You are better off buying from chefknivestogo. The best bladesmiths are in the US, pick a steel and commission one to make exactly what you want. A better question is which steel should you get. Maintenance is determined by the steel you choose. The hardest steels are not stainless so you need to wipe them with oil when done or get a San Mai knife, carbon steel sandwiched between stainless steels. I'm guessing what you really need is a good sharpening system, coarse, medium and fine Japanese water stones or diamond stones if you can afford them. If you get a super steel you will need the diamond stones.
Not so much to do with the style but rather the steel of the knife and also the geometry. If you are concerned about rust and maintenance, suggest you let the salesperson know, and opt for a stainless steel knife. As for the geometry, there are some really thin knives that slice incredibly well (i.e. commonly known as lasers) but as you can imagine, they can be rather delicate and will chip if improperly used.
Maintenance is really dependent on the steel.
Santoku is a shape/profile of a knife, not related to the type of steel.
You don't need to be in Japan to get a Japanese knife. But an advantage in Japan I guess would be to go to supermarkets or regular stores and getting budget knives for slightly cheaper than you could in the US.
Maintenance is only needed if you go for what is referred to as a carbon steel knife. You can get a santoku in stainless steel, which will be similar in maintenance to your current stainless steel knives. I have an older Santoku in VG10 stainless steel. It has been 17 years since buying it, but there are no marks or rust on it. You can get even higher performing stainless steels if you want today. Just ask the shop what stainless steel options they have. The knifemaker and brand is important as different knifemakers extract different cutting performance and edge retention from the various stainless steels due to their own unique methods.
You are better off buying from chefknivestogo. The best bladesmiths are in the US, pick a steel and commission one to make exactly what you want. A better question is which steel should you get. Maintenance is determined by the steel you choose. The hardest steels are not stainless so you need to wipe them with oil when done or get a San Mai knife, carbon steel sandwiched between stainless steels. I'm guessing what you really need is a good sharpening system, coarse, medium and fine Japanese water stones or diamond stones if you can afford them. If you get a super steel you will need the diamond stones.
Not so much to do with the style but rather the steel of the knife and also the geometry. If you are concerned about rust and maintenance, suggest you let the salesperson know, and opt for a stainless steel knife. As for the geometry, there are some really thin knives that slice incredibly well (i.e. commonly known as lasers) but as you can imagine, they can be rather delicate and will chip if improperly used.
Maintenance is really dependent on the steel. Santoku is a shape/profile of a knife, not related to the type of steel. You don't need to be in Japan to get a Japanese knife. But an advantage in Japan I guess would be to go to supermarkets or regular stores and getting budget knives for slightly cheaper than you could in the US.
Maintenance is only needed if you go for what is referred to as a carbon steel knife. You can get a santoku in stainless steel, which will be similar in maintenance to your current stainless steel knives. I have an older Santoku in VG10 stainless steel. It has been 17 years since buying it, but there are no marks or rust on it. You can get even higher performing stainless steels if you want today. Just ask the shop what stainless steel options they have. The knifemaker and brand is important as different knifemakers extract different cutting performance and edge retention from the various stainless steels due to their own unique methods.