What is the Best Japanese Knife Set To Buy In 2022?

Best Japanese knives are getting popular all over the world, especially in American and European kitchens. The finished cut they provide with their sharp blade makes these knives iconic. But, these knives are a bit expensive if you buy them individually.

So, the smartness lies in buying them in a set of knives. Here in this guide, you will be exploring the best Japanese knife set for the year 2022.

Without any further ado, let’s find out what you are looking for!

Top 3 Picks of Best Japanese Knife Sets

Best Japanese Knife Sets of 2022 at a glance

IMAGE	PRODUCT	SHOP
Overall Best	Marco Almond KYA-26 Benefits: One-piece knife from tip to handle, A complete cutlery set for home, Easy to use and with a knife sharpener, Durable knives and woodblock, Gorgeous design and an affordable set, Serrated steak knives	Shop Here
Complete Set	YARENH Chef Knife Pro Set Benefits: Easy to sharp and maintain knives, Full tang and well-balanced knives, Pakkawood waterproof handle, A Professional Chef knife set, Precise and single bevel cuts	Shop Here
Professional	Kitchen Damascus Japanese Knife Set Benefits: A professional Knife set, Durable and easy to use knives, Sharp and quite practical tools, Easy to maintain and use, Full tang and comfortable handle	Shop Here
Best Budget	Rachael Ray Cucina Japanese Knives Benefits: A budget Japanese knife set, Sharp knife and easy to use, Lightweight and beginners friendly, Comfortable and practical handle, Produces zero Chipping	Shop Here
Best Durable	Yarenh Chef Knife Set Pro Benefits: Full tang and comfortable handle, Multifunction kitchen shears, Durable and resilient knife set, Dual-grit and accurate whetstone, Premium and luxury packaging, Optimistic edge retention	Shop Here
Easy to Use	Kamikoto Kanpeki Knife Set Benefits: Exceptional edge retention, Sharp yet versatile knife blades, One of the best Professional set, The Only Dishwasher safe knife, Lightweight yet forged steel blade, Doesn’t requires much maintenance	Shop Here
Best Pre Sharpen	Knife Set Japanese AUS-10 Benefits: Luxury and comfortable Pakkawood handle, Quite easy to maintain edge retention, Double bevel angle but sharp knives, Long-lasting and professional knife set, A Durable and resilient knife set	Shop Here
Best set For Home	Ginsu Chikara Series, Japanese Benefits: An affordable Knife set, Best for home chefs, Rust-resistant and sharp, A modern woodblock	Shop Here

10 Best Japanese Knife Sets Detailed Reviews:

Our selection criteria are based upon the same basic things that you have in your mind. You could feel something more appealing as compared to another one, available on this list. All of these knife sets might have some unique features, that one may be missing.

I recommend you to choose as per your profile such as skill level, budget, and the ideal requirement of it in your kitchen. We will start the list with the best ratings and will end up with comparatively fewer but good ratings. If you are specifically looking for a quality brand to get a knife set from, you should check out this guide on the best Yoshihiro Knife Set.

1. Marco Almond KYA-26

The first spot on this list of Best Japanese Knife Sets is reserved by Marco. Marco Almond’s KYA 26 series is one of the senior players for the Marco store historically. The knife set is pretty awesome stuff to have on your kitchen shelf. This knife set is extremely gorgeous to look at no matter the time.

Build Quality & Material:

The knife set is using some sort of durable high carbon steel, which has an alloy with stainless steel, to make the knives rust-resistant and corrosion-free as much as possible. Now, this stainless steel is not that obvious, on which we would be proud, but this is just an addition to the ingredients and some protection to the tools.

The knives are well stamped, which protects its blade from breaking, bending, and for some chipping. These knives can bear the stresses and little impacts, but don’t expect it for battles or misuse. This is one of the best deals, only if you are a practical family who knows good housekeeping.

