Tadafusa Kobo Knife Range
Japanese Kitchen Knife

Beautiful new range of knives from Tadafusa, third generation knife makers in Sanjo, Niigata. Hand-forged, triple layered blades of rust-resistant SLD steel (HRC of 60) stay sharp longer, while the heat-treated chestnut handles resist moisture and bacteria. Beautifully presented in bespoke cardboard packaging, these stunning knives make a great gift

Delivering to US (Paying in USD) Edit

Petty HK-3	$150.50
Bread HK-1	$194.00
Santoku HK-2	$183.00
Gyuto HK-4	$205.00
Deba HK-5	$226.50
Yanagiba HK-7	$237.50
	exVAT

Tadafusa Kobo Knife • Yanagiba HK-7 is in stock, available to dispatch worldwide, or contact us for showroom stock availability.

3.3oz
1' 0.6 x 1.2 x 0.7"
7.8" blades
SLD Stainless Steel
60 HRC
Chestnut handles
Made in Japan

Tadafusa Kobo Knife • Deba HK-5 is in stock, available to dispatch worldwide, or contact us for showroom stock availability.

6.5oz
11 x 1.8 x 0.9"
6" blades
SLD Stainless Steel
60 HRC
Chestnut handles
Made in Japan

Tadafusa Kobo Knife • Gyuto HK-4 is in stock, available to dispatch worldwide, or contact us for showroom stock availability.

4.9oz
1' 1.3 x 1.9 x 0.9"
8.3" blades
SLD Stainless Steel
60 HRC
Chestnut handles
Made in Japan

Tadafusa Kobo Knife • Bread HK-1 is in stock, available to dispatch worldwide, or contact us for showroom stock availability.

4.3oz
1' 2.3 x 1.1 x 0.8"
9.2" blades
SLD Stainless Steel
60 HRC
Chestnut handles
Made in Japan

⚠ Sorry, Tadafusa Kobo Knife • Santoku HK-2 is not available until after 24 Oct 2025. Please Contact Us for advice on alternatives.

4.4oz
11.9 x 1.7 x 0.9"
6.8" blades
SLD Stainless Steel
60 HRC
Chestnut handles
Made in Japan

Tadafusa Kobo Knife • Petty HK-3 is in stock, available to dispatch worldwide, or contact us for showroom stock availability.

1.6oz
8.8 x 1 x 0.6"
4.8" blades
SLD Stainless Steel
60 HRC
Chestnut 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.

More about Tadafusa

Tadayuki Sone, 3rd generation owner of Tadafusa, in his showroom in Sanjo.

Which Knife?Knife Care

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.

Stories...

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Tadafusa Kobo Knife RangeJapanese Kitchen Knife