The bunka, or culture knife, splits the difference between a santoku and a kiritsuke, pairing an everyday, general-purpose profile with the angled, reverse-tanto tip that gives it more precision for fine detail work than a standard santoku offers. Hatsukokoro brings ATS34 stainless steel to this format in the Hayabusa series, working with Nihei Takahiro in Tosa to build a knife suited to daily prep as well as the finer cuts the pointed tip makes easier.
This is a well-balanced bunka at 5.6 oz and 182mm, with a 3mm spine at the heel that tapers toward the angled tip and a 49mm blade height that gives it plenty of surface for push cutting and scooping. ATS34 is a premium high-carbon stainless steel used across high-end cutting tool applications worldwide, chosen for excellent edge formation, good sharpenability, and the ability to hold a refined edge through regular kitchen use. The Damascus cladding wraps the ATS34 core in San Mai construction and is finished in kasumi (hazy) style, letting the Damascus layering show without a mirror polish. At HRC 61, the heat treatment sits toward the upper end of ATS34 capability, and the even grind on both sides makes the knife accessible for right- and left-handed cooks alike. The one-piece octagonal ebony handle carries the same quiet, considered aesthetic found throughout the Hayabusa line.
Care Instructions: ATS34 stainless is low maintenance - hand wash and dry after each use. Avoid the dishwasher. The ebony handle is dense and durable but benefits from occasional conditioning with food-safe wood wax or oil. Sharpen on quality water stones and strop regularly. Avoid bones, frozen foods, and hard surfaces that could chip the edge.
This is a well-balanced bunka at 5.6 oz and 182mm, with a 3mm spine at the heel that tapers toward the angled tip and a 49mm blade height that gives it plenty of surface for push cutting and scooping. ATS34 is a premium high-carbon stainless steel used across high-end cutting tool applications worldwide, chosen for excellent edge formation, good sharpenability, and the ability to hold a refined edge through regular kitchen use. The Damascus cladding wraps the ATS34 core in San Mai construction and is finished in kasumi (hazy) style, letting the Damascus layering show without a mirror polish. At HRC 61, the heat treatment sits toward the upper end of ATS34 capability, and the even grind on both sides makes the knife accessible for right- and left-handed cooks alike. The one-piece octagonal ebony handle carries the same quiet, considered aesthetic found throughout the Hayabusa line.
Care Instructions: ATS34 stainless is low maintenance - hand wash and dry after each use. Avoid the dishwasher. The ebony handle is dense and durable but benefits from occasional conditioning with food-safe wood wax or oil. Sharpen on quality water stones and strop regularly. Avoid bones, frozen foods, and hard surfaces that could chip the edge.
- Brand: Hatsukokoro
- Location: Tosa, Japan
- Construction: San Mai
- Edge Steel: ATS34 Stainless Steel
- Cladding: Damascus Stainless
- Finish: Kasumi (Hazy)
- HRC: 61 +/-
- Edge Grind: Even
- Handle: Octagonal Ebony
- Weight: 5.6 oz (160 g)
- Blade Length: 182 mm
- Total Length: 327 mm
- Spine Thickness at Heel: 3 mm
- Blade Height: 49 mm
