The tall blade and rounded nose / tip of the Santoku make it a versatile knife that is well suited to cutting meat, fish, or vegetables; Hence it’s name, which literally means “Three-purpose”. The Santoku is often recommended as a multi-purpose kitchen knife. Compared to a Western-style handle, the lightweight traditional Japanese handle of the Wa Santoku knife moves the balance point of the knife further towards the tip, which makes it feel more nimble and precise.