There are many styles of Japanese kitchen knives. The most popular of these are the deba bocho, or kitchen cleaver, the santoku hocho, an all-purpose utility knife, and vegetable knives called either nakiri bocho or usuba hocho. There are dozens of other Japanese knife types, each used for specific tasks such as making udon or filleting tuna. Although there are so many different knife types, similar to a set that might be found in a western kitchen, most Japanese chefs choose just one or two of these to become their favorite knives. These knives are used for almost every kitchen task, despite their original design as a specialized knife. The choice of Japanese knives often depends just as much on personal style or taste than on the knife's intended purpose.
