Moriya Munemitsu Fruit Knife 110mm Gingami #5 Stainless Steel

Seasonal fruits are one of the delights of the Japanese lifestyle, but fruit is rarely eaten as it comes - most likely those apples, nashi, peaches and persimmons will be carefully peeled, pitted, cut into attractive pieces and served with helpful little toothpicks. 

The Moriya Munemitsu G-series fruit knife has much to recommend it for fruity tasks, not least of which from the Japanese perspective is trust in the brand. For readers who can't decipher the Japanese on the blade the katakana characters to the right of YHC read 'Yasuki Hagane'. YHC itself stands for Yasugi Hagane Cutlery, the Hitachi subsidiary of Yasugi Specialty Steels that produces the rust-resistent Gingami#5 stainless used here.

The G-series fruit knife is a beautifully designed, compact, easy-care knife for the home that offers Japanese sharpness in a light, low-maintenance package. An elegant and useful little tool that doesn't look out of place on the table.

Manufacture is highly automated and while that may not be as romantic as some of the same company's sought-after wa-bocho, QC is industry-leading. Half-tang two-rivet construction lends strength, the sculpted goban (wood fibre and resin) handle is durable and feels great in the hand.