The Santoku-bocho is Japan’s multipurpose knife. And the R4 Damascus Santoku on this page is one of the finest in Japan, guaranteed. It is an absolute pleasure to use.

Santoku means “three virtues” or “three uses”, referring to the three essential cutting tasks this knife performs so well: chopping, dicing, and mincing. This multipurpose knife generally sees the most cutting time in the kitchen given its countless uses.

This kitchen knife was produced by Kirin Hamono exclusively for Unique Japan. Kirin Hamono has been crafting quality kitchen knives in Japan for more than 130 years – having established their guild just after the Meiji Restoration in 1868. This is a significant time in Japanese history as it marked the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate, and with it Japanese swords (katana) were no longer permitted to be worn in public by Samurai.

These knives are born by swordsmiths who simply channeled their katana expertise towards cutlery production to meet a new set of timely demands. Craftsmen working at Kirin Hamono STILL USE sword-making techniques to this day to forge kitchen knives, and are one of the last remaining workshops in Japan proudly doing so.

Kirin knives have been used by many top chefs in Japan that include Nobuo Murakami, the former head chef at Tokyo’s Imperial Hotel and Komei Nakamura who was a champion Iron Chef. A “Kirin” is Japan’s most powerful fire-breathing mythical creature that is said to bring a good omen.

The beautiful and distinctive “Damascus” textured pattern formed on the blade distinguishes this knife from any other. A cross section of the blade reveals a total of 69 layers of interlocking hard and soft stainless steels. As with Japanese swords, this forging technique makes the knife unbelievably hard to break or bend thus providing lifelong durability. Carbon trace elements in the blade naturally form the stunning wood-grain swirls appearance.

The core of this R4 Damascus Santoku-bocho knife, commonly referred to in Japan as the Hagane is made of Super G2 Powdered Stainless Steel. This particle metal process begins with a homogenous molten mixture that is forced under extremely high pressure into a spray of tiny, round droplets. The end result is an extremely fine-grained and uniform distribution of the alloys, thus offering much higher cutting performance than the traditional ingot pouring method.

It is important to remember that the Hagane does all the cutting. This is what truly matters. And this Hagane is of world-class quality. We know of no other Damacus kitchen knife made in Japan that undergoes such rigorous attention to detail. Its sharpness is second to none.

The Japanese kanji characters engraved on the knife spell out the name of Ohyama Eiju, a masterclass craftsman who lived in Koshinokuni. Each knife pays homage to the pioneers of supreme samurai-sword making craftsmanship. The UJ stamp below the characters gives the owner confidence in knowing that this knife is a genuine handcrafted product of Japan and meets the highest standards.

The unique octagonal-shaped handle is what really distinguishes this Damascus knife.   It was inspired by the perfectly straight line of Japanese handles found on traditional blades while adding another dimension.   We call the handle ‘smart-cut’ as it helps position your back fingers comfortably at an angle for consistently pitched slices without slippage.  The handle is furthermore joined by a well-balanced bolster and comprised of multiple, fused layers of wood making it extremely watertight and hygienic.  It’s a natural fit for right-handed or left-handed individuals.

Hand-forged kitchen knives created in the ancient city of Takefu represent Japanese craftsmanship at its very finest. Dating back almost seven centuries to 1337, master swordsmith Chiyozuru Kuniyasu traveled from Kyoto to the Fukui prefecture looking for water most suitable to forge his samurai swords. His search ended in Koshinokuni, which later grew to be Takefu city.

• Blade length: 165mm (6.5in)
• Handcrafted in Takefu using traditional Japanese sword-making techniques (watch video)
• Fabulously sharp and lightweight
• 69-layer construction (Hagane = Powdered steel core) is wrapped by sixty-six layers of alternating hard and soft stainless steels with two decarbonization prevention layers
• The Hagane contains high levels of Carbon (1.4%) for outstanding strength and Chromium (15%) that gives it excellent stain resistance. Other elements in this unique steel fomulation include Vanadium, Molybdenum and Cobalt.
• Hardened to HRC 63-65 (Rockwell Scale)
• Laminated black handle comprised of multiple, fused layers of wood making it extremely watertight and hygienic. It is comfortable and natural to hold and work with for right-handed or left-handed individuals.
• Unique personalized engraving services are available on the blade of this knife (we will phonetically translate the desired name into Japanese characters). Just $10 per knife.
• Each knife has its own unique character that is strikingly evident – no two knives are alike.
• Each knife holds the soul and energy of the men and women who personally handcrafted it.

• Genuine Handcrafted R4 Damascus Santoku-bocho from Takefu, Japan
• A Durable Plastic Sheath is Included to Protect and Safeguard the Knife
• Securely Packaged in Box with Printed Japanese Caligraphy on Cover
• Printed Knife Care Instructions Included
• Comprehensive Product Description (text that appears on this page)

• Limited Lifetime Warranty
• 110% Money Back Guarantee
• Payments: Fully Secure through PayPal (accepting all major credit cards and debit cards)
• Deliveries within Japan: Absolutely free. Shipments generally arrive within 1-2 days once dispatched.
• International Express Delivery: Absolutely free. Shipment is sent via EMS (Express Mail Service) from Japan. Normally arrives within 4 days once dispatched. Track and trace code provided.
• Authenticity: Guaranteed. A knife purchased from Unique Japan is a genuine Japanese master craftsmanship investment.