Knife sets
A set is the cheaper way to buy several knives, and it keeps the handles and the steel consistent across your kitchen. Every set here is built on the same Japanese VG10 or AUS-10 core at roughly 60 HRC, so you are choosing on how many blades you need, the handle material and the budget — not on cutting performance.
How the sets compare
- Two-piece boxes. A chef knife paired with a sharpening steel — the Minato box set is the most affordable, then the Haruta, then the Chikashi with abalone handles. The most sensible starting point if you already own knives you like.
- Five- and six-piece sets. The core working kitchen: chef, santoku, utility, paring and more. Available with a magnetic wooden rack or an acacia holder.
- Full collections. The Chikashi seven-piece and the Haruta ten-piece, each blade with its own wooden scabbard.
Do you actually need a set?
Often not. Most cooks reach for two or three knives and leave the rest in the block. If that sounds like you, buying a santoku or gyuto on its own from single knives and adding a paring knife later will cost less and waste nothing. A set makes sense when you are furnishing a kitchen from scratch, replacing a tired block, or buying a gift where the presentation matters.
Our guide to the best Japanese knife sets works through which is which, and what to look for in a knife set covers the decision itself.
Storage and care
Several sets include a magnetic rack or block; if yours does not, knife storage has wall racks, a drawer organiser and the Minato block. Hand-wash every blade, dry it straight away, and keep a whetstone for when the edges need bringing back.