Yu Kurosaki Raijin VG10W Bunka 165mm CRO Handle

The bunka knife (文化包丁) takes its name from bunka, culture. A Sakai knife maker ties the name to Japan's modernisation, when Western culture and Japanese tradition merged, and says it stands for that new era and for the knife's wide range of uses.

The same maker says that as diets broadened to meat, fish and vegetables, an all-purpose knife was wanted, and the bunka took features from both Japanese and Western knives.

The tip. One Japanese knife maker describes the bunka (文化包丁, kengata) as combining the good points of the gyuto and the nakiri with the tip cut at an angle, and the santoku as coming after it, by rounding that tip.

Both are all-purpose knives for the home; santoku (三徳) means three virtues, for the three foods it cuts: meat, fish and vegetables.

Takefu makes VG10W by adding tungsten, 0.40%, to VG10, and its other published composition figures are the same as the figures Takefu publishes for VG10. Takefu says the tungsten forms hard, fine carbides that contribute to improved wear resistance and ease of sharpening.

Takefu lists a hardening hardness of HRC 61 or more for VG10W against HRC 60 or more for VG10. Takefu also states that VG10W has 20% higher durability/strength and 25% higher cutting performance than VG10, while maintaining the same corrosion resistance.

Takefu, which makes VG10W, adds tungsten to its VG10 and says the hard, fine carbides this forms improve both wear resistance and ease of sharpening. Takefu lists VG10W among its stainless steels, with 15% chromium and a hardening hardness of HRC 61 or more.

The JSSA notes that stainless strictly means a steel that rusts less, not one that never rusts. We suggest rinsing and drying the knife after use, storing it dry and keeping it out of the dishwasher.

Raijin is one of the five original designs Yu Kurosaki created after thousands of prototypes, a 2022 NIHONMONO interview says, and one of the five hammered finish series his company, Kurosaki Uchihamono, lists. The company says its distinctive hammered finish is its greatest feature and that it makes everything by hand in small runs.

The knives we list as Yu Kurosaki Raijin VG10W are from that Raijin series.

We think so. Yu Kurosaki established his own workshop in 2014 after twelve years at Kanehiro Uchihamono (カネ弘打刃物), and he was certified as a traditional craftsman (伝統工芸士) in 2019. In a 2022 interview with the magazine Nihonmono, he described his knives as thin, sharp and tough.

We list his knives in steels such as SG2 and Blue Super. For a closer look at his work and approach, you can explore the Yu Kurosaki maker page on the Knives and Stones site.

All four are Yu Kurosaki's own designs. In a 2022 interview with the magazine Nihonmono he named his five original designs, Shizuku, Fujin, Raijin, Juhyo and Senko, and described his knives as thin, sharp and tough.

In our range the steel is in the product title: Senko and Fujin are made in SG2 and Raijin in VG10W. So pick the design you like first, then check the steel in its title.

Yes. Yu Kurosaki worked at Kanehiro Uchihamono from 2002 to 2014, then founded his own workshop, 黒﨑打刃物 (Kurosaki Uchihamono), in 2014, and he is certified as a traditional craftsman. The trade body's profile of him lists double-bevel forged knives and custom knives, and his own site says his Echizen forged knives are made one by one by a craftsman's hand.

The Kurosaki knives we stock, such as the Senko SG2, Fujin SG2, Raijin VG10W and Shizuku lines, carry his name in the title.