Knives & Performance:

This specific knife set has a family of 14 Members, which includes a Gyuto, slicing, and bread knife that has a blade length of 8-inches each. A 7-inches Santoku, a 5-inches utility, and a 3.5-inches of a tiny and little paring knife. If you can manage to use them wisely, you can expect a long journey on your table.

Moreover, you have a set of 6 steak knives, that have a length of 4.5-inches of each, which you will be using to cut the steak on the table with your family. You have also got a Shear known as Kitchen scissor, to cut milk packs and other utility products which come in durable packaging.

The hardwood block contains all the room to store these knives, which also includes a built-in sharpener, so no worries for sharpening your tools. One thing, although the block is awesome both in terms of capacity and design, it is way heavier than it was supposed to be.

Well, I am not pretty sure about its quality, but internally, the block lacks some assurance that you will be noticing when pulling out the knives out the slots.

The knives crash the walls in the slot, which results in some sort of wood shaving. So, I would suggest you wash your knife properly before using them every time.

All the knives are pretty easy to clean, plus they are non-stick due to the coated material. Overall, the knives are well balanced, especially the steak knives, that your little Charlie can use easily. These knives are FDA friendly luckily, so you can use them without any health issues.

2 . Kitchen Damascus Japanese Knife Set

Sit tight for your next Japanese knife set. Due to some premium features and for the design specifically, I would just say it is magnificent. This Japanese knife family is available to you by Nanfang Brothers.

If you are a professional chef, I am pretty sure that you are most probably looking for this set and which is why it has got this spot on this list right after the affordable knife set that was for casual or beginners.

Build Quality & Material:

The members of this knife set are made up of the holy Damascus steel from Syrian lands, which undoubtedly enriches the kitchen experience. This knife set is using superior Damascus steel, which has 67 layers of this on both sides of the blade, which is a prominent compound of VG-10 Japanese steel.

You have got a durable, rust-resistant, and professionally cutting sharp Japanese knife set for the price. It has a hardness of 62HRC, which also provides an optimistic edge retention in most of the cases.

The set includes a slicer, chef, and a bread knife with an 8-inches blade of each, a 7-inches Santoku, a 5.5-inches utility, and a 3.5-inches paring knife.

Knives & Performance:

This 9 piece knife set consists of 08 tools, has an additional rod sharpener and a kitchen shear, that makes this deal interesting. They count their woodblock as the 9th member in the house of this set. This could be a catch or just a counting member.

For the performance, all of the knives are undoubtedly sharpened due to their thin but durable blades. The knives are pretty easy to maintain, both in terms of cleaning and sharpening.

Although the material is anti-corrosion and rust-free, you should still take care of it properly. Technically, the VG-10 is known as stainless steel, that most of the cutlery companies are using for decades in premium products, due to its anti-rust properties.

The knife may not rust that quickly as High Carbon knives, but you still have a chance of it. They give some better intervals without washing, but they are not purely made up of stainless steel. Because S.S. is an expensive material that does not have good sharpness without carbon itself.

Woodblock is well crafted, which enhances the look of your kitchen’s countertop. The clearance and space for each tool are also sufficient that do not fit loose. All of the tools own a pretty comfortable and a full tang handle, which makes the entire tool well balanced.

3.  Rachael Ray Cucina Japanese Knives

Yes, you get it right, we have our next Japanese knife set from Rachael Ray, a chef who doesn’t need to be praised, if you are American genuinely.

This is a budget Japanese knife set, costs way less than a hundred bucks. Rachael has successfully tried to give this set a look at western tools. The set is very gorgeous that would suit contemporary kitchens.

Build Quality & Material:

This knife set is made up of stainless steel from Japan, that ensures the anti-rust properties of it. The knife seems to be pretty durable as per its material, which can last for a couple of years if kept and used properly without abuse.

Normally, the set knives can last way longer than individual tools. But, it depends on your luck, the company you chose for and the type of knife you got.

The knife set comes with a hardwood block that is surprisingly lightweight as compared to others. This woodblock is decorative, practical, and quite easy to use.

