What is a Santoku used for?

["General Purpose"] It is a foundational profile in Japanese kitchens and a popular pick at Knives and Stones for both home cooks and professionals.

What size Santoku should I choose?

The standard santoku is 165–180mm. 165mm suits smaller hands and tighter prep spaces; 180mm gives a touch more reach without becoming unwieldy.

How do I care for a Santoku knife?

Hand-wash with warm water and mild detergent, then dry immediately — never leave a Japanese knife soaking or air-drying on a rack. Avoid the dishwasher entirely. Use a wood or soft-plastic cutting board (not glass, ceramic, or stone) to preserve the edge. For sharpening, use whetstones in the 1000-grit range for maintenance and 3000–6000 grit for finishing. Carbon-steel blades benefit from a thin coat of food-safe camellia or mineral oil between uses to prevent oxidation.

Santoku

Q: What is a Santoku?

A Santoku (三徳) is The Santoku(三徳) knife, embodying the meaning "three uses," is a cornerstone in Japanese kitchens, adept at slicing, dicing, and mincing. Esteemed for its versatility, it features a blade length typically between 15cm and 20cm (6 to 8 inches), catering to a wide array of culinary tasks. Distinguished by its less pointy tip compared to the Gyuto, the Santoku boasts a unique profile that contributes to its functionality and popularity. Its design is more controllable in chopping and slicing, and the profile is less aggressive, for those reasons, it has bacame a preferred choice for home cooks.. The santoku is Japan's household all-purpose knife — 165–180mm with a flatter profile than the gyuto and a downward-sloping tip for vegetable and meat prep.

Q: Gyuto or santoku - which should I choose?

A gyuto is a longer chef's knife with a curved tip for rocking cuts; a santoku is shorter and flatter for push cuts. Pick a gyuto for reach, a santoku for control.

三徳

Santoku General Purpose 3D Model

The Santoku(三徳) knife, embodying the meaning "three uses," is a cornerstone in Japanese kitchens, adept at slicing, dicing, and mincing. Esteemed for its versatility, it features a blade length typically between 15cm and 20cm (6 to 8 inches), catering to a wide array of culinary tasks. Distinguished by its less pointy tip compared to the Gyuto, the Santoku boasts a unique profile that contributes to its functionality and popularity. Its design is more controllable in chopping and slicing, and the profile is less aggressive, for those reasons, it has bacame a preferred choice for home cooks.

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What is a santoku knife used for?

What the research shows

A santoku is a Japanese all-purpose kitchen knife used mainly for chopping, slicing, and dicing vegetables, meat, and fish. Its flatter edge makes it especially good for straight-down cutting, fine slicing, and efficient prep on a cutting board, while the broad blade also helps move food from board to pan. It is not meant for bones, hard squash abuse, or bread, but for everyday prep of boneless proteins, herbs, and vegetables.

The Knives & Stones take

Honestly, a santoku is the knife I’d call for when you’re doing everyday prep: vegetables, boneless meat, fish, herbs, and clean board work. The whole point is a flatter profile, so it suits push-cutting and quick chopping more than a long rocking motion. If you want one, I’d look at Masutani Kokuryu VG10 Damascus Tsuchime Santoku 170mm Western Handle at $150 AUD for the value play, Hatsukokoro Hayabusa Ginsan Santoku 180mm Black Chacate at $230 AUD for a step up, or Hatsukokoro Ryuhyo SG2 Damascus Santoku 180mm Olivewood Handle at $310 AUD if you want the fancier end of the practical range. My pick: the Hayabusa. It’s the cleanest middle ground for most buyers.

Masutani Kokuryu VG10 Damascus Tsuchime Santoku 170mm Western HandleFrom $150 AUD

Hatsukokoro Hayabusa Ginsan Santoku 180mm Black ChacateFrom $230 AUD

Hatsukokoro Ryuhyo SG2 Damascus Santoku 180mm Olivewood HandleFrom $310 AUD

Frequently asked questions

Gyuto or santoku - which should I choose?

Both are all-purpose Japanese knives, and for most home cooks either will handle the bulk of daily prep. The choice comes down to length, blade shape, and how you like to cut.

A gyuto is the Japanese chef's knife - typically 210 to 240mm with a gently curved edge that lets you rock and slide through cuts as well as chop. The extra length and pointed tip give you reach and versatility, from proteins to large produce.

A santoku is shorter, usually 165 to 180mm, with a flatter profile and a rounded sheep's-foot tip. It rewards a straight up-and-down push cut, feels nimble in smaller hands or tight kitchens, and is the classic Japanese household knife.

Rule of thumb: choose a gyuto if you want one do-everything knife with more reach, or a santoku if you prefer a compact, easy-to-control blade. Plenty of our customers end up owning both.

Reviewed by James Zhang · Last updated 29 May 2026

We trust this information is correct at the time of writing, but it is not an official document and details may change without notice. If you spot an error, tell us and we'll fix it.

