I have been looking at trying Japanese cutlery for a while but was wary of the price and design. This set is great. I get a Western style handle with a Japanese blade. The steel is very sharp and has gone through the traditional Hombazuke three stone sharpening process. The watermarking on the blade shows the true craftsmanship and tradition harkening back to the making of Katana blades. The set is a good starter and I like that there are open slots for me to add more pieces to over time.