Find my knifebetaSantoku vs gyuto: which all-purpose knife?
Both are all-purpose kitchen knives. A santoku is shorter and wider with a rounded tip; a gyuto is longer and narrower, like a Western chef’s knife.
Santoku
- Role
- All-purpose
- Best for
- Meat, fish and veg in one
- Length
- 165–180 mm
- Edge
- Double bevel
- Price
- ¥10,000–20,000 is the home sweet spot (JKL)
- Shape
- Shorter, wider, rounded tip. Veg, meat and fish in one
Gyuto
- Role
- All-purpose (chef's knife)
- Best for
- Meat, fish and veg in one
- Length
- 180–270 mm
- Edge
- Double bevel
- Price
- From about $80 (HD)
- Shape
- Longer, narrower. Handles meat sinew well
In Japan, the everyday all-purpose knife is the santoku. The gyuto is the Western chef's knife, also used for almost everything.
Google Trends (worldwide, past 12 months, retrieved 2026-11-14) relative values: santoku 68.5, gyuto 36.5. These are not search counts.
Sources: Wikipedia (Santoku / 包丁 / 牛刀 / Chef's knife)
Common questions
Are both santoku and gyuto all-purpose knives?
Yes. In Japan, the everyday all-purpose knife is the santoku. The gyuto is the Western chef’s knife, also used for almost everything.
How do the shapes differ?
A santoku is shorter, wider and rounded at the tip (typically 165–180 mm). A gyuto is longer and narrower (typically 180–270 mm) and is described as handling meat sinew well.
Which name is searched more?
On Google Trends (worldwide, past 12 months, retrieved 2026-11-14), relative values were santoku 68.5 and gyuto 36.5. These are not search counts.
Updated: 2026-11-15
