Japanese knife recommendation

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skern49

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Hello,

I currently own a chef's knife that I like. I'm going to Japan and want to buy a knife that would compliment the chef's knife and am unsure of which type to get. It seems many types are for specific, usually fish-related scenarios, but I don't eat much fish. I originally thought to get a paring knife, but I don't think that's a traditional Japanese style and it'd be cool to get something traditional while I'm there.
 
How about a petty which is a small versatile utility knife thats shaped like a small gyuto and it works well as a parer and works decently with board work as well.

Or a nakiri for veg prep.

But if I'd be heading to Japan I would be looking for some interesting gyuto. Something that would not be available with the online vendors here. what can I say, I'm a gyuto kind of guy. :biggrin:
 
I second the recommendation to get a petty. Something in the 150-180mm range would probably be your best choice for overall versatility.

I have to disagree with JaVa on the shape of the petties, though. They are more like small sujihiki.
 
Well, yeah you're absolutely right. Pettys tend to more look like a sujihikis. Although my only petty is only 12.5 cm long and it looks just like a miniature gyuto. Any longer than that and they do look more like sujihikis for sure.

Also what I was actually trying to get across is that it has some heel compared to a parer, which translates to some knuckle clearence and (small) gyuto like features on the board adding versatility.

...and on that note, if the OP slices a lot of meat and/or fish, then a sujihiki could be a good choice as well.
(...which is essentially a long petty :justkidding:)
 
Maybe a smaller chefs knife would be good. So I guess you won't be eating much seafood when in Japan. That might be a little tough.
 
Thanks for the answers, guys. To clarify, I like seafood, I just don't cook it much :)

I think I'll look for the smallest utility / petty knife I can find, so that it's sufficiently different from my chef's knife. I don't imagine you know any good knife stores in Osaka (or Kyoto)?
 
Wa-Mukimono for prep vegs, carving and learn to make daikon katsuramuki or Kiritsuke for advance knife.
 
Never been to Japan, but hope to travel there someday. But man shouldn't be that hard to find what you want, it's like knife Mecca in Japan I would think. Just cruising around the Net and poor translation has yielded plenty of interesting Kitchen knife results for me. Better to hook up with local and get shown around maybe. Also if you can find a friend local in your area who speaks Japanese that can help, if doing stuff at a distance. I want to do some Net shopping in Japan for other stuff and can't believe already how much that crap Buyee service charged me for a Yahoojp auction item.
 
Never been to Japan, but hope to travel there someday. But man shouldn't be that hard to find what you want, it's like knife Mecca in Japan I would think. Just cruising around the Net and poor translation has yielded plenty of interesting Kitchen knife results for me. Better to hook up with local and get shown around maybe. Also if you can find a friend local in your area who speaks Japanese that can help, if doing stuff at a distance. I want to do some Net shopping in Japan for other stuff and can't believe already how much that crap Buyee service charged me for a Yahoojp auction item.
I don't think it's true (Japan is a knife mecca)... Like I bet the average Japanese guy is just as uninformed about knives as the average western guy. What's more wusthof and such do have market specific models for some Asian countries
 
I would think the average kitchen knife in Japan is a bit sharper (or maybe less dull is the better way to put it) than in western world, no?
 
I would think that average Joe might be just as uninformed but that there are many more overall that are informed. Just see how big the stone market is. Or is that all just sushi chefs, wood workers and other professionals?
 
The term "Well informed" can mean a lot of things. Most Japanese people can identify the type of cooking knife from design. That's because they grew up seeing them in their kitchens and watching their mothers using them. But they generally aren't knowlegable or obsessed over steel type or who made it, as a houchou is just a cooking utensil among all the other cooking tools. So while it's true that not everyone in Japan is "well informed" about knives, there are other aspects of Japan being a "hamono culture". For example in a typical household there will be at least 2 or 3 cooking knives, and most seasoned housewives sharpen their own knives and have stones in the house. A lesser number have them sharpened if they have a cutlery store near them, and they are far more common than in the U.S. In the rural areas the "Kama" (scythe) is the common weed/grass cutting implement and you will see tons of them in any Home Center (a Japanese name for Home Depot type of stores). And you'll see them being used by everyone including little old ladies.
 
Sounds like your describing any old person from any old country.
 
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