Free camellia oil with every knife · Same-day dispatch before 12pm · 14-day no-questions returns

Japanese kitchen knives · Seki, Sakai and Miki

Sharper. Lighter.
Built to stay that way.

Harder steel, a thinner edge and generations of forging know-how. Once you've cooked with a Japanese knife, it's hard to go back.

4.9 / 5 from 3,400+ Japanese Tools Australia reviews

Find your knife Why Japanese?
  • Free camellia oil with every knife
  • Dispatched same day before 12pm
  • 14-day no-questions returns
Tetsuhiro Santoku Kitchen Knife - 170mm Our best-selling chef's knife

550+

Japanese kitchen knives sold in the past year

60 HRC

Hardness of the VG10 core in our Sakai Takayuki knives

Free

30ml camellia oil with every knife

Seki · Sakai · Miki

Knives from Japan's great forging towns

What makes a Japanese knife different?

It's not just the look. Japanese knives are built differently from the steel out. Here's our Tetsuhiro gyuto, part by part.

Parts of a Japanese gyuto knife Labelled illustration of the Tetsuhiro gyuto showing the handle end, rivets, handle, bolster, heel, cutting edge, core steel, belly, damascus cladding, spine and tip. EJIRIHANDLE END KUCHIGANEBOLSTER 5 MUNESPINE 2 JIGANEDAMASCUS CLADDING 3 KISSAKITIP BYŌRIVETS 6 EHANDLE AGOHEEL 4 HACUTTING EDGE 1 HAGANECORE STEEL HARABELLY

  1. Hagane

    Hard core steel

    The cutting edge is a core of very hard steel: VG10 at 60 HRC in our Sakai Takayuki knives. Harder steel takes a finer edge and holds it far longer than the softer steel in most European knives.

  2. Jigane

    Layered cladding

    Softer stainless layers wrap the hard core: 17 layers on Miki Hamono, 33 on Sakai Takayuki. They add toughness, protect the core and create the damascus pattern.

  3. Kissaki

    A fine, pointed tip

    The thin tip handles the delicate jobs: scoring, trimming, peeling and fine slicing, without reaching for a second knife.

  4. Ha

    A thinner edge

    Japanese knives are sharpened to a more acute angle, typically around 15° per side against roughly 20° on many European knives, so they glide through food instead of wedging it apart.

  5. Mune

    Thin, light blade

    Less steel behind the edge means a lighter knife (our 210mm Sakai Takayuki gyuto weighs just 186 g) for more control and less fatigue.

  6. E

    A familiar handle

    Most of our knives have Western-style handles, so the grip feels familiar from the first cut, and they're double-bevelled to suit left and right hands.

Find your knife

Which shape suits how you cook?

Not sure where to start? Most home cooks begin with a santoku or a gyuto.

Everyday all-rounder

Best seller
Tetsuhiro Santoku Kitchen Knife - 170mm

Tetsuhiro Santoku Kitchen Knife - 170mm

VG10 core clad in damascus stainless, with a comfortable black pakka wood handle. Our most popular chef's knife.

5.0 · 2 reviews

$235 Free shipping

Great first Japanese knife

Seki Souma Santoku Knife - 180mm

Seki Souma Santoku Knife - 180mm

AUS-8 san mai blade, hand-sharpened in Seki City, with a red pakka wood handle.

$210 Free shipping

Compact all-rounder

Damascus VG10 Santoku Knife - 165mm

Damascus VG10 Santoku Knife - 165mm

VG10 core with 17 layers of damascus, from a Miki forge founded in 1935.

$279 Free shipping

Best value

Japanese Santoku Chef Knife - 170mm

Japanese Santoku Chef Knife - 170mm

Molybdenum-vanadium stainless with a rust-resistant matt black coating.

5.0 · 1 review

$149

Keep it sharp

Hard steel rewards a little care

Japanese steel holds its edge for a long time, and a few minutes of care keeps it that way. Every knife on this page comes with free camellia oil.

Camellia Oil - 30ml

Every wash

Camellia Oil - 30ml

A few drops after washing protects the blade and keeps the steel looking its best.

5.0 · 3 reviews

$10 Free with any knife

The Complete Sharpening Kit 1000/6000

Every few months

The Complete Sharpening Kit 1000/6000

A Suehiro Cerax 1000/6000 combination stone, lapping plate and sandpaper: everything to restore a dull edge at home.

4.8 · 70 reviews

$123

What our customers say

Real reviews from Japanese Tools Australia customers.

A superb knife

“The santoku is heaven to use. It cuts through vegetables and meat without effort; safe because it is so sharp that it cuts as it is directed and there is no possibility of it sliding off and cutting the operator's hand.”
Geoff M., Sydney · Tetsuhiro range

Great knife

“We have been using this knife for over 5 year and despite rarely sharpening it have found it our go to for almost anything. I have given the same to both my mum and brother (ex chef) and they have the same experience. great knife for the money!”
Mike M., Sydney · Tetsuhiro range

Nakiri Kitchen Knife.

“Best knife I have ever bought. Extremely sharp for cutiing vegetables. I always use it. Well worth it.”
Rodriguez R., Canberra · Tetsuhiro range

Might buy another

“Use it for homemade sourdough but potential for many other uses. Saws through effortlessly, no squashing/pressure on the bread. Sharp, light and comfortable to use”
Kurt G., Sydney · Wave Blade Bread Knife

A cut above the rest

“Smashes through sourdough (in a good way) My daughter makes her own gluten free sourdough which is more dense than normal bread. Sharp, plus the blade shape offset from the handle is genius.”
NickV, Sydney · Wave Blade Bread Knife

Brilliant

“Excellent blade for vegetables and slicing sashimi”
Colin G., Perth · Tetsuhiro range

Questions

Which knife should I buy first?

A santoku or a gyuto. The santoku is the all-rounder most home cooks reach for; the gyuto is the Japanese chef's knife, a little longer for slicing and rocking. Add a nakiri if you cut a lot of vegetables, and a petty for small jobs.

Will it rust?

Every knife on this page has a stainless blade (VG10, AUS-8 or molybdenum-vanadium steel), so it resists rust far better than traditional carbon steel. Hand wash, dry, and add a few drops of camellia oil now and then.

Can it go in the dishwasher?

Please don't. Heat, detergent and knocking against other cutlery dull a fine edge and damage wooden handles. A quick hand wash and dry takes ten seconds.

Are they suitable for left-handers?

Yes. These knives are double-bevelled, so they cut the same for left and right hands.

How do I get the free camellia oil?

Add any knife from this page and the 30ml oil goes into your cart with it, already ticked. It's free at the cart, one per order. Buying from a product page instead? Add the 30ml Camellia Oil to your cart with your knife and it will be free.

Shop all Japanese Kitchen Knives

Feel the difference on your first cut

Free camellia oil with every knife, dispatched same day before 12pm.

Find your knife