Toroku Sakai Yukage Santoku 170mm

About Toroku Sakai – Unlike so many region-specific knifemakers, Toroku Sakai works with craftspeople from all across Japan. They find the best of the best in every region and bring them together to craft some truly exceptional blades. Like a talented music producer, they match folks and skillsets that complement each other perfectly.

I never get sick of looking at this knife. It’s so pretty. I’ve always said a good knife should inspire you to cook, and this one definitely inspires me. When it comes time to cut, you’re in good hands thanks to the VG10 steel in the blade. It keeps an obscenely sharp edge but doesn’t require a bunch of care like some other fancy knives do. The wooden octagonal handle is very traditional and very comfortable. I find the grooves lock into my hand, making the knife feel like an extension of my wrist. 

About the Shape –This is a multi-purpose knife, but with a slight vegetable bias. Santoku means ‘Three Virtues’ or ‘To solve Three Problems’. The virtues or problems are slicing, dicing and mincing. Santoku is usually found in 160mm – 190mm lengths. These are more and more popular in Western kitchens due to their unique shape and smaller easy-to-handle size.