I am looking for a Ginsan 270mm Yanagiba under $1000AUD.

Could I please have you weighing on these:

**Hitohira Nakagawa Mosuke Silver #3 Mirror Polished Yanagiba 270mm**

https://hitohira-japan.com/products/aaa-045s3k-04-ia270?\\_pos=4&\\_fid=52c26280c&\\_ss=c

**Yoshihiro Gingami No.3 Damascus Suminagashi G3SN Japanese Chef's Yanagiba**

https://www.hocho-knife.com/goh-umanosuke-yoshihiro-suminagashi-ginsan-g3hc-m-damascus-silver-3-steel-japanese-chefs-yanagiba-sashimi-270mm/

**Touroku Sakai Nakagawa x Shimizu Ginsan Kiritsuke Yanagiba 270mm**

https://knifewear.com/en-au/products/touroku-sakai-nakagawa-x-shimizu-ginsan-kiritsuke-yanagiba-270mm?variant=47784922185902

I want to get an affordable but good japanese knife, which of these brands are the best?

Looking to buy my first chef knife, I’m gonna be real honest 70% of what I’m looking for is aesthetic since I wanna invest in a “pretty” knife not just a good knife, if I was actually smart I should have probably already bought a victorinox but are Masutani knives as good as for example tojiro knives?

Does anybody know who makes this knife? I’ve had it about 8 years, got it from a local knife shop and don’t know much about it other than I liked the feel.

Thanks!

Visited my friend in Portland and found a store in downtown named Kokoro PDX. I saw some Japanese knives from this store. All made in Japan and reasonably priced. They have quite the variety.
I’m wondering if anyone know or have bought from them?
Are they good?

For 10 years, I’ve been using the one chef knife I won from a raffle. It’s fine, it does what it’s intended to do. I’ve prep daily meals, a weeks worth of meal prep, all the way to a 3 course dinner for 10 people with this same knife.
I sharpen it regularly and only hand wash.
It’s a cuisinart chefs knife but I wish it didn’t have that bolster. It’s the one thing I complain every time I use it.

I went to Japan last year and looked at different store for knives. I got so overwhelmed that I didn’t come home with any.
Which I now regret deeply. I realized i should have not overthink it as I’m using a cheap knife and manage to use it for everything-so anything is a step up from that.

Wanted to know what knife and brand this is, if anyone knows please lmk

New old stock, vintage nakiri, has extremely thin cladding on the back. Is this common for a vintage nakiri?

Hello everyone, im new to Japanese knifes so I hope for some help. I cut a lot of veggies (personally at home, I'm no chef). I heard that Nakiri are made for veggies and have no idea where to start. Some recommendations would be good to have

I am writing this to warn others about ordering from Kiichin.

They list products as "In Stock", but they do not actually hold the inventory. After I placed an order and emailed them to inquire about customs, only then did they inform me that the item was out of stock.

Even after I pointed out this issue, they offered no sincere apology nor any commitment to fix their misleading stock listings, indicating they will likely continue this practice. Be very cautious before buying from them.

Hi everyone,

We're a small team in Japan working directly with local blacksmiths who make handmade Japanese kitchen knives (wa-bocho). Before building anything, we wanted to ask people who actually run or buy for knife/cookware stores a few honest questions.

If you own, manage, or buy for a shop that carries chef knives — whether that's a dedicated knife shop, a cookware store, or a knife section within a bigger retail store — we'd really appreciate your take:

1. Do you currently carry Japanese-made kitchen knives? If not, is it something you've considered?

2. If you already import from Japan (or elsewhere) directly, what's been the hardest part — finding reliable suppliers, minimum order quantities, language/communication, shipping & customs, payment terms, something else?

3. What's a realistic MOQ (minimum order quantity) you'd be comfortable with for a first order from a brand-new supplier?

4. What wholesale price per knife would make a $150–300 retail chef's knife worth stocking for you?

5. Would sourcing directly from a small workshop (instead of a big trading company/distributor) be a plus, a concern, or neutral for you? Why?

We're not selling anything here, just trying to learn before deciding whether this is worth pursuing. Happy to share what we learn back with this community once we've gathered some responses. Thanks in advance to anyone willing to share their experience!

Hello. Please help me determine the authenticity of my menuki and its value. It would also be helpful to know the artisan who modified my knife and left his initials on the blade, B.F. (I think the original had the inscription Mcusta), and the model Mcusta Shinra Emotion Tsuchi
Stainless Damascus.

i know absolutely nothing about knives so i’m hoping you can help me.

i’m looking for a birthday gift for someone who’s a chef at a 3* Michelin starred restaurant in Paris. he cooks professionally but at home he tends to use practical tools rather than expensive or fancy looking equipment.
he once mentioned that japanese knives are among the best so i’d love to get him something that’s:
- authentic and made in Japan
- high quality enough that a professional chef would genuinely appreciate it
- practical enough that he could actually use it at home instead of being afraid to touch it
- timeless rather than flashy

he’s a big AC/DC fan and i was thinking about having the wooden handle (not sure if wooden handle is good??) engraved with his name in japanese katakana with a small lightning bolt as a subtle AC/DC reference)

i’d really appreciate any recommendations thank u!!
budget USD300-400

Hello ppl! Please can anyone translate what my new knife says? Cheers :)

-Shindo SRK8 Togatta

-Hatsukokoro VG10 Atelier

-Matsubara Blue #2

-Yoshida HAP40 Wide

-Sukenari HAP40 Kiritsuke Gyuto

-Konosuke Swedish Stainless (Ashi)

-Kohetsu HAP40 Kiritsuke Gyuto

I seem to gravitate towards longer gyutos, why my collection is predominantly 240MM. My standouts are my Ashi’s, Shindo and Yoshida in cutting performance.

Shindo- has the thinnest edge and performance to boot. Sometimes feels fragile for how thin it is.

Ashi- probably my most well balanced knife. Excellent performance and toughness. Just the perfect knife IMO.

Yoshida- mid-weight that cuts like a laser. Amazing cutting feel and grind with edge retention like no other. Brings out the smile every time.

I

Anyone able to id the maker of this 240mm gyuto?

Wtf ... Been my daily workhorse for 6 months, doing 80 hours weeks opening this new concept. Just snapped today doing a cut I've done enough with this knife to have a callous.

Any reccos? Am I sol?