Overview

The Yu Kurosaki Kokusen AS Santoku is a fast, compact workhorse crafted in Echizen, Japan. Kurosaki-san pairs an edge of Aogami Super with stainless cladding and a Migaki tsuchime (hammered) finish that helps food release as you chop. The Santoku profile excels at the “three virtues”—slicing, dicing, and mincing—so it’s a natural daily driver for home cooks and pros who want laser-like performance with less maintenance than full carbon.

If you’ve admired Kurosaki’s signature grinds and silky cutting feel, Kokusen delivers it in a versatile package that glides through onions, powers through dense squash, and trims proteins with confidence. Stainless cladding keeps patina to a minimum, while the AS core brings long edge life and crisp feedback on the stones.

For best results, use a soft, knife-friendly board (we recommend the Hasegawa Pro Cutting Board), keep the edge fresh with light stropping (our Tokushu Leather Strop), and oil the blade occasionally with Tsubaki (camellia) oil. Want it screaming sharp out of the box? Add our professional sharpening service.

Common Questions

Q: Is this Santoku good for home cooks?

A: Absolutely. The 170mm-class blade is nimble on smaller boards, tall enough for knuckle clearance, and the stainless cladding makes upkeep easy. It’s a perfect “one-knife” setup for everyday prep.

Q: Will it rust?

A: The cladding is stainless, so only the exposed Aogami Super edge can react. Wipe dry during use and after washing, and apply a thin coat of tsubaki oil if storing for a while.

Q: How do I maintain the edge?

A: Touch up with a few light passes on our leather strop. When it needs a full refresh, either use water stones or select our Tokushu Knife sharpening service at checkout.

Specifications

Brand/Blacksmith: Yu Kurosaki (Echizen, Japan)

Core Steel: Aogami Super (Blue Super)

Cladding Type: Stainless cladding with migaki tsuchime finish

Blade Length: 170mm (Santoku)

Overall Length:

Spine Thickness (Heel): ~1.8mm (varies by piece)

Spine Thickness (Mid): ~1.6mm (varies by piece)

Weight: ~128g (varies by piece)

Handle Material: Octagonal rosewood with black pakkawood ferrule

Hardness (HRC): ~63–64