MITSUMOTO SAKARI 7-Inch Santoku Knife — San-Mai 9Cr18MoV, Tsuchime Finish & Octagonal Rosewood Handle

The MITSUMOTO SAKARI 7-inch Santoku is a hand-forged Japanese chef knife built with a San-Mai 9Cr18MoV core, designed for daily slicing, dicing and precise prep.

This Santoku blends traditional Japanese blade making with practical kitchen geometry: a hard high-carbon stainless core for long edge life, softer outer cladding for toughness, and a hammered tsuchime finish to reduce sticking. At 7 inches, the blade is sized to move comfortably across a home cutting board while the wider profile gives better control when guiding vegetables, boneless meats and herbs. The octagonal rosewood handle provides repeatable hand placement for consistent cuts, and the overall balance makes it suitable for cooks who want a single reliable all-purpose knife.

How does this Santoku make everyday prep faster and neater?

The blade geometry and width were chosen to speed up common kitchen tasks: a flatter profile reduces rocking while a wide face supports scooping and moving ingredients. The San-Mai core holds a sharper edge for longer so you spend less time honing during weekly prep.

• Wide blade surface helps gather chopped items and transfer to pans
• Sharp San-Mai core maintains edge for cleaner slices of vegetables and proteins
• Tsuchime hammering reduces food adhesion for smoother cutting

What construction features improve durability and edge retention?

This knife uses a three-layer San-Mai build with a 9Cr18MoV high-carbon stainless steel cutting core between softer cladding layers. That combination gives a hard, wear-resistant edge while the outer layers add impact resistance and protect the core from corrosion.

• 9Cr18MoV core for hardness and wear resistance
• Cladded exterior for extra toughness and rust protection
• Hand-forged joining process ensures consistent blade structure

Why is the hammered tsuchime surface useful in the kitchen?

The small dimples on the blade create tiny air pockets between food and steel, which helps slices separate rather than cling to the blade. That reduces the need to stop and scrape, improving cutting rhythm when working with wet or sticky items like cucumber, potatoes and cheese.

• Dimples minimize food sticking for continuous slicing
• Subtle texture reduces friction on moist ingredients
• Finish adds a handcrafted aesthetic and functional benefit

How does the handle design affect comfort and control?

The octagonal rosewood handle is shaped to help you find a consistent grip angle for controlled cuts and reduced hand fatigue. The geometry supports both pinch and handle grips and pairs well with the blade balance to make repeated prep less tiring.

• Octagonal profile guides hand placement for repeatable technique
• Rosewood offers a warm, tactile feel and a stable grip
• Balanced handle-blade ratio improves maneuverability during chopping

Who is this for: home cooks who want a versatile, traditional-style Japanese Santoku that performs across vegetable prep, boneless meat slicing and delicate tasks like herb mincing. It suits enthusiasts who value a sharper, longer-lasting edge and a handcrafted aesthetic, plus anyone replacing an everyday chef knife with a more precise, wider-blade alternative. Not intended as a specialty cleaver or large-bone cutter—best used on boneless proteins and produce. Routine honing and proper care will keep the blade performing at its best.