Photo of a Yoshimi Kato santoku knife showing the black kurouchi finish and red pakkawood handle

Santoku Knives

Santoku translates to "three virtues" (or three uses) which are slicing, dicing and chopping. It is the Japanese general purpose kitchen knife that you'll use for most cutting tasks and along with the gyuto knife it's one of the first Japanese knife shapes we recommend for most people.

Designed to be versatile, it offers a little more height than a gyuto and tends to be more consistently around 165-180mm in length.

Frequently Asked Questions about Santoku Knives

What is are santoku knives best for?

The Japanese craftsmanship of the santoku knife shape is designed to be a highly versatile tool for slicing vegetables, fruit and cutting boneless meats. For many home cooks in particular, it is often versatile enough to cover most jobs in a kitchen and is therefore an ideal first choice for a new knife collection.

What is the shape of a santoku knife?

A santoku typically features a flatter straight edge from the heel to about half way along the blade before it gently curves upwards to the tip. This ergonomic design helps with longer cuts on vegetables and enables an easier rocking motion when cutting nearer to the tip.

What are santoku knives made of?

Like many knives, the santoku knife is made from a variety of carbon steels, stainless steels or a mix of both and the grind and blade profile can vary depending on the Japanese craftsman or workshop who make each individual knife.

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