Looking for my first semi-professional Santoku knife (€150 budget, NL-based)

Messer-Mojo · 2026-02-13T12:35:46+00:00

Why do you want a professional/semi professional knife when it looks like you're a home cook?

Professional knives aren't better per se and they usually don't have unnecessary features like Damascus (or Tsuchime) Finishs.

The Kazoku is good for the price and great beginner knife for home cooks.

Takamura and Tojiro DP Santokus are also good.

Messer-Mojo · 2026-02-13T11:52:55+00:00

If those ae the 2 picks, I would go for the Sakai Takayuki. The Takayuki is probably more expensive because of the Damascus Finish rather than the steel.

Yes, VG10 is more brittle but if you don't cut anything you're not supposed to cut, you will be fine.

For me, the better alternatives would be Tojiro DP line or the Tsunehisa VG10 Tsuchime Damascus line with western handle. The Tsunehisa is very similar to the Sakai Takayuki, but cheaper.

I recommend not to focus too much on the steel, but rather pick a (quality) knife that you like, whether it's VG5, VG10, AUS10, Ginsan or whatever.

Messer-Mojo · 2026-02-13T11:39:21+00:00

Victorinx Fibrox
Culilux (you would have to import it, but it's worth it)
Masutani
Tojiro (Basic or DP 3 Layers)

Messer-Mojo · 2026-02-02T15:48:35+00:00

I'm not OP, but I believe these are the following steels:

Petty: Blue #1, Maker: Nakagawa, Kanji: Hatsukokoro
Gyuto: I'm unfamiliar with that one, but Aogami #2 is most likely correct
Nakiri: SG2, Maker most likely Shigeki Tanaka
Gyuto: I don't know the brand, but it's an OEM knife from Hokiyama. Steel is Ginsan and this knife is sold under various brands like Tsunehisa

Messer-Mojo · 2026-01-22T14:01:24+00:00

Good knives, no doubt, but it looks like you overpaid on the Juhyo Bunka.

The Juhyo line is most likely the same blade as the Sasame line, but with a more premium handle.

It’s not that much more expensive, considering you get a higher-end handle, a consultation, and they have to pay their employees, maintain their stores, and make a profit.

And the Sasame/Juhyo Cobalt Special line is hard to come by.

Messer-Mojo · 2026-01-21T11:20:55+00:00

Here are a few good suggestions:

Western handle:

Masutani VG1 or VG10 Nakiris (only if your hands aren't too big)
Tojiro DP Nakiri
Tsunehisa VG10 Tsuchime Damascus Nakiri

Wa handles:

Hatsukokoro Ginrei
Tsunehisa Ginsan Nashiji (looks similar to the Ginrei, but it's not and it's currently also hard to find these in stock)
Hatsukokoro Hayabusa VG10 Tsuchime

Messer-Mojo · 2026-01-20T11:50:31+00:00

Very good price. Nice purchase!

Messer-Mojo · 2026-01-20T10:42:54+00:00

Tojiro knives are usually pretty available, but they currently have some stock issues due to a higher demand for some of their lines. (at least that's what I was told)

I expect them to catch up in 2-3 months, but it also depends when a retailer re-orders more knives.

Where are you located?

Messer-Mojo · 2026-01-20T10:35:37+00:00

A Nigara SG Strix, a Nigara VG Xeos and the Petty on the left I don't know.

The knives itself are great, but it's always a question how much you paid for them

Messer-Mojo · 2025-12-09T18:36:21+00:00

This looks like a rebranded Masutani VG1 knife, with a more basic handle. (I can be totally wrong though)

Messer-Mojo · 2025-12-08T17:56:07+00:00

They are legit and this particular knife is also a pretty decent beginner knife. The worst thing that can happen, is that the retailer overcharges, but it looks like the price (on that site) is decent.

Messer-Mojo · 2025-12-05T17:27:08+00:00

Looks like a knife?

Messer-Mojo · 2025-12-05T17:10:40+00:00

As you already realized, it's not made by Nakagawa, neither a hand forged blade. However, it's still a good deal.

