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  • Masashi KOKUEN Bunka 165mm from Masashi Yamamoto
  • Masashi KOKUEN Bunka 165mm from Masashi Yamamoto
  • Masashi KOKUEN Bunka 165mm from Masashi Yamamoto
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Masashi KOKUEN Bunka 165mm

Masashi KOKUEN Bunka 165mm

£215.00 GBP
£215.00 GBP
Sale Sold out

£10 Shipping on orders over £150 to the UK.

TLDR ⓘ - Too long; didn't read - A quick summary that cuts to the chase.
Performance art in knife form. Great for those who value performance above all else, these knives are handmade by one of the best blacksmiths in Japan, look beautiful and will blow your socks off. The super thin edge glides effortlessly through food but they can be delicate!

Frustrated? Learn more about why Japanese knives are frequently out of stock.

Collar/Ferule colour may vary from light brown to almost black. You can see examples of the variation here.

About Masashi Kokuen -  This blade's core is made from hard SLD steel clad in softer stainless steel, which Masashi-san can push to the absolute limit of hardness through his impressive skill and a couple of top-secret techniques. In plain English, this means they keep a crazy sharp edge for a long time but are much lower maintenance than traditional carbon steel blades. He sharpens blades in a unique way, making the back end more robust for chopping and the tip more precise for delicate work.

The dark finish of the Kokuen gives its name. Meaning ‘black smoke’ in Japanese, the Kokuen is inspired by the atmosphere of Masashi’s workshop.

First training with his brother at Yoshikane, then striking out on his own, Masashi Yamamoto relentlessly pursues the creation of a perfect knife using the traditional techniques passed down in his family and augmented by a modern understanding of metallurgy. He’s also a certified badass, forging in flip-flops and lighting cigarettes off red-hot steel like an 80’s action hero. 



About the Shape - The Bunka looks like a bonafide badass. It is a multi purpose knife akin to the Santoku. “Bunka” translates to “culture.” A cross between the Nakiri and Gyuto, Bunkas can do it all. It’s the best of both worlds with the volume cranked to 11.
Shape Bunka
Also know as? You could also call it a Santoku, depending on what part of Japan you are in.
Maintenance Level Low
Blade Length 165 mm |
Blade Height 51.6 mm
Thickness 3.4 mm / 0.9 mm
ⓘAbove the Heel / 1cm from the tip.
Weight 149 g
Steel Type SLD Semi-Stainless Steel with Stainless Steel Cladding
Rockwell Hardness 63–64
Edge/Bevel Double (50/50)
Handle Wa (Japanese) Handle - Octagon Red Ebony Water Buffalo Horn Collar
Knife Line Masashi KOKUEN
Blacksmith Masashi Yamamoto
Made in Sanjo, Niigata, Japan

A note about measurements: Handmade Japanese knives can vary in their dimensions, so these measurements are only an example.


A NOTE ABOUT RUST

Semi-stainless steel is a compromise between the edge retention of carbon steel
and the rust resistance of stainless. This steel will rust if you let it. To avoid “bad” rust (orange rust) Wipe the knife dry with a dry cloth after use. By this we mean: between cutting and putting the knife down, wipe it dry. Overtime the blade will begin to protect itself with an oxide layer (grey to dark grey “good” rust), this will slow the reaction time but not inhibit the rust entirely. Maintain the good habit of drying off your knife.

USE  

• Only cut food you can bite through with this knife. Hard foods can chip the blade. No olive pits, bones,  lobster shells, woody stems or parmesan rinds. Cutting frozen food is especially bad because the cold will make hard steel even more brittle. If you wouldn’t chew it with your own teeth, don’t cut it.  

• Your cutting surface is the biggest culprit of dulling your knife. Use wood. End-grain wood is especially good. Plastic can be fine too, but certainly not glass,  granite or bamboo. 

• The edge of your knife works best sliding forwards or backwards. Scraping the knife edge sideways will dull or damage the edge. Instead, use the spine of the knife to move foods across the cutting board. Do not twist the edge or pry with the edge, this is the worst screwdriver you ever bought and these motions will certainly damage the edge. Listen to the knife! If you can hear the edge making a “tink”  sound on the cutting board, change what you are doing.  

CLEANING  

• After use, wash the knife by hand with regular dish soap, rinse with hot water  and dry by hand immediately. Dishwashers are very bad for knives.  

• Wood handles may dry out over time and exposure to water. Simply treat them  with some food safe mineral oil or beeswax.  

• If you see orange rust, remove it. The scrubby side of a sponge can do the trick.  If it’s still not coming off try baking soda and water mixed into a paste or a product called Barkeeper’s Friend.  

STORING  

• Protect the edge; for your safety and to avoid edge damage. A simple blade cover  will do the trick if you keep knives in a drawer or travel case. 

• A convenient wall magnet made with wood is a great way to show off your knives.  Be sure to put it back spine first, then roll it onto the blade face. This will keep the  edge from contacting the wood first.  

• The good-ol’ counter top block can keep knives at the ready and protected. So can drawer inserts. Whatever the method, keep the edge from touching anything else. 


SKU: MSKKE165BU

Shipping and Returns

We aim to ship your order within 1 business day at Knifewear, if there is a hold up, we'll aim to let you know and give you a timeline.

