Types of Knives: Traditional Japanese Knives

  • Forged for Every Task — The Diversity of Japanese Knives

    In Japanese cuisine, the knife is not a one-size-fits-all tool.
    Each blade is designed with intention, shaped by centuries of culinary practice and cultural philosophy.

    From the Yanagiba, built to draw out the elegance of sashimi, to the Deba, created for the respectful handling of fish, to the Usuba, refined for vegetable artistry—every knife answers a specific need in the kitchen. Even variations such as the Sakimaru Yanagiba or the Garasaki tell stories of regional styles, specialized techniques, and the evolution of Japanese dining culture.

    In this section, we will explore the world of Traditional Japanese Knives. You will discover how form follows function, why single-bevel designs excel at precision, and how specialized tools—such as the Fuguhiki for pufferfish or Takohiki for Edomae sushi—carry both technical and cultural significance.

    To study these knives is to understand more than cooking equipment—it is to grasp Japan’s deep respect for ingredients, craftsmanship, and the harmony of cuisine.

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

Yanagiba (Sakimaru) : Elegance with a Rounded Tip

  • A curved blade that merges sword heritage with sashimi precision.

    The Yanagiba (Sakimaru) is a distinguished variation of Japan’s traditional sashimi knife. Defined by its rounded tip, it offers not only aesthetic elegance but also practical advantages in professional kitchens. Inspired by the kissaki of the katana, the curved design enhances safety, prevents unnecessary piercing, and reduces the risk of chipping, all while ensuring smooth, glossy slices that preserve texture and flavor. Bridging the flowing style of the Kansai Yanagiba and the practicality of the Kanto Takohiki, the Sakimaru embodies how Japanese craftsmanship unites tradition, functionality, and artistry in a single blade.
Yanagiba (Sakimaru)

Yanagiba (Kiritsuke) : Bold Lines, Powerful Presence

  • An angled tip that demands mastery and makes a statement.

    The Yanagiba (Kiritsuke) is a striking variation of the classic sashimi knife, defined by its angled tip and heavier, straighter blade. This design brings stability and precision to specific slicing techniques, but it also increases resistance—requiring advanced skill to handle properly. Its sharp tip enhances cutting versatility, though it must be maintained carefully to avoid damage. Compared to standard Yanagiba, the Kiritsuke is generally more expensive due to its larger steel billet and more complex shaping process. For most chefs, the traditional Yanagiba provides a practical balance of sharpness and control. Yet for those who seek individuality, challenge, and a commanding presence in the kitchen, the Yanagiba (Kiritsuke) stands as a powerful choice that symbolizes both refinement and boldness.
Yanagiba (Kiritsuke)

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

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: disarticulating joints in bone-in meat rather than chopping through bone. 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 handle 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 — without forcefully breaking bones. 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

Fuguhiki : The Knife Behind Japan’s Most Delicate Sashimi

  • Designed for fugu, built for precision, and trusted with life itself.

    The Fuguhiki is one of the most specialized knives in Japanese cuisine, created for the sole purpose of preparing fugu (pufferfish). With an extra-thin blade—often under 3 mm in thickness—it enables chefs to produce slices as fine as 1–2 mm, showcasing the fish’s translucent beauty and preserving its unique texture.

    Rooted in Osaka’s fugu culture, the Fuguhiki was refined by Sakai blacksmiths in the late 19th century, just as fugu cuisine became legalized across Japan. Its defining features include a long, slender blade for smooth draw cuts, an ultra-thin edge that prevents crushing, and uncompromising sharpness that safeguards both flavor and texture.

    More than just a tool, the Fuguhiki is a cultural artifact. It embodies centuries of craftsmanship and symbolizes the respect, precision, and mastery required to transform a potentially dangerous fish into an exquisite culinary experience.
Fuguhiki

  • Epilogue: A Knife for Every Cut, A Story in Every Blade

    The diversity of Japanese knives is not excess—it is expression. Each blade represents a dialogue between food and culture, chef and craftsman, history and innovation.
    A Yanagiba embodies grace in the preparation of sashimi.
    A Deba reflects strength and respect when breaking down fish.
    An Usuba reveals the artistry hidden in vegetables.
    And beyond them, specialized knives like the Fuguhiki or Garasaki remind us that cuisine is as much about preservation of tradition as it is about performance.

    By learning their roles, you begin to see that Japanese knives are more than tools. They are cultural artifacts—refined through centuries, carrying both purpose and soul.
    To hold one is to connect with a living heritage, where every cut continues a story that began hundreds of years ago.

Knowledge Quiz: Traditional Japanese Knives

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