Vermicular's Kitchen Knife Isn't Sold in the US -- What to Buy Instead
Published August 28, 2026
Vermicular is known in the US for cast iron cookware, not knives. But in June 2026, the Nagoya foundry released its first kitchen knife -- a santoku -- through Japanese retail channels only. Buyers who research Vermicular deeply enough sometimes find references to it and wonder whether it is worth tracking down. Based on the pricing and distribution reviewed for this guide, it is not a US-available product, and importing it does not clear the bar over buying an established Japanese santoku through official US channels.
Shun Classic 7-Inch Santoku Knife (DM0702)
1 santoku knife, per manufacturer specifications
Specifications
- Steel
- VG-MAX core with Damascus stainless cladding, per manufacturer specifications
- Handle
- Ebony Pakkawood, per manufacturer specifications
- Made In
- Seki City, Japan, per manufacturer specifications
- US Warranty
- Covered through official Shun/KAI USA channels
Origin & Seller
- ✓ Japan Brand
- ✓ Made in Japan (Seki City)
- ✓ Official US Seller: Shun / KAI USA (Amazon.com)
Why We Picked It
- → A handcrafted Japanese santoku available through official US retail, at a comparable price point to the Vermicular knife's Japan price
For US Buyers
- · An established Japanese santoku with a full US warranty and free sharpening service through KAI USA -- neither of which an imported Vermicular knife would carry
- · Priced close to what the Vermicular knife converts to at Japan retail, without the import step
Miyabi Kaizen II 7-Inch Santoku
1 santoku knife, per manufacturer specifications
Specifications
- Steel
- FC61 fine-carbide stainless core with Damascus cladding, per manufacturer specifications
- Hardness
- 60-62 HRC, per manufacturer specifications
- Edge
- Hand-finished via Honbazuke, per manufacturer specifications
- US Warranty
- Covered through official Zwilling USA channels
Origin & Seller
- ✓ Japan Brand
- ✓ Made in Japan
- ✓ Official US Seller: Zwilling USA (Amazon.com)
Why We Picked It
- → A higher hardness rating for buyers prioritizing edge retention over the Shun Classic's softer, easier-to-resharpen steel
For US Buyers
- · Higher listed hardness than the Shun Classic option, at a similar or slightly higher price
- · Same hand-finished edge process (Honbazuke) covered in this site's Miyabi sharpening guide
Why This Comes Up in Vermicular Searches
Vermicular built its US reputation on the Oven Pot and its 0.01mm lid tolerance claim. The June 2026 knife launch was a Japan-market event, covered by Japanese business press but not mirrored in any US announcement. Buyers who follow the brand closely enough to find that coverage sometimes assume a US release will follow, or wonder whether importing is worth it in the meantime.
What Is Actually Known About the Knife
Vermicular’s santoku released in Japan on June 3, 2026 at JPY 34,980, after pre-orders opened May 15. It is the company’s first blade product since the brand’s 2010 cookware debut. Beyond the launch price and date, Vermicular’s Japan-market marketing for the knife has not been reviewed in detail for this guide — steel type, hardness, and edge specifications were not confirmed in the sources checked.
The Price Comparison Doesn’t Favor Importing
At the reference exchange rate used across this site’s Vermicular coverage (approximately 153 JPY/USD, August 2026), JPY 34,980 converts to roughly $228. That is comparable to or higher than what established Japanese santoku knives cost through official US retail — before adding international shipping, customs, or currency conversion costs to an import. There is no arbitrage opportunity here.
No US Warranty or Sharpening Support
Vermicular’s cookware sells with US-side support through Vermicular USA. A personally imported knife would have none of that: no US warranty claim path, no US-based sharpening program, and no relationship with an authorized US retailer if something goes wrong. Shun’s knives, by comparison, come with a free sharpening service through KAI USA — a meaningful ongoing benefit that a Vermicular import cannot replicate.
What to Buy Instead
Shun’s Classic 7-inch santoku (DM0702) is the closest match in price to what Vermicular’s knife converts to, with decades of US distribution and KAI USA’s free sharpening program behind it. Miyabi’s Kaizen II santoku is a reasonable step up for buyers who want a harder, longer-holding edge and don’t mind a steel that is less forgiving to resharpen. Either one gets a handcrafted Japanese santoku into a US kitchen with full manufacturer support — something a Vermicular import cannot currently offer.
How It's Viewed in Japan
In Japan
Vermicular's first kitchen knife -- a santoku -- opened for pre-order on May 15, 2026 and released on June 3, 2026, priced at JPY 34,980. As of this research (August 2026), it is sold only through Vermicular's Japan channels; no US launch has been announced. This is confirmed via Nikkei coverage of the launch.
The knife launch extends Vermicular's product range beyond cookware for the first time since the brand's 2010 debut. In the retail channels reviewed for this guide, we found no evidence that Vermicular's US operation (vermicular.us, Vermicular USA on Amazon) carries the knife or has announced plans to.
What That Means for U.S. Buyers
At approximately 153 JPY/USD (the reference rate used elsewhere on this site for Vermicular pricing, August 2026), JPY 34,980 converts to roughly $228 -- before any import shipping, customs handling, or currency conversion fees. That price lands in the same range as established Japanese santoku knives already sold through official US channels, so importing does not offer a price advantage.
An imported Vermicular knife would fall outside the brand's US warranty scope, which covers purchases from Vermicular USA and vermicular.us. There would be no official US channel for sharpening service, replacement, or defect claims -- any issue would have to be resolved through the original Japan seller, if at all.
Vermicular has no track record in knives; the June 2026 launch is its first. Shun and Miyabi, by contrast, are knife-first brands with decades of US distribution, established sharpening programs, and warranty support. Buyers specifically drawn to Vermicular's precision-machining reputation should note that reputation is built on cookware, not blade-grinding -- the knife is a new product category for the company.
Final Verdict
Not Recommended for US Buyers
Importing Vermicular's Japan-only kitchen knife does not clear the bar for most US buyers: it carries no price advantage over established Japanese santoku knives already sold through official US channels, and it forfeits any US warranty or sharpening support since Vermicular has no US knife operation. Buyers who want a handcrafted Japanese santoku with full US backing should look at Shun's Classic santoku for a comparable price, or Miyabi's Kaizen II santoku for a harder edge that holds longer between sharpenings.