Japanese Knives

Japanese knives stand out for their exceptional craftsmanship, razor-sharp edges, and task-specific designs rooted in centuries of tradition. Crafted from high-carbon steels like VG-10 or Damascus patterns, these blades offer superior edge retention for slicing, dicing, and filleting with minimal effort. Ideal for home cooks and pros alike, each type excels in precise culinary work.​

All-Purpose Essentials

Gyutou, the Japanese chef’s knife, handles most tasks like chopping veggies, meat, and fish with its lighter, thinner profile and full tang for complete sharpening. Santoku, meaning “three virtues,” tackles fish, meat, and vegetables using up-and-down chops thanks to its flatter belly and taller blade. Petty knives serve as small paring tools for peeling fruits, herbs, and delicate produce beyond a full chef’s reach.​

Butchery and Boning Specialists

Honesuki features a rigid triangular blade for deboning poultry at joints, doubling as a utility knife with its asymmetrical edge. Hankotsu, built for heavy-duty loins from hanging meats, offers a thick, flex-free spine for robust cutting. Yo-deba provides Western-style balance for both hands, powering through fish bones and cartilage with its heavy, double-edged build.​

Vegetable and Precision Choppers

Nakiri’s straight rectangular edge delivers clean push cuts for julienne, brunoise, or tough squash without bruising. Usuba, single-bevel for ultimate sharpness, shines in pro vegetable prep like peeling daikon, with regional variants like Kamagata featuring a curved tip.​

Slicing and Filleting Masters

Yanagi (or Yanagiba) uses a long single-edge draw for flawless sashimi slices, lightweight and razor-focused. Takobiki, a Tokyo variant, shares the sharp edge but adds a blunt tip for safer close-quarters sushi work. Sujihiki slices roasts or fillets precisely with its narrow, steeply beveled blade for tear-free results.​

Specialty and Traditional Blades

Deba’s thick, single-bevel weight fillets fish or poultry effortlessly across sizes for different catches. Kiritsuke, with its angled tip, acts as a chef-exclusive slicer or all-purpose tool in pro kitchens. Pankiri’s ridged teeth breeze through crusty bread without crushing the crumb.