is more important aesthetically than functionally. The "Hagane" is the cutting steel, the hard steel, which is the thin part on the edge of the knife. This high-carbon steel is brittle, hence the need to laminate it onto a soft backing steel.

This Hagane can come in a wide variety of steel qualities: white steel (Shirogami), blue steel (Aogami), Yasugi yellow steel, tool steel, HSS steel, Swedish steel, special steel (with a composition kept secret by the blacksmith), and the wide variety of stainless steels: VG10, A2... Yes, the Japanese also laminate stainless steels.

Every steel has its advantages and disadvantages. One with reasonable hardness (white steel) will be easy to sharpen, while a very resistant steel (blue steel) with a tungsten alloy, for example, will take longer to sharpen as tungsten is more abrasion-resistant.

It is important to differentiate between a knife forged by a craftsman through a long process—shaping, laminating, forging, quenching, tempering, sharpening—and a mass-produced stainless steel knife made using laser cutting, stamping (to create hammering effects), or sometimes laser or chemical marking (to create a damascus pattern or imitate lamination), followed by shaping and sharpening on a belt grinder.

One should appreciate the artisanal character of Japanese production and avoid industrial products that imitate this craftsmanship without possessing the quality.

Which water stone should you use to sharpen your Japanese knife?

There is a wide variety of qualities and grits for water stones. After trying numerous brands of Japanese synthetic stones, my choice has settled on the brands Asahi, Kitayama, and Nano Hone. These are "Splash & Go" stones; just soak them and use them directly. These are non-porous ceramic water stones that offer good hardness and perfectly even abrasion.

How to maintain your Japanese knife?

Like all carbon blades, avoid overly acidic foods. Obviously, no dishwasher. You must rinse and dry the knife after each use. To prevent the blade from developing a patina, you can oil it as regularly as possible with camellia oil or a food-safe oil. If your Japanese knife blade oxidizes or signs of oxidation appear, use Sabitoru abrasive erasers. They will allow you to restore the shine to your knife without needing a complete sharpening.

Which cutting board to use?

There are different types of cutting boards: plastic, nylon, wood, end-grain, bamboo. First, let's avoid plastics, which eventually shed microplastics that end up in our systems. Bamboo should be avoided because its fibers are loaded with silica, which significantly dulls your knife's edge. Like bamboo, all woods that are too hard should be avoided: acacia, olive, oak...

Unfortunately, the trend across the Atlantic for end-grain wood boards has invaded social media, but it is also a bad idea. The end-grain fibers of the wood are the hardest and will quickly damage your edge. End-grain wood is only suitable for butcher blocks, which are meant to withstand heavy impacts.

A board made of soft wood with a straight grain will preserve the edge of your Japanese knife. In Japan, we traditionally use Hinoki (a variety of cypress): it is rot-resistant, antiseptic, and ductile.

For me, the perfect cutting board is the synthetic rubber board produced by the Japanese firm "Parker Asahi"—a rubber that will absorb the edge without tearing, and a rigid board to facilitate serving.

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