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Recognizable by its tall, rectangular blade, the nakiri knife is one of the great classics of Japanese cutlery. Its name comes from the Japanese “nakiri bōchō,” which could be translated as “vegetable knife.” And that’s exactly what it excels at!
Unlike the chef’s knife or the santoku, which typically have a more curved blade, the Japanese nakiri has an almost perfectly straight edge. This geometry facilitates a clean, vertical cut, which is particularly well-suited for mincing vegetables, chopping herbs, making julienne strips, or preparing thin, even slices.
Its tall blade also provides a comfortable surface for guiding food with your knuckles and, once you’ve finished cutting, allows you to easily transfer the vegetables from the cutting board to a skillet or bowl.
But how do you choose the right nakiri knife? Damascus steel or classic stainless steel? Japanese or Western handle? A 16- or 17-cm blade? To help you out, we’ve selected 10 nakiri knives for under €100, with models suitable for both beginners and enthusiasts of Japanese knives.
1. The Kutoyama Damascus Honeycomb Nakiri Knife, 17 cm
We’re kicking off this list with a nakiri that certainly doesn’t go unnoticed. The Kutoyama Damascus Honeycomb Nakiri combines a traditional Japanese blade with a much more contemporary design.
Its 17-cm blade is built around a VG10 stainless steel core—a steel highly prized in kitchen cutlery for its ability to achieve and maintain a fine edge. This core is surrounded by 66 layers of stainless steel, forming a stunning Damascus pattern. The hardness reaches approximately 60 HRC, an excellent level for maintaining long-lasting cutting performance.
The blade’s surface is mirror-polished, which really brings out the different layers of the Damascus pattern. The oval handle combines wood and resin with a striking honeycomb-like pattern. A stainless steel bolster and ferrule complete the design.
Why do we love it? For its spectacular look. It’s a great choice if you’re looking for a high-performance nakiri that also adds a truly original touch to your kitchen.
2. The Wusaki Damascus 10Cr 17 cm Nakiri Knife
The Wusaki Damascus 10Cr knife is one of those knives that combines performance, high-quality materials, and character without breaking the bank.
Its 17cm blade features a core made of 10Cr15CoMoV stainless steel containing approximately 1% carbon. It achieves a hardness of 60 HRC, which ensures a fine edge while maintaining excellent cutting performance.
The core is encased in a 67-layer damascened structure. The upper portion of the blade also features a hammered finish that enhances its aesthetic appeal and reduces the tendency for wet food to stick during cutting.
Its olive wood handle adds real character to the knife: each piece naturally features a slightly different grain pattern. Its comfortable shape allows for good control of this wide blade during lengthy food preparation tasks.
Why do we love it? For its excellent balance between performance and aesthetics. Damascus steel, a hammered finish, and olive wood—it’s hard to ask for much more in this price range.
3. The Fukito Ebony Damascus Hammered Nakiri Knife, 17 cm
With its combination of Damascus steel, hammered finish, and dark wood, the Fukito Ebony Hammered Damascus Nakiri Knife clearly exudes elegance.
Its 17cm blade features a core of 10Cr15CoMoV stainless steel with a hardness of approximately 60 HRC. Its high carbon content ensures a precise and durable edge, while its chromium content provides good corrosion resistance.
The core is surrounded by layers of softer stainless steel, forming a damask pattern. The upper part of the blade is also hammered, creating a beautiful contrast with the undulating lines of the damask and helping to prevent food from sticking.
The oval handle is made of ebony, a dense wood prized for its strength and deep color. A brass ferrule, along with a stainless steel bolster and butt cap, add the finishing touches.
Why do we love it? For its understated, premium look. The ebony handle paired with the hammered Damascus steel gives it a lot of character.
4. Sayuto Sequoia San Mai Hammered Nakiri Knife, 17 cm
The Sayuto Sequoia San Mai Nakiri knife offers a particularly authentic take on the Japanese knife with its dark blade and octagonal handle.
