Hatsukukoro Ginrei Nashiji Ko Santoku (Petty) 150mm

This Hatsukokoro Ginrei Nashiji Ko Santoku is a 150mm santoku knife built around Ginsan stainless steel, finished with a nashiji pear skin texture and set on an octagonal ebony wa-handle. “Ko” means small, and that shortened length changes the character of the knife in a way worth being upfront about.

Hatsukokoro is based in Amagasaki, near Osaka, and works with blacksmiths and workshops across Japan rather than forging everything under one roof. That means each line is matched to the right maker for the job. The Ginrei series is where that approach shows its value most clearly: proper Japanese construction and steel at a price that makes sense for a first serious knife or a reliable everyday blade.

A santoku is the Japanese all-rounder, a shorter, flatter blade built for chopping vegetables, herbs, and smaller cuts of meat. Most santoku sit between 165mm and 180mm. This one is 155mm, and honestly it feels closer to a large petty in the hand than a full santoku knife. That is not a criticism. It makes it nimble, easy to control, and genuinely useful for the fiddly work that a big blade makes awkward. If you want one knife for detailed prep, or a smaller santoku that does not feel like a chef’s knife, this is the size for it.

Steel and Construction

The core is Ginsan, also called Silver 3, a stainless steel with an unusually pure composition. It sharpens like a carbon steel and takes a keen edge, but resists corrosion properly thanks to its chromium content. Hatsukokoro hardens it to 61 HRC, which gives you a little more robustness at the edge than the very hard steels without giving up edge retention. The core is clad in stainless steel using san mai construction, so the hard core is sandwiched between two softer stainless outer layers. The nashiji finish on the cladding gives it that textured pear skin look running down to the polished core.

Maintenance and Care

This is a low maintenance knife by Japanese standards, and that is a big part of its appeal. Wash it by hand and dry it after use. It is stainless throughout, so it will not patina or rust the way a carbon blade does, but it is still not dishwasher safe. Keep it off bones, frozen food, and hard squash. Sharpen it on a whetstone rather than a pull-through, and the Ginsan will come back to a fine edge quickly.

Best for: home cooks who want a compact, easy-care santoku knife for everyday prep, and anyone who prefers a shorter blade with the control of a petty and the profile of a santoku.

Kitchen Samurai Ease of Use Rating: 9 out of 10. Stainless throughout, forgiving hardness, light in the hand, and simple to look after. About as approachable as a proper Japanese knife gets.

HRC: 61

Made in Japan.

Free shipping on orders over R1,500.