Hatsukokoro Hayabusa Gyuto 240mm

“The steels are pretty similar so I would not expect huge performance differences. VG-XEOS from what I have read would likely have slightly better corrosion resistance and slightly better edge retention at the cost of being slightly harder to sharpen. I don't think the average home chef would notice the differences though unless directly comparing them for months, and even then it really would be very slight in the end. Other aspects of the knife will matter more than the steel for this specific comparison. Spec wise Kurosaki almost always does aggressive lasers. This usually means he's working with 2mm or less for overall spine thickness and then sharpens down to quite a fine, thin edge. This translates into cutting very well and wedging less than average on denser foods like carrots and some squash, however the tradeoff is usually poor food release and the edge being a little delicate. I don't recommend the laser style of knife to a beginner, but the actual cutting experience is something you simply can't replicate without trying one. You cut an onion with one of those and you'll swear every other knife was lying about being sharp. Kato generally is more balanced, with a thicker spine but more distal taper. Means that the back half of the blade is usually more robust, while the tip still gets very fine and thin. This makes the knife a little more versatile and usually a bit better with food release, with the tradeoff of usually a bit more wedging in things like carrots or squash (especially for the thicker back heel portion). There are some foods you simply want to avoid with lasers, like taking out an avocado pit. The Kato could definitely tackle that especially if you make sure to use the more robust back end of the heel. Both would be great but a little expensive, definitely on the higher end. You can definitely find cheaper alternatives that match or come close to matching the performance of these. On the budget end, [Harukaze / Tsunehisa](https://www.chefknivestogo.com/hag3na16.html) offer really good performance close to the $100 mark (and you can definitely shop around or look for versions with improved handles). A step up would be something from [Ogata](https://www.cleancut.eu/butik/knifebrands/ogata/nakiri_ogata-detail). His SG2 line is very good and his skill as a sharpener is quite evident. If Kurosaki is a laser and Kato is more balanced, Ogata I'd call laser-leaning. Still damn sharp and fine at the edge but a bit more robust than Kurosaki. He does pretty tall and flat profiles overall so you might find a santoku or bunka that's close enough to a nakiri and try that instead (same thing with the [Hatsukokoro Hayabusa](https://www.chefknivestogo.com/hahagibu18.html) line. No exact nakiri's but the bunka and santoku might be worth considering). Both Kurosaki and Kato are pretty high end regardless so I don't think you can go wrong with either, but if you're not specifically attached to those two choices then there are a lot of”