Its 17cm blade features a 3-layer San Mai construction. Its core of 10Cr15CoMoV stainless steel is surrounded by two layers of softer steel to achieve a good balance between rigidity, core protection, and cutting comfort. Its hardness is approximately 60 HRC.
The upper portion retains a dark, rough-forged finish, complemented by visible hammer marks on both sides. The contrast with the area near the cutting edge gives the knife a distinctly Japanese aesthetic.
Its octagonal redwood handle offers a natural grip and is suitable for both right- and left-handed users. A dark bolster harmoniously completes the knife.
Why do we love it? For its very distinct Japanese character. Its rough-forged finish and redwood handle give it almost the appearance of a handcrafted knife at a particularly affordable price.
5. The Satake Tsuchime 17cm Japanese Nakiri Knife
The Satake Tsuchime Japanese knife is an excellent entry point into the world of Japanese nakiri knives, with a simple, traditional design that’s a pleasure to use.
Its 17cm blade is made of stainless steel enriched with molybdenum and vanadium. It has a hardness of approximately 57 HRC, which strikes a good balance for everyday use: the edge remains sharp while still being relatively easy to resharpen.
The upper portion features a Japanese Tsuchime finish—in other words, a hammered finish. In addition to their aesthetic appeal, these small indentations help reduce contact between food and the blade’s surface while cutting.
The oval magnolia wood handle, meanwhile, is reminiscent of traditional Japanese handles. Lightweight and smooth to the touch, it provides a comfortable grip even during lengthy prep sessions.
Why do we love it? For its value and traditional Japanese style. It’s an excellent option for discovering the nakiri without immediately jumping to a more technical model.
6. The Samura Blacksmith Hammered Nakiri Knife, 17 cm
With the Samura Blacksmith vegetable knife, we’re stepping into a slightly different world. Its dark, hammered finish gives it a rugged style that stands in contrast to more classic damask models.
Its 17cm blade is made of AUS-8 stainless steel, an alloy containing approximately 0.8% carbon. With a hardness of around 59 to 60 HRC, it holds its edge well while remaining relatively easy to maintain.
The edge features a symmetrical grind, hand-finished on a fine-grit stone, ensuring a clean cut right from the first use.
Its oval black Micarta handle is particularly well-suited for regular use. This composite material is highly resistant to moisture and temperature fluctuations while providing a stable grip.
Why do we love it? For its durability. The combination of AUS-8 steel and micarta makes this a very reliable nakiri for intensive daily use.
7. The Kutoyama Damas Azur 17 cm Nakiri Knife
Do you find traditional Japanese knives a bit too plain? The Kutoyama Damas Azur Nakiri knife should appeal to you more.
Its 17cm blade features a VG10 steel core surrounded by 66 layers of stainless steel. The blade has a hardness of approximately 60 HRC, allowing the knife to maintain a precise edge through numerous cutting tasks.
The blade has a mirror-polished finish that strongly accentuates the Damascus pattern. But it’s the handle that really sets this model apart: it combines blue resin with a light wood-grain effect to create a particularly striking contrast.
Its oval shape ensures a comfortable grip, while a stainless steel bolster and ferrule provide visual balance to the knife.
Why do we love it? For its design. It’s probably one of the most original nakiri knives in this selection, without sacrificing the qualities expected of a VG10 blade.
8. The Wusaki Sakin Damascus 10Cr 17cm Nakiri Knife
The Wusaki Sakin nakiri knife is certainly one of the most elegant models in this roundup. Its name, “Sakin”—which can be likened to the idea of “gold dust”—takes on its full meaning when you look at its handle.
Its 17-cm blade is approximately 5.1 cm high, providing an excellent working surface for slicing, chopping, and julienning.
Its core, made of 10Cr15CoMoV stainless steel, has a hardness of approximately 60 HRC and is surrounded by a 67-layer damascene structure. Its relatively straight edge is particularly well-suited to the vertical motion characteristic of the nakiri.