But, the longevity of the knives could not be that great for the price at least. It is a room to 05 knives in real realtime. Inside the woodblock, the room for each knife is sufficient and satisfying in both pulling and inserting the knife back.

Knives & Performance:

Its members include an 8-inch Chef, bread and slicer knife, a 5.5-inches Santoku, and a 3.5-inches paring knife for cutting relatively smaller vegetables. The santoku has serial dimples near the cutting edge that helps in clearance during cutting.

The knives are not that dull in use, even due to their dual bevel edges, or is there something else. It may take some effort to cut anything accurate just like a western knife, but it does not produce chipping at least.

Rest of it, the handle is pretty practical, comfortable, and handy to use. The color scheming is something like light blue, which is some sort of rubber or polymeric material. Overall, the knife is a single piece entirely, that optimizes durability. Best Japanese whetstones could be used for sharpening these knives.

4. Kamikoto Kanpeki Knife Set

If you are a true Japanese knife lover & a professional chef, then you should not miss this one out. This Premium Japanese knife set from the house of Kamikoto’s store is going to make your day.

Historically, this set was launched back in 2015, & this is now ranking in 25th position as kitchen knives. The huge customer satisfaction makes us confident enough that it is definitely worth this quality list for quality people.

Build Quality & Material:

Kamikoto has used high-quality carbon steel that is encoded by stainless steel sort of material on all of these blades’ cutting sides only. These are single bevel knives that hold a lower cutting angle, to make your cutting smooth. We will discuss more its performance later.

The knives are exclusively built versatile and also offer decent edge retention in the end. Its material is already free of catching any corrosion whether there’s a chance for it to soak from ingredients or water.

Each of its blades is carefully tapered at a specific angle to make them safe & easy to use as much as they could. These steel forged knives can last for a decade if you are a true professional chef as this is what you want these tools to achieve.

Check out this article if you are Looking to get a Meat Processing Knife Set.

Knives & Performance:

Let’s take a look at its family which is not that big or countless. There Are only three knives that came packed out of the box. These knives include an 8.5-inches Kiritsuke, a tiny little paring or petty, and a mid-sized 7-inches cleaver or better to say a Nakiri knife.

All of these knives look pretty modern and western style. There is a piano black fabricated handle with a silver yet metallic bolster, which helps keep engaging the handle with the blades.

Overall, these knives are easy & pretty practical to use for every hand, whether you are a big or shorthand chef. But you need to get used to it due to their single bevel blades, which takes some time to practice if you are left-handed.

Though you will not find any sort of cladding or Tsuchime pattern on their blades, but it doesn’t mean these knives sucks. In fact, they are more likely to be on the non-stick side. Any of these knives don’t let your ingredients get stick to their blades.

Their handles are comfortable & nice to hold which adds more stability while cutting. However, all of these knives are not a full tang handle, & we were expecting this to have. Still, the knives are versatile, sharp & enough to cut down meat, steak, veggies & other stuff efficiently.

5. Yarenh Chef Knife Set Pro

This time, we got it from Yarenh’s store. The knife set is more likely to be on a gift idea, due to the box, you will be getting.

This knife set from Yarenh does come in quite different variants, in which the tools may vary in numbers. But we will specifically talk about its top of the line package that contains almost everything that has been offered by Yarenh.

Build Quality & Material:

This set is using premium materials, which makes it extraordinary at performance and design. The blade is a masterpiece of 72 layers (forged) Damascus steel, which has got a Rockwell hardness of 62HRC. Its high carbon steel is using chromium to make the tools anti-rust and corrosion-free.

This set has a family of 08members, which includes a chef, sashimi, bread of 8-inches, a 7-inches santoku, kitchen shears, a 5-inches utility/paring along with a whetstone for all of them. You can use the kitchen shears as a walnut cracker, bottle/can opener, and to break the seals of utility items.

