Types of Knives

  • A knife is never just a knife—it is purpose forged into steel.

    The diversity of Japanese knives reflects not only the variety of ingredients in Japanese cuisine, but also the philosophy that every task deserves the right tool. From the slender Yanagiba designed for sashimi, to the sturdy Deba for breaking down fish, to the versatile Santoku for everyday cooking, each blade carries a story of culture, technique, and refinement.

    In this section, we will explore why Japan has developed so many specialized knife types, and how each one embodies both tradition and function. You will learn the defining features of essential blades—Yanagiba, Deba, Usuba, and Gyuto—before venturing into the world of more specialized forms like Tako-hiki, Fugu-hiki, and Garasuki. We will also highlight the unique adaptations such as left-handed knives, which reflect the precision and inclusivity of Japanese craftsmanship.

    These knives are not simply variations of shape—they are the living expression of Japan’s respect for ingredients, culture, and the art of cooking. By understanding their roles, you will see how form and function together elevate cooking into a higher craft.

Why Are There So Many Types of Japanese Knives?

  • Why Japan Created So Many Specialized Knives

    The variety of Japanese knives can feel overwhelming at first glance, but each blade exists for a reason deeply rooted in Japan’s culinary philosophy. Unlike Western cooking, which often develops flavor through roasting, grilling, and sauces, Japanese cuisine depends on the cut itself to define taste, texture, and beauty.

    From the Yanagiba that creates sashimi so smooth it melts on the tongue, to the Usuba that slices vegetables into paper-thin threads, to the Deba that breaks down fish without damaging flesh—each knife is designed for a single, precise role. This philosophy, expressed in the saying Kasshu Hōjū (“cutting takes precedence; cooking follows”), reflects a culture where the blade is as central as the chef.

    A Japanese knife is not just a versatile utensil but a specialized tool honed for perfection. Its thickness, bevel, balance, and handle are all tuned to one purpose: to bring out the very best in each ingredient. This is why Japan has so many knife types—because every cut is both technique and art.
Why Are There So Many Types of Japanese Knives?

Yanagiba: The Sashimi Blade That Embodies Japan’s Culinary Art

  • Yanagiba — The Knife That Defines Sashimi

    The Yanagiba is the quintessential sashimi knife, perfected in Sakai over centuries of blade-making tradition. Its long, slender blade allows chefs to slice fish in a single motion, preserving the delicate texture and flavor that are central to Japanese cuisine. Combined with its single-bevel edge and hollowed ura, it ensures clean separation and flawless presentation — qualities indispensable in sushi and sashimi preparation.

    More than a practical tool, the Yanagiba is a cultural symbol. It embodies the respect Japanese chefs hold for their ingredients, as well as the discipline and artistry required to prepare them. To own and use a Yanagiba is to participate in this tradition, where every slice reflects centuries of craftsmanship and a philosophy that treats cutting itself as an art form.
Yanagiba

Deba: Discovering the Weight and Spirit of the Fish Knife

  • Deba — The Knife That Listens to the Fish

    The Deba is one of the most iconic Japanese knives, instantly recognizable by its thick spine, broad blade, and substantial weight. While it may resemble a hatchet at first glance, it is in fact a tool of precision, created specifically for preparing fish with respect and care. Its single-bevel edge allows the blade to glide along bones, preserving the flesh, while its weight works with gravity to cut cleanly without force.

    More than a tool, the Deba embodies Japanese culinary philosophy: letting the knife do the work, listening to the ingredient, and treating preparation as a dialogue between craftsman and material. Used at the very start of cooking, it defines the character of the dish before any heat or seasoning touches the ingredient.

    To hold a Deba is to enter into this tradition — one where sharpness and weight, technique and respect, all converge into a philosophy forged in steel.
Deba

Usuba: Mastering Precision in Vegetable Knives

  • Usuba — Where Tradition Meets Precision

    The Usuba and its variations are the cornerstone of Japanese vegetable preparation, embodying a philosophy of precision and respect for ingredients.

    The classic Usuba, with its rectangular blade and forward weight balance, excels in stable, smooth cutting on the board. The Kamausuba, rooted in Kansai tradition, blends the Usuba’s thin blade with the Mukimono’s sharp tip, offering both versatility and efficiency for everyday cooking. Finally, the Mukimono specializes in intricate work, its slender, razor-thin blade and precise tip enabling katsura-muki and delicate decorative cuts with ease.