The Western-style handle is made of resin infused with carbon fiber and gold leaf. Two stainless steel rivets and a central brass mosaic rivet complete this meticulously crafted finish.
Why do we love it? For its exceptional handle. The gold inlays give it a truly premium look while maintaining the performance of 10Cr steel at 60 HRC.
Wusaki Sakin Damascus 10Cr
Wusaki Sakin Damascus 10Cr 17cm nakiri knife with carbon fiber and gold leaf handle
In stock
9. The Kai Seki Shoso 16.5 cm Japanese Nakiri Knife
With the Kai Seki Shoso nakiri knife, simplicity takes center stage. No precious woods or spectacular Damascus steel: this Japanese knife focuses above all on a simple and effective design.
It features a 16.5cm blade made of 1K6 stainless steel, enriched with molybdenum and vanadium. Its hardness of 58 HRC offers a good balance between edge retention and ease of sharpening.
The blade features a satin finish and extends into a handle made entirely of stainless steel. This design gives it a modern, minimalist look that fits seamlessly into a contemporary kitchen.
Made in Japan, it embodies everything that makes the nakiri so appealing: a wide, straight blade that allows you to chop, slice, and prepare vegetables and herbs quickly.
Why do we love it? For its simplicity and excellent value for the price. It’s the ideal choice if you’re looking for a no-frills, easy-to-maintain Japanese nakiri knife.
10. The Satake ABS 16cm Japanese Nakiri Knife
We’ll wrap up this selection with an affordable and particularly practical model: the Satake ABS 16cm nakiri knife.
Its blade, made of stainless steel enriched with molybdenum and vanadium, has a hardness of 57 HRC. This moderate hardness makes the knife easy to maintain and resharpen—a real advantage for those new to Japanese knives.
Its 16cm blade retains the tall, rectangular shape characteristic of the nakiri. This makes it easy to slice, cut into sticks, dice, or quickly chop herbs.
The Western-style handle is made of black ABS, a sturdy, moisture-resistant synthetic material. It is secured by three rivets and features a full-tang construction that provides a solid, substantial feel in the hand.
The knife is also made in Seki, Japan, a city world-renowned for its history of blade-making.
Why do we love it? For its price and simplicity. If you want to try out the nakiri shape before investing in a Damascus steel model or one made from harder steel, this is an excellent starting point.
How do you use a nakiri knife?
The nakiri is primarily designed for preparing vegetables, fruits, and herbs. Its tall blade and nearly straight edge allow for precise and even cutting.
It’s particularly effective for preparing:
- onions, shallots, and leeks;
- carrots, zucchini, cucumbers, and eggplants;
- cabbage and leafy greens;
- potatoes and sweet potatoes that have been pre-cut;
- mushrooms;
- fruits;
- parsley, cilantro, chives, and other aromatic herbs.
The cutting motion used with a nakiri is different from that typically used with a Western chef’s knife. Since the blade is much straighter, a vertical motion or one that pushes slightly forward is preferred: the blade moves downward through the food to the cutting board before being lifted to make the next cut.
The traditional seesaw motion, in which the tip of the knife remains in contact with the cutting board, is therefore less suitable for the nakiri.
Its substantial height also offers two advantages: it makes it easier to guide the blade against your knuckles to achieve even slices, and it allows you to use the side of the blade like a small scoop to transfer the cut food.
Be careful, however: despite its sturdy appearance, a nakiri is not a cleaver. It should not be used to cut bones, frozen food, or force its way through extremely hard items. This could damage or chip the edge, particularly on models made of hard steel.
With the right technique, the nakiri quickly becomes one of the most enjoyable knives to use for preparing vegetables. Whether you choose an affordable stainless steel model, a damask nakiri, or a more traditional Japanese blade, it’s an excellent complement to a chef’s knife and a santoku for anyone who regularly cooks with fresh ingredients.
