Niwaki Carbon Knife Range
Japanese Kitchen Knife

Delivering to US (Paying in USD) Edit

Ajikiri 105mm	$107.50
Mini Santoku 135mm	$118.00
Mini Nakiri 135mm	$118.00
Santoku 165mm	$129.00
Nakiri 165mm	$129.00
	exVAT

⚠️ Sorry, Niwaki Carbon Knife • Santoku 165mm is not available until after 11 Sept 2025. Please Contact Us for advice on alternatives.

4.5oz
1' 0.1 x 0.7 x 1.9"
6.5" blades
Shirogami White Paper Steel
63 HRC
Walnut handles
Made in Japan

Niwaki Carbon Knife • Nakiri 165mm is in stock:

5.6oz
1' 0.1 x 0.8 x 2.1"
6.5" blades
Shirogami White Paper Steel
63 HRC
Walnut handles
Made in Japan

Niwaki Carbon Knife • Mini Nakiri 135mm is in stock:

3.9oz
10.2 x 0.7 x 2"
5.3" blades
Shirogami White Paper Steel
63 HRC
Made in Japan

⚠️ Sorry, Niwaki Carbon Knife • Mini Santoku 135mm is not available until after 7 Aug 2025. Please Contact Us for advice on alternatives.

3.4oz
10.2 x 0.7 x 1.9"
5.3" blades
Shirogami White Paper Steel
63 HRC
Made in Japan

Niwaki Carbon Knife • Ajikiri 105mm is in stock:

2.6oz
8.9 x 0.6 x 1.4"
4.1" blades
Shirogami White Paper Steel
63 HRC
Walnut handles
Made in Japan

Please note: By law, we are not permitted to sell a knife or blade to any person under the age of 18. By placing an order for one of these items you are declaring that you are 18 years of age or over. These items must be used responsibly and appropriately.

Product description

White paper shirogami steel, wrapped in a softer jigane steel, with octagonal handles. Beautifully balanced and beautifully simple Japanese kitchen knives with white paper steel blades - a popular choice for Japanese chefs, as it sharpens quickly and easily so is perfect not just for regular sharpening, but also for beginners.

Get these for their weight and feel, if you’re after a truly Japanese experience. The blades are carbon steel (both the inner and outer layers) and will oxidize and rust if not looked after - clean, dry thoroughly, and wipe with a little Camellia Oil if not used daily.

Best usage

Ajikiri Knife: Named after ‘aji’ (horse mackerel) this knife is used for filleting and cleaning small fish. Similar to a petty knife, its thin blade and lightweight nature make it suited to intricate tasks like peeling and trimming, where precision is required.

Santoku Knife: Santoku means ‘three virtues’ or ‘three uses’ and refers to this blade’s effectiveness for chopping, slicing, and dicing. Lighter and shorter than a chef’s knife, its wide blade and sharp edge make it efficient and chopping vegetables and producing thin, even slices of meat and fish. It can also be used for mincing ginger and garlic.

Nikiri Knife: This knife’s straight, rectangular blade is ideal for push-cutting, making it suitable for slicing and chopping vegetables – from leafy greens to robust roots.

Hand wash with mild soap and warm water immediately after use and sharpen regularly. Store safely in our Niwaki knife box.

More about Niwaki Knives

Niwaki Kitchen Knives are made at the Tadafusa Factory in Sanjo, founded in 1948 and now run by the third generation of the Sone family.

US DeliveryWhich Knife?Knife Care

Free delivery for orders over $100*
Price depends on location - adjust the COUNTRY tab in your basket to see the price.
We use DHL, FedEx, or UPS, and we’ll email you the tracking info.

*Customs fees may apply and are estimated during checkout. Surcharges may apply to some larger or heavier items to some areas.
* Please note Niwaki are not responsible for any import duty, taxes or fees incurred and these will be will be collected by our courier during customs clearance — When possible DHL will provide an estimate on the order confirmation page.

When choosing a Japanese kitchen knife here’s a few things to consider:

Which Knife type?

All-Rounder: the Gyuto or Santoku - the standard domestic knife in Japan. Get one of these if you’re starting out. Technically, the Santoku has a broader blade, while the Gyuto is more slender, and based on a western chef’s knife
Veg Knife: Nakiri - good for meat as well. Usuba - this one’s a bit special, it’s single bevelled for traditional Japanese veg prep, wafer thin sheets of daikon radish, that sort of thing
Small Knife: Petty
Raw Fish: Yanagiba (single bevelled)
Carving: Sujihiki
Filleting Fish: Deba, Mioroshi, Ajikiri (all single bevelled. Deba is the largest and most substantial, Ajikiri the smallest (named after the aji fish, a kind of mackerel) while Mioroshi is an interesting take on the Deba, with a touch of Gyuto thrown in.

Which Range?

For beginners: think about the stainless steel Tetsuhiro range - they won’t blow you away, but are a great introduction to Japanese knives
Beyond that: do you want a more traditional Japanese feel (Masashi’s knives and the Carbon range have Japanese style handles) or a heavier, more substantial Western feel - in which case go for the Nashi or Western range

White Paper Steel is the easiest to sharpen but Blue Paper Steel holds its edge longer while SLD and VG-10 are hard wearing and semi rust proof (Tadafusa Kobo, Masashi, Shigeki).

Masashi, needless to say, are the nicest, but the Niwaki Carbon and Niwaki Nashi hit a sweet spot of quality and value, giving you triple layered steel at an affordable price.

For better or worse, Western knives are often seen as general purpose kitchen tools, used for cutting, prising, levering and all sorts of other jobs around the kitchen (and sometimes beyond).

Japanese knives should not be viewed this way and it may require a change of mindset to get the best out of your knife and ensure it delivers many years of service.

Cared for correctly, this ought to be the case: the quality of the craftsmanship and the ease with which they can be kept incredibly sharp are two of the main reasons to make the switch to Japanese steel, but that comes at a price: the steel –especially steel with high carbon content - may be more brittle than you are used to and they are not for the heavy-handed or the careless. They are unforgiving tools and you may not get an opportunity to make the same mistake twice.

A good rule of thumb is to show them the same respect you show your poshest wine glasses, but here are some other pointers.

Commons mistakes to avoid:

Leaving wooden handled knives to soak in water.
Washing knives in the dishwasher.
Not storing them carefully: store them individually, not jumbled up with other cutlery.
Cutting into bone. If you’re not sure whether there’s bone, or you know there to be bone present, go very slowly and carefully, or consider using a different knife.
Trying to cut frozen foods.
Cutting down too hard on to the wrong sort of surface, for example kitchen worktops.

Don’t be put off. They are great to use and easy to care for. To get the best from your knives:

Wash them by hand and dry thoroughly afterwards.
Wipe over with Camellia Oil if not using regularly.
Sharpen every two weeks or so of regular use.
Use the Niwaki Combination Stone for everyday sharpening.
Take care with harder foods, such as the skin of a pumpkin or a squash.

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