Harukaze G3 Nashiji Nakiri 165mm

This 165mm nakiri from the Harukaze G3 Nashiji line has become one of the most talked-about values in the vegetable knife category. Harukaze, meaning windy spring in Japanese, is produced exclusively for CKTG by a mid-sized factory in Tosa, Japan.

The nakiri is built around a G3 stainless core, also called Ginsan, hardened to about 62 HRC for strong edge retention. A stainless nashiji, or pear skin, cladding wraps the core for protection and visual texture, and the blade is finished with a 50/50 edge and kanji engraving on both sides. The handle is an oval magnolia wood with a black pakka wood ferrule.

What Customers Are Saying: Reviewers consistently call out the blade itself as excellent for the price, with a sharp, usable factory edge and an aesthetic that punches above its price point. The most common critique centers on the handle, which more than one buyer described as feeling unfinished or in need of a light sanding and an oil or tung treatment to match the polish found on pricier Japanese handles. A couple of reviewers also noted the nakiri profile has slightly more curve than a perfectly flat vegetable knife, which can cause minor wedging in dense vegetables like carrots, though most still found the everyday cutting performance excellent.

Care Instructions: Ginsan (Silver #3) is a low-maintenance stainless steel. Hand wash and dry it after use, keep it out of the dishwasher, and avoid frozen foods or cutting through bone. A quick touch-up on quality water stones now and then is usually all this petty needs to come back to a sharp edge.

Brand: Harukaze

Location: Tosa, Japan

Construction: San Mai

Core Steel: G3 Stainless (Ginsan / Silver #3)

Cladding: Stainless

HRC: 62

Finish: Nashiji (Pear Skin)

Edge Grind: Even (50/50)

Laser-Engraved Kanji

Handle: Magnolia Oval

Ferrule: Black Pakka Wood

Weight: 4.7 oz (136 g)

Blade Length: 165 mm

Total Length: 309 mm

Spine Thickness at Base: 2 mm

Blade Height: 51 mm

Photos credit: Gustavo Bermudez