Japanese Knives
Ten Japanese knife shapes, from the santoku for everyday cooking to the yanagiba that slices raw fish for sashimi. Pick the shape by what you cut, then pick the steel by how much care you are happy to give it.
About Japanese Knives
Most home cooks need one all-rounder and a petty. A santoku, gyuto or bunka handles meat, fish and vegetables, and the petty takes care of peeling and trimming. Add a nakiri for vegetables.
The rest are specialists. A deba takes a whole fish apart, and a sujihiki slices cooked meat and boneless fish. A kiritsuke is a long, flat-edged hybrid with an angled tip, and a Chinese cleaver chops, slices and scoops.
Steel decides the upkeep. VG10, Ginsan, SG2 and Molybdenum need less care, and SLD is semi-stainless. Carbon steels such as Blue Steel #2 and White Steel #2 can rust if left wet. Whatever the steel, hand-wash the knife and dry it straight away.
Hold a few and test-cut them at our four stores in Kappabashi, Asakusa, Harajuku and Kyoto Nishiki. Outside Japan, order here and we ship from Tokyo.
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SANTOKU三徳
All-purpose Home Knife
150-180mm
Safer, user-friendly for beginners; compact for small kitchens. Shorter, taller blade; “three virtues” = meat/fish/veg
PETTYペティ
Utility Knife
120-150mm
Perfect companion knife; extremely maneuverable. Mini chef knife profile.
Gyuto牛刀
Japanese Chef’s knife
180-220mm
Most versatile; ideal for someone buying their first Japanese knife. Western-inspired double bevel; curved belly for rocking cuts
Nakiri菜切
Vegetable Knife
165-180mm
Built for vegetables; flat edge keeps full board contact for clean push cuts. Rectangular blade, no tip, thin and light.
Sujihiki筋引
Slicer
230-300mm
Makes clean, smooth, restaurant-quality protein slices. Long, narrow blade reduces friction.
Deba出刃
Fish Butchery Knife
165-210mm
Strong enough for bones; essential for whole-fish preparation. Thick spine, heavy weight, single bevel.
Yanagiba柳刃
Sushi/Sashimi Knife
240-300mm
Traditional sushi craftsmanship; creates glossy, perfect cuts. Single bevel, long blade, razor-thin tip.