We offer $3 shipping on orders over $100* anywhere in Canada and $200* to customers in the USA. We ship worldwide, and offer up to the minute rates from our shipping partner DHL.

*Konro Grills and some other larger items are excluded from the free shipping offer.

How do I make a return on an online order?
No worries, we've got you sorted. Head over to https://knifewear.mom/returns and follow the prompts. 

Can I pick up my order Curbside / At the store?
Absolutely, as long as all the items you are looking for are in stock at the location you want to pickup from, you'll be able to select that at the checkout. If one or more items aren't at your preferred location we are happy to ship it to you. 

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Overall rating: 4.9787235 / 5 from 47 reviews.

AI Generated Review Summary

The Masashi KOKUEN Bunka 165mm knife is praised for its exceptional fit, finish, and razor-sharp feel. Customers love its lightweight design and versatility, making it a top choice for various culinary tasks. The unique sharpening technique enhances both precision and robustness.

Summary topics

  • Knife Feel (14%): Customers keep praising the great fit, finish, and razor-sharp feel of the knife.
  • Knife Quality (56%): A substantial number of customers remarked that the knife is absolutely awesome and they love the light weight.

Review topics: [fit, quality, finish, handle, looks, value, staff, feels, craftsmanship, service, knife, blade, bunka, edge, tip, knifewear, steel, rounder, naoto, addition, piece of art, slices, grind].

Review highlights

  • "Comfortable handle and great all-round use knife for fine chopping." — susan s.
  • "The profile of the blade really makes it glide through what I am cutting and feels extremely precise when using it." — Adam S.
  • "Fantastic knife and amazing customer service!" — John E.

Reviews

Masashi impressions vs known laser

"It falls effortlessly through a potato similar to a Shibata Koutetsu, but feels more sustentative in hand. Shibata feels like a feather cutting, Masashi Kokuen feels like a piece of silk gliding through a cut. Tip is every bit as nimble. Food release is tiny bit better than Shibata. It doesn't quite disappear into my hand and seem as though my own figures are prepping food as Shibata Koutetsu but it comes very close. The stiffer spine and heel do make it a tougher all-around chopper. Looking forward to adding more patterns to my lineup soon."

— James W. (5/5)

My First Japanese Knife ,

"My First Japanese Knife , my favorite Shape of the blade « BUNKA »…… I Love my New Knife……🥰 Thank you! Kevin and All the Staff @ KnifeWear…."

— Tony S. (5/5)

Awesome

"Very light, very thin at tip. Everything I hoped it would be. Love it!"

— Hill B. (5/5)

40th B-day Present

"This knife is a work of art and a laser at the same time."

— B-Hek (5/5)

Amazing product and the best

"Amazing product and the best customer service I’ve had in a long time."

— Susan C. (5/5)

Can’t go wrong!

"Holds and insane edge, doesn’t rust easily and looks gorgeous. Masashi nailed!"

— Alexander W. (5/5)

Masashi Kokuen 165mm Bunka

"There is a lot I could say about this knife. First of all, you feel Masashi-san's soul in the knife when you first pick up any of his knife lines. But specifically the 165mm bunka is a workhorse. There were things I didn't think I'd be comfortable cutting, but are just a breeze cutting. Glides through vegetables like no tomorrow and gives you a good grip when thinking you are "over handling" the knife. Going from the tip to do nice intricate stuff, to rock chopping because of the nice edge Masashi-san put on it. It makes you feel like the knife is part of your hand. The blade itself is not too thin and not too thick to make you trick yourself in not having the confidence. Only thing that it doesnt go through, respectfully, is cheese. I told my Fiancee that I know it won't do good with cheese and showed her and now there are no more cheese cuts with it. But you always have to try! Got it during the spring Garage sale and it is STILL laser sharp. So thank you everyone at knifewear, Luca at knifewear Ottowa and especially Masashi-san for creating this important and astounding bunka and me being able to even have the chance to use it for my endeavors. Niawen kowa."

— Chase (5/5)

Fully satisfied.

"This is my first Japanese knife, and after some research, I decided to go for this. I am absolutely blown away by the craftmanship, the sharpness straight out the box and the blade sharpness retention. This is my daily go to knife now. Knifewear were also amazing, I asked for a contrasting handle to collar and they absolutely delivered. Fully recommend this piece of art. And fully recommend Knifewear."

— Matthew W. (5/5)

My favorite bunka

"Very flat profile which is exactly what I was looking for. The kurouchi is very smooth, nicely rounded choil and the ferrule feels seamless where it meets the handle. The distal taper makes it great for fine work at the tip while still feeling sturdy near the heel."

— Jason K. (5/5)

Awesome knife

"Awesome knife. Fit, finish and functionality of this Bunka are top notch. It’s quality and looks fantastic. Almost too much fun to use."

— Jeff C. (5/5)

Q&A

How well does the kurouchi last on these knives?
This is result of burnt steel, no dying or chemical used. It lasts like other Kurouchi finishes. It can be scrubbed off if used hard coarse materials.
Would love to buy this knife but it's sold out. When will there be more in stock?
Hey there, we should have them back in October or November! Are you on the back in stock list for it? If not I can add you. - Ellie

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