Specialty Japanese Knives
Specialty Japanese knives are the blades built for one job outside the everyday line-up, from the wide chuka cleaver for fast vegetable work to the folding higonokami pocket knife, steak knives for the table and bread knives for a clean crust. Each brings the same Japanese steel and craftsmanship to a specific task. Our range runs to 12 specialty knives, from $35.95.
Types of specialty Japanese knife
| Knife type | Detail |
|---|---|
| Chuka cleaver | A tall, light cleaver for fast vegetable prep |
| Higonokami | The traditional Japanese folding pocket knife |
| Steak knives | Sharp table knives for cleanly cutting cooked meat |
| Bread knife | A serrated blade for a clean crust |
Specialty Japanese knife facts
We stock 12 specialty knives, from $35.95 to $455.00, spanning cleavers, folding knives, steak knives and bread knives. Each carries the same Japanese steel and craftsmanship as our chef knives, applied to a specific job. Keep carbon-steel blades dry and finish edges on a whetstone.
How to choose a specialty Japanese knife
Pick by the task: a chuka cleaver if you want to speed through vegetables with a tall, light blade; a higonokami for a simple, sharp everyday-carry folder; steak knives to finish the table properly; or a bread knife for clean slices of a crusty loaf. Each is a focused tool rather than an all-rounder, so choose the one that fills a gap in your kitchen.
Specialty Japanese knife questions
What are specialty Japanese knives?
They are blades built for a single job rather than everyday prep, such as the chuka cleaver, the folding higonokami, steak knives and bread knives. Each brings Japanese steel to a specific task.
Is a chuka cleaver the same as a Chinese cleaver?
It is the Japanese take on the shape: a tall, thin, light blade for slicing and scooping vegetables, not a heavy bone cleaver. Keep it off bone and use it for prep, not chopping through joints.
What is a higonokami knife?
It is the traditional Japanese folding pocket knife, a simple friction folder with a keen carbon-steel blade, prized for everyday carry and light cutting.
Related Japanese knife ranges
Related ranges: Japanese chef knives, vegetable knives and Japanese sharpening stones. For more, read single- and double-bevel edges explained.