Sakai Takayuki

Sakai Takayuki VG10 33 Layer Damascus Santoku 170mm Teak Handle

Naoto

Santoku

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Frequently asked questions

Shop Santoku Knives

Sakai Takayuki VG10 33 Layer Damascus Santoku 170mm Teak Handle

Naoto Blue 1 Damascus Kurouchi Santoku 180mm

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Takeshi Saji SG2 Black Damascus Santoku 180mm Birchwood Handle

Hatsukokoro x Satoshi Nakagawa Blue 1 Damascus Santoku 170mm

Kurosaki Yūgumo SG2 Tsuchime Santoku Vintage Stock w/ Saya

Shiro Kamo Seilan AS Kurouchi Santoku 180mm

Hatsukokoro Ryuhyo SG2 Damascus Blue Santoku 180mm with Urushi handle

Hatsukokoro Ryuhyo SG2 Damascus Rainbow Santoku 180mm

Takamura Chromax Tsuchime Santoku 170mm

Kouki Blue2 Kurouchi Santoku 150mm

Tsunehisa SLD Washiji Santoku 170mm Burnt Kashi

Shun Classic Santoku Knife 18cm (7")

Shun Premier Utility Santoku 18cm (7")

Takeshi Saji VG10 Rainbow Damascus Etched Santoku 165mm

Hatsukokoro Hayabusa Ginsan Santoku 180mm Black Chacate

Anryu Aogami Super Kurouchi Tsuchime Santoku 170mm

Hatsukokoro Ryuhyo SG2 Damascus Santoku 180mm Olivewood Handle

Hatsukokoro Aokitae Blue 2 Kurouchi Santoku 165mm Black Chacate

Takeshi Saji STRIX Tsuchime Santoku 165mm Olivewood Handle

Kurosaki Senko (閃光) Ei SG2 Santoku 165mm Ai Tenmoku Handle & Saya

Kurosaki Kokusen Ei AS Bunka 170mm - Turquoise Ferrule

Makoto Kurosaki Samidorizuki SGStrix Santoku 170mm

Hatsukokoro Hinotori V-Toku 2 Santoku 180mm Rainbow Damascus finish

Kurosaki Gekko VG XEOS Santoku 165mm - Turquoise Ring

Kurosaki Kokusen AS Santoku 170mm - Curly Maple

Kurosaki Kokusen AS Santoku 170mm - Gold Ferrule

K&S AUS10 Monosteel Santoku 165mm Metal Handle

Tanaka Blue 2 Damascus Santoku 170mm Kurouchi

Hatsukokoro Kaijin Blue 2 Santoku 175mm Migaki Curly Maple

Hatsukokoro Ginrei Ginsan Santoku 175mm Nashiji Ebony

Mazaki White 2 Kurouchi Santoku 180mm

Tsunehisa Ginsan Nawame Santoku 165mm

Hatsukokoro Hikari SLD Damascus Santoku 170mm

Sakai Takayuki INOX Stainless Santoku 170mm

Kurosaki Kokusen AS Santoku 170mm - Ivory Ferrule

Matsubara Blue 2 Santoku 170mm Nashiji Burnt Kashi

Sakai Takayuki VG10 33 Layer Damascus Santoku 170mm Gold

Sakai Takayuki VG10 33 Layer Damascus Santoku 170mm Aka

Sakai Takayuki VG10 33 Layer Damascus Santoku 170mm Green

Tsunehisa Ginsan Nashiji Santoku 165mm Ebony Handle

Takeshi Saji SG2 Black Damascus Santoku 180mm Ironwood Handle Wenge Saya

Sakai Takayuki VG10 33 Layer Damascus Santoku 180mm Limited Blue Handle

Masutani Kokuryu VG10 Damascus Tsuchime Santoku 170mm WA Handle

Shibamasa VG5 Santoku 170mm

Takamura SG2 Migaki Santoku 170mm

Masakage Yuki White2 Santoku 170mm Stainless Clad

Hatsukokoro Hayabusa Ginsan Santoku 180mm Ebony

Yoshikane White 2 KU Nashiji Santoku 165mm Stainless Clad Ebony

Hatsukokoro Kujaku V-Toku-2 Santoku 180mm Rainbow Damascus Finish

Motokyuuichi Kurosagi AS KU Santoku 165mm Kurouchi by Hatsukokoro Black Chacate

Masakage Koishi AS Santoku 175mm, Aogami Super Kurouchi Tsuchime K&S Hearted-shaped Ironwood Handle

Kurosaki Sasame COSP Santoku 170mm

Takeshi Saji VG10 Rainbow Damascus Santoku 165mm Ebony Handle Mosaic Pin

Ono Suzukaze SG2 Tsuchime Damascus Santoku 180mm

Hatsukokoro Hikari SLD Santoku 170mm

Hatsukokoro x Nigara Irodori Blue 2 Rainbow Damascus Santoku 180mm

Hatsukokoro Ryuhyo SG2 Black Damascus Santoku 180mm

Tanaka R2 Etched Black Damascus Santoku 165mm Ironwood Handle

Shiro Kamo AS Kurouchi Santoku 165mm

Takeshi Saji Black Damascus Santoku 180mm SG2 Ironwood

Tsunehisa AUS8 Tsuchime Santoku 180 mm Western Handle

Tsunehisa Ginsan Migaki Santoku 165mm

Hatsukokoro Shikkoku Blue 2 Kurouchi Damascus Santoku 165mm Ebony Handle

Nigara SG2 Tsuchime Matt Migaki Santoku 180mm Western Ironwood

Hatsukokoro Shikkoku Blue 2 Kurouchi Santoku 165mm Ebony Handle

Hatsukokoro Sumi Blue 2 Kurouchi Santoku 165mm Black Chacate Handle

Nakagawa Blue1 Wide Bevel Kasumi Santoku 180mm Ebony Handle

Hatsukokoro VG5 Hayabusa Santoku 180mm Black Chacate

Hatsukokoro x Nigara Yorokobi SLD Copper Tsuchime Damascus Santoku 180mm with Saya

Hatsukokoro Itadaki Blue2 & White2 Dual Core Damasccus Tsushime Santoku 180 mm with Saya

Hatsukokoro Blue 2 Damascus Migaki Santoku 180mm Ebony Handle

Hatsukokoro Hayabusa Aogami Super Migaki Gyuto 210mm Black Chacate

Hatsukokoro Kurogane Blue 2 Kurouchi Santoku 165mm Black Chacate

Hatsukokoro Aosagi Blue 2 Kurouchi Santoku 180mm Black Chacate