[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I had my heart set on a Japanese SS knife with a WA handle. However, when I tried them out in the store, I ended up liking this one more with its weight. It has a beautiful pattern so it's a joy to look at as well. So far I love it.
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] A great Japanese knife is paramount for anyone, no matter their situation. When you need to rough chop something, any German steel or even German, Japanese hybrid will likely do. But this won't work for you when you need to finely cut or chop a charcuterie tray, or something similar that doesn't get cooked down and presentation is key. A regular knife or even a high end German knife will work against you in this scenario.
This is where an extremely light and extremely sharp knife like this one comes in. It is much easier to hold, and much easier to cut with this knife, so you can get done quicker and give a better presentation.
I own a Shun 7" santoku and I like it, but it's not as sharp as this and I haven't found anything sharper. The balance is superb, there's minimal fatigue holding this knife and it's comfortable in my hand.
Being as light as this is I should warn you to be mindful of what you're cutting. This isn't meant to be a versatile knife by any means. Always keep another workhorse knife nearby and don't be afraid to change them out when you need to tackle heavier stuff like large portions of meat. Especially when cooked.
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Handles incredibly smooth and controlled! Can slice the thinnest slivers to the smoothest chunks. Fits well in hand and works for either right or left hand. Highly recommend!!