Karasu is a specialised Japanese knife shop in the heart of Amsterdam. We offer a large, and still growing, selection of Japanese culinary knives and sharpening stones. My goal is to improve everyone's cooking experience by supplying high quality tools with all the right information and necessary maintenance.

“Why we love Japanese Knives”

In short; because of their superior steel, cutting performance and design. 

Steel is a very important topic when we talk about Japanese kitchen knives. Each blacksmith or blade manufacture has their preferred type or one they focus on to give the blades a specific character. The properties  are often a careful consideration between characteristics such as edge retention, toughness, flexibility and hardness.

The craftsmen we work with go to great lengths to ensure the finest treatment for the particular steel they use, giving it exactly the properties they want. 

Such high quality treatment of the steel allows these blades to be thin without being fragile. This is what gives Japanese knives their superior cutting performance. Not only are the blades sharpened at a lower angle but more importantly the geometry is thin allowing the knife to glide through produce. 

Also in this category all knife makers have their own style. Some choose to push the steel to its absolute limits in search for the best cutting performance, some choose to leave it a little bit thicker to give the blade more strength and all the option in between. 

Next to the Japanese hight quality standards, the steel and sharpening which gives Japanese knives the high-level performance there is another big reason to why I personally am such big fan of Japanese knives which is the wide variety that is available. With so many craftsmen’s, regions, styles, shapes, steels, materials, grinds and tasks there is an abundance of variety to be found. Tools like these are personal, there’s no right and wrong, just the difference in use or price. I take great pride in the fact that we have such a wide variety to offer. The shop is filled to the brim with knives so there is something for everyone and we always take the time to explain these differences for you to find the perfect tool. 

Weteringstraat 19

1017 SL Amsterdam,

The Netherlands LINK TO MAP

Tuesday - Saturday

10:00-17:00

Instagram: @karasuknives 

Email: info@karasu-knives.com

Phone: +31 (0)6 30 54 00 36