Why does Japan have such a refined and delicate sashimi culture?

The answer lies in one surprising element:

the sharpness of the Japanese knife.

Japanese knives are exceptionally sharp—and that’s no exaggeration.

Their blades are honed to a microscopic level, allowing them to cut with almost zero resistance.

This extraordinary sharpness is not just impressive—it’s the very reason why sashimi as we know it could come to life.

Sashimi is not just “raw fish.”

It’s a culinary technique that requires cutting fish into incredibly thin slices without damaging its structure, preserving both its visual beauty and texture.

This level of precision is only possible with a blade so sharp, it borders on surgical.

Historically, Japan had a custom of eating raw fish.

But it was the evolution of the Japanese knife—particularly the yanagiba knife—that allowed the culture of sashimi to flourish into the form we recognize today.

Starting in the mid-Edo period (18th century), as washoku (traditional Japanese cuisine) became more refined, specialized knives for slicing raw fish were developed.

The yanagiba, with its single-bevel edge and long, razor-sharp blade, was designed to slice through fish in a single, clean stroke without tearing the flesh.

Consider this:

When filleting delicate fish like sardines or horse mackerel, a typical knife would crush or shred the flesh.

But a well-crafted Japanese knife glides through effortlessly, preserving the fish’s form and natural shine.

That’s why Japanese craftsmen didn’t just improve cooking—they mastered cutting itself.

The knife became not just a tool, but a precision instrument that defines an entire culinary culture.

Conclusion:

The rise of sashimi is inseparable from the evolution of the Japanese knife.

Without such exceptional blades, the elegance and subtlety of sashimi would not exist.

In the hands of a skilled chef, a Japanese knife doesn’t just cut—it reveals the soul of the ingredient.

Sashimi, in the end, is not just food.

It is art, made possible by the unmatched sharpness of a blade.