Elevate Your Cooking with Japanese Knives from Blade & Board
Most kitchen upgrades promise more than they deliver. A new pan doesn't change how you cook. A smart appliance introduces complexity without necessarily improving results. A Japanese knife is different. It changes the experience of cooking at the most fundamental level — the part where your hands, the ingredient, and the blade meet.
This is what Blade & Board is built around: sourcing Japanese knives and kitchen tools that make a genuine, tangible difference in the kitchen.
Why Japanese Knives Are Different
The difference isn't aesthetic. Japanese knives — particularly those made in Sakai, Seki, or the workshops of individual blacksmiths — are engineered for sharpness and edge retention in ways that most Western knives simply aren't.
A few reasons for this:
Harder steel. Japanese knives are typically hardened to 60–65 HRC, compared to 54–58 HRC for most German or European knives. Harder steel holds a finer, more acute edge for longer. (For a full breakdown of what HRC means and how it affects performance, see our Japanese Knife Hardness guide.)
Thinner geometry. The blade behind the edge on a Japanese knife is typically much thinner than a Western equivalent. This means less resistance as the knife passes through food — you feel it immediately when you first use one.
Refined craftsmanship. Many of the knives we carry are made by blacksmiths with decades of experience, using methods that haven't fundamentally changed in generations. The result is a level of consistency and quality that's hard to replicate at scale.
What We Carry at Blade & Board
We source directly from trusted Japanese makers, with a focus on knives that offer exceptional performance relative to their price. Every knife we stock has been selected with care — we don't carry brands simply because they're well-known, and we don't list knives we wouldn't confidently recommend.
Japanese Knives
Our knife range covers the full spectrum of styles and price points:
Gyuto (chef's knives) — the most versatile all-purpose knife, suited to most kitchen tasks. Available in a range of sizes from 210mm to 240mm. Browse gyutos →
Santoku and Bunka — shorter, flatter, and excellent for the style of chopping most home cooks use naturally. A great entry point or an ideal complement to a longer knife. Browse santoku and bunka →
Nakiri — a flat, rectangular vegetable knife. Exceptional for anyone who processes a lot of vegetables — the flat profile lets the full edge contact the board on every cut. Browse nakiri →
Petty — small utility knives for fine work, trimming, and tasks that don't need a full-size blade. Browse petty knives →
Yanagiba and Sujihiki — long, thin slicing knives traditionally used for fish and proteins. Browse slicing knives →
Not sure which shape is right for you? Our Gyuto vs Santoku guide walks through the differences clearly.
The Makers We Trust
We work with some of Japan's most respected knife-making regions and individual blacksmiths.
Morihei — one of the most celebrated names in Sakai, with a history spanning more than a century. Their knives balance tradition and refinement beautifully. Browse Morihei →
Hado — smaller-production knives from Sakai, made with premium steels and exceptional attention to geometry. A favourite among serious home cooks. Browse Hado →
Takamura — renowned in knife circles for their laser-thin geometry and exceptional out-of-box sharpness. Consistently one of our best-performing knives at their price point. Browse Takamura →
Sakai Kikumori — a long-established Sakai maker with a reputation for consistency and quality across a range of price points. Browse Sakai Kikumori →
OUL Sakai — modern in finish but rooted in Sakai craftsmanship. Their knives offer excellent value and a distinctive aesthetic. Browse OUL Sakai →
Satoshi Nakagawa — individual blacksmith work from one of Japan's most respected knife makers. Browse Satoshi Nakagawa →
Sharpening
A Japanese knife is only as good as its edge. We carry a carefully chosen range of whetstones from trusted Japanese stone makers, as well as Atoma diamond lapping plates for flattening stones and maintaining them over time.
If you're new to whetstone sharpening, our Whetstone Grit Guide explains which grits you actually need and when to use them. Browse whetstones →
We also offer a professional knife sharpening service for anyone who wants their knife restored to its best edge by someone who knows Japanese knives well.
Kitchen Tools and Accessories
We've extended the Blade & Board range beyond knives to include kitchen tools and accessories that meet the same standard of quality and purpose. From the beautifully made Gestura kitchen spoons and utensils through to the classic Higonokami folding knives, everything we carry earns its place. Browse kitchen tools →
Where to Start
If you're new to Japanese knives and unsure where to begin, our collection of great first knives is a good place. These are knives we'd specifically recommend to someone buying their first Japanese blade — chosen for their balance of performance, durability, and ease of care.
Or, if you'd like a recommendation based on how you cook, get in touch. We're happy to help you find the right knife.
Browse the full Blade & Board range → bladeandboard.co.nz/collections/all