The Best Japanese Knives for Beginners

A first Japanese knife should be an easy one: sharp, forgiving, and cheap enough that it does not matter if Japanese knives turn out not to be for you. The knives below all fit that. They are stainless, they sit in a hardness range that sharpens easily and resists chipping, and they cost somewhere around USD 100 to 150. Current prices and buy links are in the cards at the end of this guide.

How we chose

Every knife here meets the same bar:

• Stainless steel. A first knife should not add a rust-prevention routine. Carbon steel is a rewarding second knife, not a first one.
• Moderate hardness, around 58 to 61 HRC. Hard enough to hold a good edge, soft enough to sharpen easily and survive a knock.
• A proven all-round shape. A santoku or a gyuto, so one knife covers most of a home kitchen.
• A price that does not hurt. Around USD 100 to 150, so trying one is a low-risk decision.
• A retailer that names the steel and the maker. No mystery-brand marketplace listings.

Our catalogue is small and growing, so this is a shortlist of knives we are confident in rather than a survey of everything available. If you want the reasoning behind the shape and steel choice, start with our guide to choosing a first Japanese knife.

Best overall: Chubo Inox Gyuto 210mm

For most people buying their first Japanese knife, this is the one to get. It is made from Inox stainless steel, hand-finished in Seki, the region that makes most of Japan’s export knives, and it lands at around 59 HRC, which is about as forgiving as a Japanese knife gets. It is medium weight and well balanced, so it feels close to a European chef’s knife, and the blade is ground thin, about 1.7mm at the spine, so it still cuts like a Japanese knife rather than wedging.

The 70/30 asymmetric edge gives a slightly cleaner cut without making the knife handed, and the whole thing is low-drama to own: hand wash, dry, sharpen when it stops biting. It suits a cook who wants a single do-everything blade, rocks or chops either way, and has the counter space for a 210mm knife.

Best value: Tojiro Fujitora DP Gyuto 210mm

The Tojiro DP has been the standard budget recommendation for years, and it earns it. The core is VG-10 at 60 HRC, which holds an edge noticeably longer than the softer Inox steel above, wrapped in stainless cladding and fitted with a water-resistant handle. It costs a little less than the Chubo Inox and gives up almost nothing in performance.

What you give up is finish. The handle is plain eco wood and the blade has no decorative work; you are paying for steel and geometry. The factory edge is serviceable but reaches its potential only after a proper sharpen on a whetstone, so budget for a stone alongside it.

Best santoku: Tojiro Fujitora DP Santoku 170mm

If you chop straight down rather than rock, cook mostly vegetables, or work in a small kitchen, this is the pick. It is the same well-regarded DP line as the gyuto above, in a santoku shape at 170mm, which is the controllable size for smaller hands and tight counters. VG-10 at 60 HRC, stainless, low maintenance. Our santoku vs gyuto comparison covers which shape suits you, and our best santoku knives roundup covers pricier options once you have outgrown a first knife.

A step up in materials: Okami Classic Chef 8in

This is a gyuto in AUS-8 stainless at around 59 HRC, on a rosewood and ebony handle, ground to a fine 15-degree edge and finished more carefully than the budget options. It arrives gift-wrapped, which makes it a good present; our Japanese knife gift guide covers buying one for someone else.

It is a nicer object than the Tojiro or the Chubo Inox, but be clear that the extra money buys feel and materials rather than a knife that cuts better. If the knife is for you and you cook every day, the Chubo Inox or the Tojiro DP will serve you just as well for less.

The companion knife: Chubo Inox Petty 150mm

Not a first knife on its own, but the natural second one. A petty handles all the small, fiddly jobs a big knife is clumsy for: a single shallot, peeling, trimming, citrus. This one is the same easy-care Inox line as the gyuto, so a Chubo Inox gyuto plus this petty makes a complete two-knife kitchen.

What not to buy as a beginner

What else you need

• A whetstone. A #1000/#6000 combination stone. Pull-through sharpeners are wrong for these blades. Our whetstone buying guide has picks, and how to use a whetstone covers the technique.
• A wood or soft plastic cutting board. Glass, stone, and hard bamboo will chip the edge.
• The daily habits. Hand wash and dry every time. Our knife care and sharpening guide covers the routine.

If you are not sure a Japanese knife is worth the money and effort at all, read whether a Japanese knife is worth it first. If you are ordering from abroad, our guide to importing Japanese knives covers the customs charges to expect.

Frequently asked questions

The short version

Buy the Chubo Inox Gyuto 210mm if you want the easiest all-rounder, or the Tojiro DP Gyuto 210mm for the best value with slightly better steel. Choose the Tojiro DP Santoku 170mm instead if you chop rather than rock or your kitchen is small. Add a whetstone and a wooden board, skip the sets and the very hard steels, and you have a first Japanese knife setup that will last for years.