The santoku-bocho is a ubiquitous fixture in the contemporary Japanese kitchen. Although it doesn't perform any specific tasks particularly well, it's characteristics make it suitable for just about anything.
The term santoku literally implies "three virtues", however the term more specifically describes the santoku-bochou's promoted capability to manage vegetables, fish, and meat. It is also called bunka-bocho (cultural kitchen knife) or banno-bocho (multi-purpose kitchen knife).
The nakiri-bocho ("knife for cutting greens "), which resembles a thin cleaver or Chinese chef's knife, was the most popular household kitchen knife long before the santoku-bocho debuted. For the majority of its documented history, the Japanese dietary plan was mainly seafood, vegetables and rice. Therefore, the requirement for anything like the long, pointed chef's knife was limited.
More meat started to appear in the Japanese diet during the Meiji Restoration due to western influences. This lead to the proliferation of western chef's knives, or as they are known in Japanese, gyuto ("beef knife"). Still, pre-WWII, ordinary Japanese families did not eat much meat.
In the recovery period after WWII, the scene was set for the santoku-bocho's debut. Average families began to incorporate more meat in addition to their usual diet of fish and vegetables. Thus was born the need for a knife that could handle these three foods (or "virtues"). The santoku filled this need by striking a happy balance between the naikiri-bocho and the western chef's knife.
In general, the bladed edge of Japanese knives are much flatter than that of western knives. This is due to the Japanese style of "pushing" cuts as opposed to the western style "rocking" cuts. Thus you will notice that santoku-bochos also have flatter cutting edges.
Targeting mostly housewives, the santoku-bocho was made to be a western chef's knife for non-professionals who were used to the nakiri-bocho. It's reduced length and weight made it both easier to handle and less intimidating than the long, pointed chef's knife. The downward sloping point (known as a "sheepsfoot" tip) likewise makes it much more difficult for someone with an uninformed grip to stab themselves in the hand.
Another defining characteristic of the santoku is its cost and accessibility. A suitable santoku can be had for ~ 2000 yen (~$20 USD) at just about any home center or kitchen products store in Japan.
For an at-home cook trying to find one knife that will deal with the vast bulk of your kitchen area jobs with reasonable effectiveness, a santoku-bocho will do great. My mom has been utilizing a ceramic Kyocera santoku nearly daily for the past 15 years. If you see a great santoku-bocho for a good price, absolutely buy it if you do not have one currently.
The term santoku literally implies "three virtues", however the term more specifically describes the santoku-bochou's promoted capability to manage vegetables, fish, and meat. It is also called bunka-bocho (cultural kitchen knife) or banno-bocho (multi-purpose kitchen knife).
The nakiri-bocho ("knife for cutting greens "), which resembles a thin cleaver or Chinese chef's knife, was the most popular household kitchen knife long before the santoku-bocho debuted. For the majority of its documented history, the Japanese dietary plan was mainly seafood, vegetables and rice. Therefore, the requirement for anything like the long, pointed chef's knife was limited.
More meat started to appear in the Japanese diet during the Meiji Restoration due to western influences. This lead to the proliferation of western chef's knives, or as they are known in Japanese, gyuto ("beef knife"). Still, pre-WWII, ordinary Japanese families did not eat much meat.
In the recovery period after WWII, the scene was set for the santoku-bocho's debut. Average families began to incorporate more meat in addition to their usual diet of fish and vegetables. Thus was born the need for a knife that could handle these three foods (or "virtues"). The santoku filled this need by striking a happy balance between the naikiri-bocho and the western chef's knife.
In general, the bladed edge of Japanese knives are much flatter than that of western knives. This is due to the Japanese style of "pushing" cuts as opposed to the western style "rocking" cuts. Thus you will notice that santoku-bochos also have flatter cutting edges.
Targeting mostly housewives, the santoku-bocho was made to be a western chef's knife for non-professionals who were used to the nakiri-bocho. It's reduced length and weight made it both easier to handle and less intimidating than the long, pointed chef's knife. The downward sloping point (known as a "sheepsfoot" tip) likewise makes it much more difficult for someone with an uninformed grip to stab themselves in the hand.
Another defining characteristic of the santoku is its cost and accessibility. A suitable santoku can be had for ~ 2000 yen (~$20 USD) at just about any home center or kitchen products store in Japan.
For an at-home cook trying to find one knife that will deal with the vast bulk of your kitchen area jobs with reasonable effectiveness, a santoku-bocho will do great. My mom has been utilizing a ceramic Kyocera santoku nearly daily for the past 15 years. If you see a great santoku-bocho for a good price, absolutely buy it if you do not have one currently.
About the Author:
There is a reason why Tokyo has more Michelin stars than Paris. Japanese kitchens are a fascinating product of centuries of culinary heritage. If you want to learn more about Japanese and other Asian cooking supplies, recipes, and techniques, check out our blog at fareastcoastkitchen.com
