Santoku

The santoku bōchō (Japanese: 三徳包丁, — lit. "three virtues knife" or "three uses knife") or bunka bōchō (文化包丁) is a general-purpose kitchen knife originating in Japan. Its blade is typically between 13 and 20 centimetres (5 and 8 inches) long, and has a flat edge. The santoku has a sheep's foot-tipped blade that curves down an angle approaching 60 degrees at the point. The bunka bōchō, however, has a k-tip (aka reverse tanto). The term santoku may refer to the wide variety of ingredients that the knife can handle: fish, meat, and vegetables, or to the tasks it can perform: chopping, dicing, and slicing, with either interpretation indicating a multi-use, general-purpose kitchen knife. The term bunka, refers to how it is used for the cultural food of Japan. The blade and handle of the santoku are designed to work in harmony by matching the blade's width and weight to the weight of the tang and the handle.