Bunka recommendation

[teddymonster]

Hey as the title says, I'm looking for a Bunka!
I have a Gesshin Stainless Gyuto and a Miyabi Birchwood Petty that were both gifts. I am looking for something more visually appealing than the gyuto and think a bunka is what I'm going to want. I am really looking for a daily driver knife for home family cooking, but I use the tip of gyuto or the petty a fair amount so the bunka's tip seems appealing. Additionally the spine on the gyuto gets uncomfortable if I'm doing lots of cutting

Questionnaire
Location: USA
KNIFE TYPE
What type of knife are you interested in (e.g., chefs knife, slicer, boning knife, utility knife, bread knife, paring knife, cleaver)?
Bunka

Are you right or left handed?
Right Handed

Are you interested in a Western handle (e.g., classic Wusthof handle) or Japanese handle?
Wa handle preferred

What length of knife (blade) are you interested in (in inches or millimeters)?
not picky

Do you require a stainless knife? (Yes or no)
No, I dont have a carbon steel but am interested in trying one

What is your absolute maximum budget for your knife?
I would like to be under 700



KNIFE USE
Do you primarily intend to use this knife at home or a professional environment?
Home

What are the main tasks you primarily intend to use the knife for (e.g., slicing vegetables, chopping vegetables, mincing vegetables, slicing meats, cutting down poultry, breaking poultry bones, filleting fish, trimming meats, etc.)?
Slicing vegetables, dicing vegetables, slicing fruits, slicing meats, slicing fish

What knife, if any, are you replacing?
Gyuto (I know my gyuto can do these)

Do you have a particular grip that you primarily use? (Please click on this LINK for the common types of grips.)
Pinch

What cutting motions do you primarily use? (Please click on this LINK for types of cutting motions and identify the two or three most common cutting motions, in order of most used to least used.)
Slice, Push Cut, and Drawing

What improvements do you want from your current knife? If you are not replacing a knife, please identify as many characteristics identified below in parentheses that you would like this knife to have.)
rounded spine or more comfortable pinch, and nimble but able to be used for most anything

Better aesthetics (e.g., a certain type of finish; layered/Damascus or other pattern of steel; different handle color/pattern/shape/wood; better scratch resistance; better stain resistance)?
yes, anything because its pretty plain looking. I think I would be cool with a patina but I haven't seen one in person

Comfort (e.g., lighter/heavier knife; better handle material; better handle shape; rounded spine/choil of the knife; improved balance)?
mentioned about rounded spine

Ease of Use (e.g., ability to use the knife right out of the box; smoother rock chopping, push cutting, or slicing motion; less wedging; better food release; less reactivity with food; easier to sharpen)?
I would prioritize ease of sharpening

Edge Retention (i.e., length of time you want the edge to last without sharpening)?
fairly long?

KNIFE MAINTENANCE
Do you use a bamboo, wood, rubber, or synthetic cutting board? (Yes or no.)
yes

Do you sharpen your own knives? (Yes or no.)
yes but I only have a 600 and 3000 grit at the moment, but plan to get more

If not, are you interested in learning how to sharpen your knives? (Yes or no.)
happy to practice and get better

Are you interested in purchasing sharpening products for your knives? (Yes or no.)
sure, not opposed but not a requirement


SPECIAL REQUESTS/COMMENTS
These are some of the knives I saw and was considering, I am not limited to these by any means. I don't have any carbon steel knives but I am not opposed to trying one
Ryusen Blazen Ryu Wa Santoku 180 - $299 - Ryusen Blazen Ryu Wa Santoku 180mm
Tsunehisa Ginsan Nashiji Bunka $124 - Tsunehisa Ginsan Nashiji Bunka 165mm
Tsunehisa Stainless clad Aogami super kurouchi Bunka $119 - Tsunehisa Stainless Clad Aogami Super Kurouchi Tsuchime 175mm Bunka with Custom Rosewood and Ebony Wa Handle
Hitohira Tanaka Kyuzo Blue #1 - $395 - Hitohira Tanaka Kyuzo Blue #1 Migaki Bunka Ziricote Handle

 

[Nemo]

Please don't post any more links in your first few posts- it sends the anti-spam software loopy.

