What is a Bunka Knife?
Some knives are made for one job. A Bunka isn’t one of them. The Bunka is a traditional Japanese blade known for its sharp, angled tip and do-it-all versatility in the kitchen. Whether you're slicing through a pile of vegetables or trimming fat off a piece of meat, A Bunka is designed to feel right at home in your hand.
Where does the Bunka Came From?
The Bunka knife first appeared in Japanese kitchens around the 1950s. It came out of a shift toward more modern, multi-purpose tools that suited everyday home cooking. Its name, bunka, means “culture” or “civilization,” and the knife itself was designed to be practical, versatile, and reliable.
The Bunka and Santoku were both developed as multi-purpose knives, a shift away from the traditional approach of using separate knives for fish (deba), vegetables (nakiri), and sashimi (yanagiba)
Traditionally used in home kitchens, the Bunka was a bit of a workhorse. It needed to handle veg, fish, meat, whatever was going in the pan that night. What made it stand out was its angled tip (sometimes called a reverse tanto), which gives you the kind of control you'd normally expect from a much smaller blade.
What Makes a Bunka Different?
There are a few key things that give a Bunka its personality:
- Angled tip: great for precision work like scoring vegetables, slicing garlic thin, or getting under sinew and fat
- Taller blade: gives you more confidence when chopping and keeps your knuckles off the board
- Compact size: shorter than a Gyuto but still long enough for most jobs
- Flat-ish profile: ideal for push-cutting and straight-down chopping
Ezekiel: Our Bunka
Ezekiel carries the traditional bunka shape but adds a bit more grunt where it counts.
Each one is hand-shaped and sharpened by skilled artisans using high carbon steel. That means it takes a keen edge and holds it well. The handle is made from Padauk, a stunning hardwood with a warm tone that feels solid and comfortable in the hand.
That angled tip isn’t just for show. It gives Ezekiel an edge when you’re doing fine detail work and makes it surprisingly nimble for such a substantial knife.
Who’s Ezekiel For?
Whether you’re a professional who wants more control or someone at home getting serious about their cooking, Ezekiel is the kind of knife that earns its keep fast. One of those knives that starts out as “something new to try” and ends up being the one you reach for every time.
So anyone slicing meat, chopping veg or just getting dinner sorted after a long day. Ezekiel is built to handle the daily stuff. The real work that happens in a home kitchen. Nothing fancy, just sharp, sexy, reliable and easy to use.
Give It a Go
We reckon knives are personal. So we’ve made it easy to try Ezekiel out for yourself. Use it. Test it. Cook with it. If it’s not the one for you, send it back within 7 days. No dramas.
But once it’s in your hands, we think you’ll get it.
