The bunka is the santoku with an attitude: similar height and a mostly flat edge, but the tip is clipped into a sharp, angled point often called a reverse tanto. That point is the reason to choose it, giving you a precise tool for fine mincing, scoring, and getting into tight spots, all on a blade that still chops like a vegetable knife.
At 190mm, this Ariake bunka has a little more length than most, so it works through larger produce and proteins comfortably. The core is AUS10 stainless, hardened to about 61 HRC and clad in stainless steel in a san mai, or three layer, construction that balances a hard, keen edge with a tougher, low maintenance body.
An octagonal walnut handle without a ferrule finishes the knife with a clean, understated look. Ariake knives are made in Saga Prefecture, and the name comes from the Ariake Sea, the tidal bay that borders the region.
Care Instructions: AUS10 is a stainless steel, so it shrugs off the spotting and patina that carbon blades develop, but it still deserves a quick hand wash and a towel dry right after use. Keep it out of the dishwasher, which is hard on both the edge and the walnut handle. Cut on wood or rubber boards, skip frozen foods and twisting cuts, and touch up the edge on a fine water stone when it starts to slip on tomato skins.
At 190mm, this Ariake bunka has a little more length than most, so it works through larger produce and proteins comfortably. The core is AUS10 stainless, hardened to about 61 HRC and clad in stainless steel in a san mai, or three layer, construction that balances a hard, keen edge with a tougher, low maintenance body.
An octagonal walnut handle without a ferrule finishes the knife with a clean, understated look. Ariake knives are made in Saga Prefecture, and the name comes from the Ariake Sea, the tidal bay that borders the region.
Care Instructions: AUS10 is a stainless steel, so it shrugs off the spotting and patina that carbon blades develop, but it still deserves a quick hand wash and a towel dry right after use. Keep it out of the dishwasher, which is hard on both the edge and the walnut handle. Cut on wood or rubber boards, skip frozen foods and twisting cuts, and touch up the edge on a fine water stone when it starts to slip on tomato skins.
- Brand: Ariake
- Location: Saga Prefecture, Japan
- Made in Japan
- Construction: San Mai (3 Layer)
- Edge Steel: AUS10 Stainless Steel
- Cladding: Stainless Steel
- HRC: 61
- Handle: Octagonal Walnut
- Ferrule: None
- Blade Length: 190 mm