I'm personally not a big fan of the profile or length of most bunkas (or santokus). Even most K-tip gyutos (is this really just what we call a long bunka?) have a bit of a low tip for many tasks.

Having said that, I do have the Ryusen Blazen santoku for people with small hands to use. It's a nice knife with good fit and finish, including a smooth spine and choil, and a nice satin surface finish. It is beautifully balanced and the gyuto is a real joy to use. The santoku would be if the tip were higher and it was longer. It doesn't have flashy surface treatments (damascus, hammered etc) if the is what you are after. Having said that, these treatments can make maintaining your knife in top condition difficult as they discourage maintenance thinning.

 

[NotAddictedYet]

Shibata Koutetsu Bunka is pretty popular if you are ok with lasers.

 

[Delat]

I'm a big fan of bunkas and shorter knives in general. Yoshikane SKD is a classic if you can find one. I also like Yu Kurosaki - a ton of different flavors are available.

Shibata is also a good option but the spine is very thin and might not be comfortable for a long cutting session since you mentioned comfort being a factor.

If you can find one on BST, Frederick Spare's MCX bunka is really nice. It's less of a laser than the others but has a more solid and high quality feel overall.

FYI it's very easy to round the spine and choil yourself with either sandpaper or stones. I've done it on a few of my knives and it definitely improves the user experience.

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

Is the spine of your gyuto uncomfortable because of sharp edges or because it's skinny and digs in over time?

If the latter, as I also often find, then spine thickness out of the handle may be something you want to prioritize. Blades from the Sanjo and Tosa regions often have thicker spines that taper nicely.

Names like Watanabe, Toyama, Yoshikane, Wakui, Matsubara, and others are in these regions. It's no guarantee, just more common coming out of these areas. But there's also other factors you need to consider such as thin, sensitive edges etc. so try to understand more about the overall knife.

My personal advice is not for a specific knife but cautionary in general. Beware the lure of bunkas. When new to all of this they can look exotic and sexy, and they are, but that doesn't always equal practical for what you want. I have a soft spot for them and have tried a few over time but alas I'm down to just one on the active duty rack and it's a 180mm which are less common in this style. I still think they're cool, and I like my lone holdout for quick tasks or just-cuz and it is a cool knife but I have long since moved on from considering a bunka as a daily driver. They're tall, generally short in length, and often have a very flat profile.

I would strongly suggest not getting anywhere close to your max. budget until you've spent time with a lower priced model. Let the honeymoon wear off and if you're still really into them, then come back and drop more coin with more exacting specs.

Not very long ago you could risk dropping some money on experiments with some confidence of minimal loss reselling on the BST but that is getting harder to do these days.

 

[AT5760]

If you want to try the bunka profile, try a 165mm Tosa bunka. Hida tool usually has them. They are super cheap and surprisingly good cutters for the price.

 

[JoBone]

With limited counter space and often cooking for 1 or 2, so I use a lot of shorter knives. I’ve found the tip of a santoku to be just as useful as a Bunka if you want that option.

The Tanaka Kyuzo that you listed is killer, unfortunately it is sold out. If you find one, jump on it.

Tsunehisa knives are great if you are on a budget, but I think you can do better if you have a little extra cash.

Knives out of Echizen tend to be well made for mid-weight and mid-priced knives. Kurosaki, Saji, Kato Yoshimi, Kamo Shiro all come to mind.

Nigara make some nice SG2 bunkas, they are thin and keep and edge for quite a long time.

Nakagawa also makes nice bunkas, his heat treatment isn’t quite as good as Tanaka Y, but very well done.