    Together, these knives reveal a uniquely Japanese pursuit: not just cutting, but honoring the natural beauty of vegetables through technique. In the hands of a skilled chef, the Usuba family transforms simple ingredients into refined expressions of culinary artistry.
Usuba

Gyuto: The Japanese Evolution of the Chef’s Knife

  • Gyuto — A Cultural Bridge Between East and West

    The Gyuto is Japan’s answer to the Western chef’s knife, born during the Meiji era when European cutlery first entered Japanese kitchens. Originally intended for slicing beef, its name literally means “beef sword.” Over time, Japanese craftsmanship refined the design, creating a thinner, lighter blade that prioritizes precision and fluid control over brute force.

    Versatile in every sense, the Gyuto excels at slicing meat, chopping vegetables, and even preparing sashimi, making it a true all-rounder for both professionals and home cooks. Unlike heavy Western knives that rely on weight, the Gyuto moves with the chef’s hand, offering finesse, sharpness, and adaptability.

    More than a tool, a Gyuto grows with its owner. With proper care and sharpening, it becomes a lifelong companion that reflects the user’s evolving skills and sensibilities. In this way, the Gyuto is not just a knife—it is a cultural bridge, uniting Western utility with Japanese artistry, and elevating cooking into a craft of precision and expression.
Gyuto

Santoku: Japan’s Beloved All-Purpose Knife

  • Santoku — The Trusted Partner in Every Japanese Kitchen

    The Santoku is the everyday hero of Japanese kitchens, beloved for its balance, safety, and versatility. Its name, meaning “three virtues,” reflects its ability to cut meat, fish, and vegetables with equal ease. Compact yet powerful, it streamlines daily cooking by replacing the need for multiple specialized knives.

    Designed with both practicality and comfort in mind, the Santoku features a broad blade to reduce food sticking, a double-bevel edge suited to both right- and left-handed users, and a lightweight balance that reduces fatigue. These qualities make it as approachable for beginners as it is reliable for seasoned home cooks.

    Born in the 1940s, when Japan’s cuisine was evolving with Western influences, the Santoku combines the precision of traditional Japanese knives with the adaptability of the Western chef’s knife. Over time, it has earned its place as the quintessential household knife, symbolizing practicality without sacrificing refinement.

    More than a simple tool, the Santoku is a cultural icon—an accessible, elegant companion that empowers anyone to cook with confidence and care.
Santoku

Petty Knife: The Small Knife with a Big Role

  • Petty Knife — Precision and Versatility in the Palm of Your Hand

    At first glance, the Petty may seem modest, but in truth it is one of the most versatile knives in the kitchen. With its compact size and nimble handling, it excels in precise tasks that larger knives cannot perform with ease—peeling fruit, trimming meat, preparing garnishes, or cleaning small fish.

    Often double-edged for universal use, the Petty embodies Japanese craftsmanship in every detail, from careful heat treatment to refined sharpening and elegant handle design. Its balance of control and comfort makes it approachable for both professionals and home cooks.

    More than a “small knife,” the Petty is a trusted companion that brings precision, agility, and inspiration to daily cooking. Once experienced, it becomes an essential partner that no kitchen feels complete without.
Petty

Garasaki: Japan’s Answer to Bone-In Butchery

  • Garasaki — Precision and Power in One Blade

    The Garasaki is a Japanese knife created to master one of the most demanding tasks in cooking: breaking down bone-in meat. Where a deba feels too large and a Western boning knife too flexible, the Garasaki strikes the perfect balance. Its thick, reinforced heel provides the stability to cut through cartilage and joints, while its pointed tip offers the agility to navigate tight spaces with precision.

    Unlike knives that rely on brute force, the Garasaki works in harmony with anatomy. It allows you to feel the bone, separate the flesh, and release the meat with control and respect. For poultry and pork especially, it transforms butchery into an act of technique rather than struggle.

