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A beautifully finished, easy-to-live-with Japanese all-rounder, this 165mm Ohishi santoku combines a VG10 stainless steel core with delicate suminagashi cladding and a dark lacquered oak wa handle.
At 165mm, it’s a particularly useful everyday size: compact and easy to control, but with enough blade height and cutting length to tackle the vast majority of kitchen prep. Fully stainless construction also makes this a great option for anyone who wants the performance of a Japanese knife without the additional care required by carbon steel.
The santoku is one of Japan’s most popular all-purpose kitchen knives. Its name translates as “three virtues”, commonly referring to its versatility across meat, fish and vegetables.
With a relatively flat cutting edge and a tall blade, it works particularly well for chopping and push-cutting, while the broad blade is useful for scooping and transferring ingredients from the board.
The blade has a suminagashi finish — layers of steel create a flowing, rippled pattern across the surface of the blade. The pattern varies naturally from knife to knife, making each one slightly different.
The cutting core is VG10, a Japanese stainless steel widely used for kitchen knives thanks to its combination of edge retention, corrosion resistance and straightforward maintenance.
The blade uses san mai construction, with the VG10 cutting core sandwiched between softer stainless cladding. This gives the knife a hard, fine cutting edge while the outer layers provide additional toughness and protection.
The Ohishi name has a lovely connection to both food and place. Oishii is the Japanese word for “delicious”, while Ohishi is also the name of a small village near Mount Fuji where the business began.
The brand was created around a simple idea: making thoughtfully designed, finely tuned kitchen knives to help people make delicious food — “oishii” meals made with Ohishi knives.
• Always hand wash immediately after use — never in the dishwasher.
• Dry completely with a towel to prevent rust or discolouration.
• Use wooden or soft plastic cutting boards to preserve the edge.
• Store safely — in a knife block, magnetic rack, or saya cover.
• Sharpen regularly using whetstones for best long-term performance.
Blade shape: Santoku
Maker: Ohishi
Construction: San Mai
Core steel: VG10 stainless steel
Finish: Suminagashi
Handle: Lacquered oak
Edge grind: 50/50
Blade length: 165mm
Total length: 310mm
Age restriction: Knives are only available to persons aged 18 or over. Proof of age is required at checkout and upon delivery.
We ship Tuesday to Saturday using Royal Mail Tracked 24.
All knives ship via an age verified service in accordance with The Offensive Weapons Act 2019, which will mean the postie will need you to be in to receive the delivery & to check your ID if you look under 25.
The law also requires us to carry out a soft age check of the purchaser after checkout, this is done by an automated system that usually doesn't require your input, although we will need to contact you for proof of age if you fail, which can sometimes happen if you use a work address.
of Community Cutlery as a home for enthusiasts, for people who love the ritual of food preparation and who have realised the charm in doing it with quality tools, with items that are as pleasing on the eye as they are practical in the hand.
