Santoku vs Kiritsuke: Which Japanese Knife Should You Buy?

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Updated August 2026 · 8 min read · UK Japanese knife specialists

The santoku and the kiritsuke are two of the most popular Japanese-steel knives in any kitchen — and they look different enough that shoppers often assume one must be "better" than the other. In truth they are close cousins: both are double-bevel all-rounders, both are forged from the same hard Japanese steel (VG10 or AUS-10), and both take the same keen edge. Choosing between them is really a choice about blade shape, reach and how you like to cut — not about quality.

This guide walks through what each knife is best at, the honest trade-offs, and which to buy for how you actually cook — with real UK prices and in-stock picks from our own range.

The santoku: the everyday all-rounder

Santoku means "three virtues" — a nod to how well it handles the three everyday tasks of slicing, dicing and mincing (and the three food groups of vegetables, fish and boneless meat). It is the most popular kitchen knife in Japan for a reason: it is compact, light and easy to control.

The blade is usually 5–7 inches, with a wide "sheepsfoot" profile — a mostly flat edge and a spine that curves down to meet it, leaving a rounded, blunt tip rather than a sharp point. That shorter length and low tip make it feel safe and manageable, which is why it suits smaller hands, tighter boards and cooks who are still building confidence. It is happiest with a straight up-and-down push cut, though the slight curve near the front lets you rock a little for herbs.

If you want the full picture of what it does best, see what a santoku knife is best used for and our santoku spotlight.

The kiritsuke: the precision statement blade

The kiritsuke is the knife chefs reach for when they want reach and precision. It is longer — typically 8 to 9 inches — with a long flat edge and a dramatic angled tip (a reverse-tanto, or "K-tip"). Traditionally the kiritsuke was a single-bevel prestige knife, a hybrid of the yanagiba slicer and usuba vegetable knife reserved for the head chef. The modern kiritsuke that most people buy today — including ours — is a double-bevel blade, which is essentially a gyuto with a flat profile and a K-tip: far more versatile and much easier to sharpen than the traditional single-bevel version.

That long, flat edge excels at clean push cuts and long slicing strokes, while the pointed tip handles fine, detailed work the santoku's rounded nose cannot. The trade-offs are honest ones: the flat profile rewards push-cutting over rocking, the extra length needs more board space, and that fine tip is more delicate. It is the more advanced knife — and the one that looks the part. Deciding between a kiritsuke and a curved-belly chef knife? Our gyuto vs kiritsuke guide covers that pairing, and the kiritsuke spotlight goes deeper.

How to choose between them

Because the steel and edge are the same across both, the decision comes down to four practical things.

Length and control

A 7-inch santoku is easier to steer, especially on a small board or with smaller hands. An 8–9 inch kiritsuke gives you more blade to work with for larger ingredients and long slicing — at the cost of a little manoeuvrability.

Cutting style

If you naturally chop straight up and down (a push cut), both suit you, but the kiritsuke's long flat edge is made for it. If you like to rock the blade through herbs and aromatics, the santoku's slight curve is friendlier — though for heavy rocking a curved gyuto is better still.

The tip

Need to score, trim or do fine tip work? The kiritsuke's pointed K-tip wins. Prefer a safe, blunt nose that keeps out of the way — handy in a busy home kitchen? That is the santoku.

Skill and confidence

The santoku is the more forgiving, buy-it-first knife. The kiritsuke rewards a confident cook with good knife technique and a more careful hand around that delicate tip. Neither is harder to maintain than the other — the care and sharpening are identical.

Our top picks

Santoku vs kiritsuke at a glance

	Santoku	Kiritsuke
Typical length	5–7 inches	8–9 inches
Tip	Rounded, blunt (sheepsfoot)	Pointed angled K-tip
Best cutting style	Push cut, light rocking	Push cut, long slicing
Skill level	Beginner-friendly	Confident cooks
Steel & edge	VG10 / AUS-10, double bevel	VG10 / AUS-10, double bevel
Our price from	£79.99 (Minato) · £89.99 (Haruta)	£79.99 (Minato/Ebony) · £89.99 (Haruta)

Prefer a traditional wooden handle at the keenest price? The Kiritsuke Damascus with ebony-style handle (£79.99, 4.69/168) is a handsome entry point, and the Minato AUS-10 Santoku (£79.99, 4.88/73) is the value pick on the santoku side. Whichever way you lean, you are getting the same hard Japanese steel and the same edge.

Keeping either knife sharp

Both knives are forged from hard Japanese steel — VG10 or AUS-10 at around 60–61 HRC — which is what lets them take and hold such a keen edge. Look after either one the same way: hand-wash and dry it, use a wooden or plastic board (never glass, stone or ceramic), and bring the edge back on a whetstone every few weeks rather than a pull-through sharpener. Our guide to sharpening on a whetstone walks through it, and the VG10 steel guide explains why the steel behaves the way it does.

Frequently asked questions

Is a kiritsuke better than a santoku?

Neither is better — they use the same steel and edge. A kiritsuke gives you more length and a pointed tip for precision and slicing; a santoku is shorter, safer and easier to control for everyday prep. Pick the shape that matches how you cook.

Which should I buy first?

For most people, the santoku. It is the more forgiving, do-everything knife and it suits smaller boards and hands. Add a kiritsuke later when you want more reach and a pointed tip, or if you already push-cut and want a statement blade.

Is a kiritsuke single or double bevel?

Traditionally the kiritsuke was a single-bevel prestige knife. The modern kiritsuke most people buy today — including ours — is double bevel, which makes it far more versatile and much easier to sharpen. Our santoku and kiritsuke are both double bevel.

Can you rock-chop with a kiritsuke or a santoku?

The santoku's slight curve allows a little rocking; the kiritsuke's long flat edge is designed for push cuts and slicing rather than rocking. If you love a heavy rocking motion, a curved-belly gyuto suits that best of all.

Are these knives made in Japan?

Our knives are forged from Japanese steel — VG10 and AUS-10 — but we do not claim they are made in Japan. What matters at the board is the steel, the hardness (around 60–61 HRC) and the thin, keen geometry, and on all of those they perform like the specialist knives they are.

Do santoku and kiritsuke knives need different care?

No — the care is identical. Hand-wash and dry both, keep them off hard surfaces, store them safely on a magnetic rack or in a saya, and sharpen on a whetstone every few weeks. The kiritsuke's fine tip is the one part worth treating gently.

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