Knives & Performance:

The set also has a natural wood block, that is beautifully crafted and polished in resin, providing a traditional look to your kitchen countertop. Their handles are made up of premium and perfectly crafted Dalbergia wood, which makes the knives a bit heavier for beginners and small hands.

All of the tools are undoubtedly sharp in every variant, which makes the cutting experience fast and accurate. The Sashimi knife will help you cut a fish for your sushi and this is also very sharp due to the single bevel blade.

The whetstone sharpener is an immerse master tool for all of it. It has two grits on both sides, a 6000 grit for edge retention and finishing, while the 1000 grit works perfect for rust and gaps removal.

6. Knife Set Japanese AUS-10

The next best Japanese knife set is from the BestBuy store, that is again using many variants. So, we have picked the best one to explain perfectly. This is a premium knife set and I think the most luxurious on our list.

Build Quality & Material:

The knives are a creature of Japanese AUS-10, 67 layers stainless steel, which has a Rockwell hardness of 61 HRC, which ensures the durability, strength, and ultra-sharp cutting blade at the same time.

All of the knives come with a Tsuchime pattern, that provides significant clearance while cutting, so it will not stick to the blade every time. The pattern is crafted beautifully, which makes it more gorgeous, to be honest.

Knives & Performance:

The knife has a full tang (riveted) handle, to provide a better and balanced cutting experience, that is made up of premium G-10 wood, which is waterproof, durable, and comfortable in the meantime. It is quite handy and beautiful. This handle comes in an elegant blue color, that looks like a charm.

The set includes an 8-inches slicer, bread and chef knife, a 7-inches traditional Santoku, a 6-inches gyuto to remove the bones from poultry, fishes, pork, and other beef.

Moreover, the block also holds an 8-inches sharpening rod, a 5-inches utility, and a 3.5-inches petty. Unfortunately, you do not get any kitchen shears, which is a basic and necessary tool.

All of the knives are double bevel, but they have a very low blade angle, which is a good thing. The knives are sharp, easy to use, maintain, and wash. Better to wash and dry them immediately or you will hate your life.

7. YARENH Chef Knife Pro Set

The second and the last knife set from Yarenh on this list, which is almost similar to its brother that we have reviewed earlier, except for some things.

This knife set is more on the side of professional chefs, who are working in busy hotels, where they can not wait for an hour to sharpen their knives on whetstones.

Build Quality & Material:

A quality knife set is not just something beautiful to look at on your countertop. They should be sharp and easy to maintain. The knife set does not come with any whetstone, as we had for its brother, because they are pre sharpen, forged, and even more practical knives due to a single bevel blade.

Knives & Performance:

The set has 06 member tools, which includes an 8-inches gyuto, a 6.5-inches Nakiri, a 7-inches Santoku, a 5-inches Petty, a 3.5-inches paring knife, and a multi-purpose kitchen shear for crushing nuts, opening bottles, and dealing with complex joints inside a meat.

Due to dense dimples on the blade at Tsuchime patterns, there is a little chance of rusting, if not taken care of properly. This is the only precaution and sometimes a major issue for carbon steel knives. As long as you care, they will work for long.

Lastly, it has a waterproof Pakkawood handle that does not fades its shine as this was an issue with Yarenh’s 5Pc set. This is a D shape handle, which offers a better grip and comfort.

8. Ginsu Chikara Series, Japanese

The first knife set from Ginsu on the list. This Japanese knife set is more likely to be on western-style knives because you will not see any traditional Tsuhime pattern.

It is the 3rd most cheapest and affordable Japanese knife set on our list. So, you don’t need to be a commercial and a professional chef to use them. If you are going to enroll in a cooking training, this would be one of the best to get for practicing.

Build Quality & Material:

Ginsu claims that these knives are made up of Stainless steel, but I am pretty sure, they are made up of carbon steel. Because, Stainless steel is an expensive material, which can never come closer to this price. They might have used stainless steel plating at the blade, but the core material could never be this.

