Comments: Those great German knife makers are not going to let those great Japanese knife makers eat their lunch, no matter how popular Santoku knives become! So they started making their own and/or bought Japanese companies.

Zwilling J.A. Henckels makes its Miyabi line of knives in Japan, in cooperation with Iron Chef Rokusaburo Michiba, with Japanese materials, methods, and expertise, and they are as good as any knives on the market. These knives are made of a top-quality stainless steel, with a "higher cutting edge retention than most of [Henckels'] conventional products," which is saying something.

This Usuba knife is the traditional Japanese vegetable knife and is beveled on only one side of the blade. This asymmetrical construction makes it easier to cut fish and vegetables in clean and elaborate ways. The straight blade is used for the Katsura-muki technique that involves finely peeling vegetable skin for sashimi garnishes. Even hard vegetables like daikon radishes can be cut easily into thin sheets.

According to the company, you would not use this knife to cut hard substances, such as frozen foods or shellfish, nor would you use is for chopping or any application where you might scrape the blade on a cutting board. You want to retain it's razor-like cutting edge for as long as possible. Then you sharpen it on a stone (a "satisfying experience," says Henckels) or have it sharpened professionally.

The knife is also dishwasher-safe, but you would be foolish to put a knife of this quality in a dishwasher. Henckels says running water may be enough to clean it, with a little detergent, if necessary.

The price may be significantly discounted online – perhaps offline, too.