Hinoki Cutting Board - Medium - 15.75" x 10.75" x 0.5"

This cutting board is absolutely perfect for my Miyabi knives! I had been eyeing those popular teak cutting boards for a while, but everything I found was either too pricey or too heavy, so I stuck with my Joseph Joseph plastic cutting board. My husband, who’s the better knife user (and the one who insisted on buying the knife set when I couldn’t even cut tofu properly), always said I’d ruin the knives without a proper cutting board. I didn’t want to invest until I was sure, but now that I’m the one using the knives more often, I see what he meant. It finally dawned on me that the knife company would probably make the best cutting board for their own products. I looked up Shun’s cutting boards, fully expecting to spend a couple of hundred dollars. To my surprise, the price was very reasonable, so I ordered it immediately. It was supposed to arrive later this month but showed up in just three days! First impressions: The board is gorgeous and lightweight, making it easy to handle. Using it today was a dream—it’s gentle on my knives, easy to clean, and feels so much better than my old plastic board. I’m so impressed with the quality and performance that I plan to order the small and large versions next. Highly recommend this cutting board to anyone with quality knives—it’s a worthwhile investment!

So far so good. We have had it for a few weeks. No sign of warping. It's thin and light. I am thinking of replacing my much thicker cedar board with this one because of easier storage and less weight. FYI: when I received it, I washed it and then dried it for a few days. I put it in the oven on bread-proofing (96-100F) until it was warm. I then applied wood butter to the board and put it back in the warming oven for an hour or more so that the butter soaked into the grain. This reduces staining and might protect the board from excessive moister changes, which I hope will prevent warping. So far, I am pleased.

A good friend of mine was excited about receiving a gift of Hinoki cutting boards from a friend who visited Japan recently. She told me that cutting boards made from Hinoki (Japanese Cypress wood) are supposed to help keep your knives sharp longer, because Hinoki is a soft wood that's gentle on knives. (My friend's husband is a knife sharpener and knife expert, so I trust both of them for knife advice.) She encouraged me to get a Hinoki cutting board. However, I wasn't that interested at first, because I already have several chopping boards. But when I noticed the scratches and gashes all over a smaller cutting board I'd been using almost daily, I set out to replace that one with a board made of Hinoki wood. I found this small Hinoki board by Shun on Amazon, and ordered it. I was glad it was delivered to me quickly because I was eager to try it out! This Shun Hinoki cutting board is pretty (I love the Japanese character in the corner), lightweight, and has a lovely, subtle fragrance. I've enjoyed using it so far, and hope it will last for a long while. I also hope my knives will stay sharp longer!

Fairly soft wood protects blade edge of my expensive chef knife. Perfect size, nicely finished. The small inserts In either end are slightly delaminating but nowhere near loose, just a slight gap. This is probably due to the fact that I clean it well after each use and then rinse it with nearly scalding water. Do love it and would buy again After a year of constant use several times a day I have to give this board 5 stars. It is a joy to use, I have the medium size as that is what fits in my kitchen. For those who say the board warps the remedy is simple…always wash both sides of the board for equal time! The warping is because you saturate the wood fibers on one side more than the other so that side expands more than the other. I have had no problem this way even with washing it on every use. For this who complain about staining…this is a CUTTING BOARD. It will proudly show its use. For those who complain about chopping cracks, this is not a chopping block. You need hard wood or plastic for that. This is softer to protect your knife blades. Love this board.

Everyone is bound to have their favorite cutting board, and that's great! Not everyone needs the same style of cutting boards. This Hinoki cutting board is great if you use lightweight and fairly sharp knives. My favorite everyday knives are Mac Mighty Santoku knives, which are both lightweight and fairly sharp. I also have a variety of Japanese knives. Most importantly, this cutting board is made from very soft wood which is very gentle on your knives. Your knives won't dull as quickly when using a soft wood cutting board made from Hinoki cypress. Another benefit is that this specific cutting board is nice and lightweight. It's easy for me to rinse in the sink, unlike my larger cutting boards which are more cumbersome. However, there are a few things to consider. These cutting boards stain easily. After a while they'll start to look a bit grungy, and there's no way (that I know), other than sanding them down, to restore their appearance. I would also avoid using them with knives that could leave deep scores in the wood. They also warp easily when exposed to water. However, don't worry too much if your cutting board warps. Over time, it should even out if you treat it right. I'm sure that there are video's on this, but my advice would be: When cleaning this cutting board, always clean both sides, even if one side needs it most. This will ensure that both sides get equally wet, which helps keep the cutting board from warping. When drying the cutting board, make sure that airflow can reach both sides.

I’ve been looking for cutting boards that don’t dull my knives. These three were reasonably priced and only required finishing with oil before use. Three useful sizes.

It was hard to press the order button on this cutting board due to the cost, but I'm glad I did for reasons that made my wife happy, which is the most important reason. She liked it immediately because it smelled like a Christmas tree. She didn't use it for three days while it acted as an air freshener. It is thick (1/2") and large, but light weight so a nice complement to the small/thinner board we bought first. The wood is soft, which I understand some view as a negative, but if you spent $1,000 on a block of Shun or other high end knives it helps protect the razor sharp edges from dulling as quickly.

I purchased the medium board because I’ve had the extra large for 5 years and it’s amazing. It’s heavy, has the juice groove on one side for carving meat or chopping fruit, and is gentle on my knives. I got the medium to have a smaller lighter board for quick small tasks. The medium board has these inserts at either end. I think they are a harder wood to give the hinoki some rigidity but not sure. The wood inserts are now coming out like they weren’t properly glued in. I never soak the board. I wet the surface to prevent stains and then promptly clean and dry the board. It’s coming apart after 30 days. Steer clear of the smaller thinner two piece boards. If you want the big solid one piece boards go for it. Love mine.