    Strong yet nimble, the Garasaki is more than just a specialized knife. It is a partner that elevates your skill, enabling you to butcher with both confidence and finesse.
Garasaki

Takohiki: The Kanto-Style Sashimi Blade with a Square Tip

  • Takohiki — Tokyo’s Answer to the Yanagiba

    The Takohiki is the Kanto region’s answer to the Yanagiba, created for Edomae sushi culture in Tokyo. With its long, narrow blade and distinctive square tip, it was designed for smooth, straight slices of sashimi in crowded food stalls where chefs had little space to maneuver. Its shape allows for precise pull-cuts without excess wrist movement, producing clean slices that preserve the fish’s natural flavor and texture.

    While Kansai chefs preferred the curved Yanagiba with its pointed tip for decorative and detailed cuts, Tokyo chefs embraced the Takohiki for its practicality and safety. Despite its name, the Takohiki is not limited to octopus—it excels with all types of sashimi, embodying the elegance and precision of Edomae tradition.

    More than just a regional variation, the Takohiki reflects Tokyo’s unique culinary heritage: simple, direct, and refined through centuries of practice.
Takohiki

Left-Handed Japanese Knives: Tradition, Craft, and the Perfect Fit

  • Knives Crafted for the Left Hand — Where Tradition Meets Sensitivity

    Japanese single-edged knives are sharpened on only one side, with a concave urasuki on the other. This asymmetry means that right-handed knives cannot simply be used by left-handed chefs—they require a mirror image in design. In Sakai, master artisans adjust not only the bevel but also the geometry of the blade to ensure balance, safety, and precision for left-handed users.

    Historically, left-handed apprentices were often trained to cut with their right hand, especially in sashimi preparation, where plating aesthetics dictated a left-to-right arrangement for diners’ ease. Yet in modern times, the philosophy has shifted toward respecting the chef’s natural handedness.

    At KIREAJI, we embrace this evolution. Our left-handed knives are crafted with the same meticulous standards as our right-handed models, allowing every chef to experience the true performance of Japanese blades. This is not only about practicality—it is about honoring individuality, unlocking sensitivity, and enabling creativity in the kitchen.
Left-Handed Japanese Knives 

  • Epilogue: Blades with Purpose, Stories with Soul

    The variety of Japanese knives may seem overwhelming at first—yanagiba, deba, usuba, gyuto, petty, and more. Yet behind each blade lies a clear purpose, shaped by centuries of cuisine, geography, and culture.

  • A yanagiba carries the elegance of sashimi, a deba the strength to break down fish, an usuba the finesse to reveal the beauty of vegetables. None is random, and none is excessive—each exists because Japanese food culture demanded it.

  • To learn these knives is to learn the values of Japan itself: respect for ingredients, attention to detail, and harmony between tool and task.

  • And in the end, every blade tells a story—not only of how it is used, but of the people and traditions that gave it life.

Origins & History

From samurai swords to modern kitchens, discover how Japanese knives became cultural icons of sharpness, tradition, and identity.

Origins & History

Regions & Craftsmen

Explore Sakai, Sanjō, and Seki—the three great knife-making centers of Japan. And in Sakai, meet the master artisans whose hands preserve tradition and shape the future of Japanese blades.

Regions & Craftsmen

Materials

Discover the steels that shape Japan’s finest knives—from the razor-sharp purity of White Steel to the balance of Blue Steel, the resilience of Ginsan, and the innovation of Super Steels like ZDP189. Each material is more than metal—it is a philosophy forged through centuries of refinement.

Materials

Structure & Features

Uncover the secrets of single-bevel geometry, urasuki hollows, and design features that make Japanese knives precise and unique.

Structure & Features

Crafting Process

Follow the journey from raw steel to living blade—through forging, quenching, sharpening, and finishing guided by master hands.

Crafting Process

Blade Finishes

From the precision of Honbazuke sharpening to the elegance of mirror polish, the flowing patterns of Damascus, and the subtle refinement of kido finishing—each finish tells its own story of craftsmanship.

Blade Finishes

Usage & Care

Learn the daily practices—washing, drying, storing, sharpening—that preserve a knife’s sharpness, beauty, and spirit for decades.

Usage & Care

Mindset & Philosophy

Discover The Chef’s Code—principles of character, skill, knowledge, devotion, and professionalism that connect chef and knife

Mindset & Philosophy