I like Matsubara knives, they tend to be tall and way under priced. He has some cool bunkas. Mark at chev knivz to go has some. For some reason, you can’t link them or spell out the company name on the forums. Probably because he has his own forums.

Another underrated blacksmith out of Sanjo is Kawamura, District Cutlery has one of his for sale
https://www.districtcutlery.com/amp/yoshimune-kawamura-bunka-knife-165mm/

 

[Borealhiker]

HumbleHomeCook said it best. Lol…..He’s right on with his take. My first J knife was a Kanehiro (now Kato) 165 Bunka. Its my only Bunka. I love it and use it regularly. It is a really well made and great performing knife. But I’ll second HHC in saying don’t spend your max yet. Well, unless you’re flush. Imo no need for a $300-395 Bunka. I’d recommend Matsubara. I have 3 and they are great performers at a really reasonable price. And a lot of people here recommend Tosa knives ….great cutters low price. ??? Enjoy your search. Have fun.

 

[Delat]

My personal advice is not for a specific knife but cautionary in general. Beware the lure of bunkas. When new to all of this they can look exotic and sexy, and they are, but that doesn't always equal practical for what you want. I have a soft spot for them and have tried a few over time but alas I'm down to just one on the active duty rack and it's a 180mm which are less common in this style.

For my own personal preference I couldn’t go below 180mm for a daily driver either. I should probably clarify for OP that “bunka” generally describes tall knives with a k-tip 180mm or less. Longer than that you’ll generally see the same shape described as a “k-tip gyuto”. Same thing, different lengths.

Mostly I reach for a 180mm gyuto these days just because I have a couple of those that I love, but bunkas are nice for the extra height when you need it. More specifically, the extra height of the bunka is handy when cutting thicker food so your guiding knuckle maintains contact with the blade all the way through the cut.

My first bunka was a Shibata which I recommended above. I definitely loved it for a while as a pure laser, but eventually decided I like a thicker spine for comfort. He’s a popular maker and easy to resell on BST later. If wanting to stay lower in your price range, Shiro Kamo is another great maker to look at - his high carbon offerings specifically; his damascus R2 is more expensive.

 

[KnightKnightForever]

I love my Anryu bunka. I actually sold it and then rebought it a year later. Now it's not going anywhere

 

[SWF]

Hado Ginsan Bunka.

 

[SwampDonkey]

If you're daily driving I would shoot for the 180 range, all my suggestions below are that length.

This is probably my number 1 choice for a bunka, it's nice and long with a functional tip and gentle curve to belly. Unfortunately sold out but there's also a stainless clad version, and a special up right now with a custom saya at JKI. Great f&f, good carbon steel, takes a nice patina but isn't wildly reactive, very comfortable to hold.

https://www.japaneseknifeimports.co...i-kiritsuke-shaped-santoku?variant=7072600453

I also really dig this Ogata bunka too. It's SG2 stainless, thinner than the Kochi but more robust than a Kobayashi or proper laser. Heavy laser category? It's quite tall throughout, almost like a nakiri with a k-tip. Not bad to sharpen though not as nice as carbon, the SG2 holds an edge for a long time. Ogata worked for Shiro Kamo for a while before starting his own gig so you'll see similarities in their work

https://www.cleancut.eu/butik/knifetype/kiritsuke/bunka_ogata_takefu-3910-detail
Here's a pic next to a 165 Kyohei Shindo bunka so you get a sense of height

It looks like JKI has the same one under this name

https://www.japaneseknifeimports.com/collections/hotaru/products/hotaru-180mm-sg2-wa-santoku
Last we have this Shiro Kamo Akuma. It's a fantastic knife for the money. Aogami Super hardened to 65 HRC, stainless clad, tall and thin it flies through produce with great edge retention. You'll chip it if you're not careful though since the steel is so hard. The core steel is not very reactive and I forced a coffee patina on mine to make it effectively stainless. This one isn't quite as tall up front as the Ogata, the height is tall at the heel and shortens towards the tip. Enough of a belly to rock a little, kicks ass at push cuts too.

https://www.cleancut.eu/butik/knifetype/kiritsuke/bunka_aogami-super-4064-4129-detail
Choil of Akuma

 

[teddymonster]

Thank you all for the fantastic recommendations. I will try and round the spine on my gyuto.
Additionally I know I am probably going to have a honeymoon phase and eventually move on to a new knife but I'm thinking now of trying carbon since I'm experimenting with the shape already.