Knives & Performance:

This is a 12 piece knife set, consisting of an 8-inches Gyuto, a 7-inches Santoku, a 5-inches butter/bread knife, a 5-inches utility, a 3.5-inches paring knife with a typical shears and a honing/sharpening rod.

Luckily, you have also got a set of 04 steak knives (4.5-inches blade) for your table, which you can use for cutting chicken and toasts on your modern family table. All of these knives are sharp and works wisely, which you can later sharp through the rod.

But one thing for the steak knives, they are not that durable because they are not forged. This is the point, where Ginsu has saved the cost. Overall, the knives are well balanced, sharp, their handles are comfortable, lightweight, and practical. You will get what you pay.

9. SIXILANG Kitchen Knife Set

This 03 Piece knife set is using 67 layers of Japanese AUS-10 steel out of the box, that enhances its durability and sharpness, its Tsuchime pattern provides a sophisticated look and long life.

The set has a short gang of just 3 knives, that includes an 8-inches Gyuto, a 7-inches Santoku, and a 5-inches utility knife. This set is using Damascus steel, which makes it some sort of luxury and long-lasting.

Build Quality & Material:

All of the knives are undoubtedly pre-sharpen and anti-rust due to the material. The Rockwell hardness is 62HRC, that does not produce any chipping even after years, unless you start abusing them.

Their design is something unique and more compelling than Tsuchime, Sixilang calls it fishbone design. You will see the pattern all over the blade, except for the cutting line. But, the pattern is not natural, that you would be proud.

Knives & Performance:

Physically, the edge retention is not an issue anymore, but you should still take care. Don’t let your knife fall, or don’t push the edge forcefully into a cutting board. If you take care of it, it will take care of you.

Their handles are made up of Pakkawood, which is lightweight and laminated to make the handle shine and waterproof. It is a full tang handle that is riveted thricely, which makes each knife entirely durable and resilient.

Overall, the knives are sharp, easy to use and maintain, the handling is balanced and comfortable, they do not chip, nor rusts. If you are a frequent and commercial chef, this set worth your skills and hands.

10. Ginsu C. Series 420-J Forged

Lasting our list of Best Japanese knife sets, we have another set from Ginsu, which has a very fertile family. All of these knives are full tang, durable, and sharp like a razor. These knives are best for family use, but still, they are pretty economic. You will face literally zero problems while sharpening.

Build Quality & Material:

The tools are crafted from 420J stainless steel, which is an alloy of high carbon steel, but these knives are rich in coating of Stainless steel. This material is corrosion-resistant, owns a good level of strength, which is ideal for cutlery making and surgical instruments.

Knives & Performance:

It has a very diverse family so sit tight to figure them each. The cooking fleet consists of an 8-inches Sujihiki, Gyuto, Pankiri, a 7-inches Santoku, a 6-inches Nakiri and an Honesuki along with a 5-inches and a 3.5-inches Petty. Moreover, you will get a Honing Rod with kitchen shears.

You will also get a massive set of 8 steak knives for your table, that has a blade length of 4.5-inches. Again, these steak knives are not forged but stamped. But if you want amazing quality, you definitely need to check out this Best Steak Knives set article.

Usually, stamped knives have less life as compared to forged knives, but if you can manage to care properly, these knives can easily last for 4-5years without any rusting, dulling, and bending. They might lose their shine due to soap washing and fingerprints.

Their handles are simple but attractive and they are more likely to typical western knives at modern dining tables. The handles are also comfortable in hands which justifies the price.

Frequently Asked Questions: Best Japanese Knife Set

The Bottom Line:

Japanese Knives deliver amazing performance due to their super sharp blade, easy handling, and their adorable design, which looks like a charm in your kitchen cutlery fleet. If you are an amateur home chef or a startup professional who has just started his career, you will be looking for these knives at a budget cost.

This guide to the best Japanese Knife set is dedicated to you, who don’t want to spend a couple of hundred dollars on every knife that you will get by the time. The guide will solve your possible cutlery problems.