Wa-Gyuto : Chef Knife with Japanese Style Handle

Wa-Gyuto by Sakai Ichimonji

A Wa-Gyuto Chef Knife is a classic French style Chef Knife fitted to a traditional Japanese Style handle , whether it be the Octagonal, D-Shape or Round Shape.

Most of this handle style are made of wood and likely to be more familiar to classically trained Japanese chefs.


What is a Wa-Gyuto used for?

An all-purpose knife for meat, vegetables, and fish, it is the most frequently used knife for Western restaurants in Japan.


How to Select a Wa-Gyuto Chef Knife

Due to the frequent use, customers should be mindful of weight and balance when purchasing a Wa-Gyuto.

Gyuto can range from 180mm to 300mm usually. The most common for home use is 210mm as this gives the best balance of length and weight for smaller spaces. For professional use, 240mm is more common as the extra length helps when breaking down large slabs of meat.

Additionally, we recommend a 30cm Wa-Gyuto for people who are regularly cutting large slabs of meat or slicing heads of cabbage.


How to Choose the Blade Materials - Carbon Steel vs Stainless Steel

The adventages of carbon steels (e.g. White Steel, Blue Steel) are their sharpness and ease of resharpening. On the other hand, they are susceptible to moisture, and if not maintained properly, the blades will rust.

Stainless steels (e.g. Silver Steel#3, VG1, VG10, Molybdenum Steel) are resistant to rust and easy to maintain. The sharpness of the blade is getting better year by year, but they are still more difficult to sharpen than carbon steels.

We recommend carbon steel to people who value sharpness and ease of sharpening while recommend stainless steel to people who value rust resistance and ease of maintenance.

How to Choose a Japanese Kitchen Knife for Beginners

How to Choose a Japanese Kitchen Knife for Beginners

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