With what I've found in stock these are what I'm trying to decide

 

[daveb]

Pls no links in first few posts, drives the spam filter nuts.

 

[Kgp]

I found a burka made by HSC that is used frequently. WTS - (Price Drop) HSC bunka

If you want a smaller gyuto, Butch Harner makes a short gyuto that is the most used knife in my kitchen.

 

[Borealhiker]

Thank you all for the fantastic recommendations. I will try and round the spine on my gyuto.
Additionally I know I am probably going to have a honeymoon phase and eventually move on to a new knife but I'm thinking now of trying carbon since I'm experimenting with the shape already.

With what I've found in stock these are what I'm trying to decide

Just say/type them. Don’t put links to them.

 

[teddymonster]

Yeah sorry I am looking at these three now:
Masakage Koishi AS Bunka - $288 at knifewear
Matsubara Blue #2 - $225 at chuboknives
Yoshikane SKD Tsuchime Bunka - $313 at chefs-edge

Strongly leaning towards the Masakage Koishi, just the edge is AS and its stainless clad so it should be easy to maintain. I can get an idea if I want carbon in the future

 

[bradmacmt]

I've had a couple Bunka's. As some have said, I'd go 180mm. For me a 165 is more of a "Tall Petty."

Mine is a Sakai Kikumori blue no. 2 stainless clad w/ nashiji finish. It drives like Toyama made it. I friggin love this knife. I have no idea who the smith is, and don't really care. As a Vegan, produce is my domain so a knife must "steer" straight for me to keep it around. Denser vegatables make it clear very quickly if a knife will stay in my rack. All my Toyama's steer straight, as does a Wakui Santoku and Sakai Kikumori Bunka. I like its height, flat spot, grind, length, and really everything about it. You could spend a LOT more and not have a knife as well crafted.

https://carbonknifeco.com/collections/sakai-kikumori/products/kikumori-nashiji-blue-2-bunka-180mm

 

[Se1ryu]

I have Yu Kurosaki SG2 bunka with wenge and black horn ferrule BNIB for $190 USD
Thread 'Yu Kurosaki & Takeshi Saji (AUS)' WTS - Yu Kurosaki & Takeshi Saji (AUS)

 

[JoBone]

I want to buy a cutting board made of acacia by Zassenhaus. I like the dark looks very much. Do you think it will be OK for my knives?

Yeah sorry I am looking at these three now:
Masakage Koishi AS Bunka - $288 at knifewear
Matsubara Blue #2 - $225 at chuboknives
Yoshikane SKD Tsuchime Bunka - $313 at chefs-edge

Strongly leaning towards the Masakage Koishi, just the edge is AS and its stainless clad so it should be easy to maintain. I can get an idea if I want carbon in the future

You won’t go wrong with any of those.

 

[TokushuKnife]

Yeah sorry I am looking at these three now:
Masakage Koishi AS Bunka - $288 at knifewear
Matsubara Blue #2 - $225 at chuboknives
Yoshikane SKD Tsuchime Bunka - $313 at chefs-edge

Strongly leaning towards the Masakage Koishi, just the edge is AS and its stainless clad so it should be easy to maintain. I can get an idea if I want carbon in the future.

Koishi is an excellent value, and very comfortable IMO. I also like the Moritaka AS Tall Bunka, they are not easy to find, but it is actually my favorite knife. The Kyohei Shindo's bunka is very delicate but and an excellent performer.