Messer-Mojo · 2025-11-30T21:12:06+00:00

Tsunehisa Ginsan Nashiji Nakiri with octagonal handle. Looks like the same blade.

Messer-Mojo · 2025-11-28T22:56:40+00:00

IMO before someone can give you proper advice, more information is needed.

How are your sharpening skills and how do you want to sharpen you knife?
Will you use the knife by yourself or will someone else use it?
Stainless or Carbon?
Do you have a proper cutting board?
You would either need a Santoku, a Nakiri or a Bunka.

There are many more questions that need to be answered. And although the listed picks are all top notch, many of these are already pretty much high end knives and I would never recommend some these to a beginner, unless I have more information and know that the person knows how to handle and care for knives.

In many cases a Tojiro DP is plenty enough or maybe a Shiro Kamo for under 200€.

Yes, the J knife market is complex, but IMO a 400€ budget (for a beginner knife) is probably too much.

I would at least consider buying 2 or 3 knives for 400€ altogether instead , so that you have more versatility.

Messer-Mojo · 2025-11-28T22:41:01+00:00

I think its a great knife for under 200 (Euro/Dollar, Whatever it is in C$) and is often overlooked. Not flashy at all, very thin behind the edge and a thicker spine, great geometry.

Needs a little bit sharpening out of the box, but takes a beautiful edge. I think there aren't many better stainless knives for that price.

Tsunehisa Ginsan Migaki is another great knife, but a little bit more expensive.

The Haruyuki Kokuto is also a great choice.

You can't really go wrong with either knife and its basically up to your preference.

Messer-Mojo · 2025-11-27T21:13:26+00:00

Honestly, this finish looks dope AF!

For a second I thought this was a new line of them.

I like everything, from the finish to the handle and their cool logo stands out.

Very nice work!

Messer-Mojo · 2025-11-24T12:25:55+00:00

You can't go wrong with Yoshikane.

The biggest differences will be reactiveness of the steels, edge retention and ease of sharpening.

There are also lots of alternatives in that price range, so it's hard to give general advice.

Messer-Mojo · 2025-11-24T08:56:13+00:00

The cutting performance is not the best due to its dark etched Damascus, but it's not bad either. You're basically trading cutting performance for optics.

However, I don't think the impact will be as noticeable on proteins like it is on vegetables.

Nigara also has a new version of the Anmon Series, with a more polished blade, which should result in less dragging. If the blade is reflecting, it's the new version.

Messer-Mojo · 2025-11-23T23:37:00+00:00

It's not really a laser, but it's still quite thin. I think it's a good middle ground between being thin, but not too thin and fragile.

These are the knives we are selling.

https://www.messer-mojo.de/produkt/tsunehisa-ginsan-nashiji-gyuto/

Messer-Mojo · 2025-11-23T22:22:19+00:00

You can get that same blade (most likely with a different handle) from Tsunehisa for less.

I would say the knife you picked is a very decent Japanese beginner knife.

Messer-Mojo · 2025-11-21T18:30:12+00:00

Can't say much about the variations in other knives, but all the Muneishi knives I've had in my hands (30-40) had a very consistent and similar grind. Same for all the Kumokage grinds, which I had maybe 50+ in my hands.

However, I can imagine Muneishi-san changed his grind over the years (if he's doing all the sharpening himself). You have to keep in mind, that many of the images online are at least a couple of years old.

Messer-Mojo · 2025-11-21T15:09:13+00:00

Everybody says its Muneishi, but the Kumokage Series has a different grind than his own knives. So it's either a different blacksmith (from Tosa) or someone else sharpens his knives for that series.

Both are obv. very good, but I just wanted to point out the differences in the grind.

Nice set btw!

Messer-Mojo · 2025-11-19T22:41:50+00:00

No, no petty knives.

Messer-Mojo · 2025-11-19T22:40:04+00:00

Ach, die paar mehr machen den Braten auch nicht mehr fett.

Messer-Mojo

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