A Guide to the Types of Japanese Knives: How Many Different Kinds of Japanese Kitchen Knives Are There?

1. Blade Shape：
   The tip is gently curved, and the blade is relatively broad with a slightly rounded end.This design supports a variety of cutting techniques, from mincing vegetables to trimming fish and slicing meat.
2. Uses：
   Often considered an all-purpose knife, it can handle most daily kitchen tasks across a wide range of ingredients.Because it’s so versatile, you’ll see it used everywhere from home kitchens to professional settings.
   
3. Blade Length & Weight：
   A typical Santoku blade is about 16–18 cm (6.5–7 inches) long, offering a well-balanced weight that’s easy to maneuver.This size is comfortable for beginners and anyone looking for a more manageable knife.
   
4. Distinctive Feel：
   The wide blade makes it easy to scoop up chopped ingredients directly from the cutting board.Its light but precise cutting action allows you to cover a variety of cooking tasks with one knife, without wearing out your hand.

1. Blade Shape：
   The blade of a Nakiri knife is almost completely straight and has a rectangular shape. This design allows the blade to be placed flat against the cutting board, making it easy to use a straight up-and-down motion to cut vegetables into uniform thickness with precision.
   
2. Uses：
   As its name suggests, the Nakiri knife is designed specifically for cutting vegetables. It excels at smoothly slicing through a wide variety of vegetables such as scallions, daikon radish, cabbage, carrots, and burdock root without damaging their fibers. It’s particularly adept at tasks like slicing into rounds, half-moon cuts, julienning, and finely mincing.
   
3. Blade Length & Weight：
   The blade length typically ranges from 15 to 18 cm (6 to 7 inches), and most designs are lightweight and easy to handle.
   
4. Distinctive Feel：
   One of the Nakiri’s defining features is its ability to make uniform contact with the cutting board along the entire length of the blade, from tip to heel. This allows for the rhythmic “tap-tap” motion that ensures precise, fine cuts. As users become more proficient, the knife enables quicker and more accurate chopping.

1. Blade Design：
   The Deba knife features a thick, single-edged blade (usually designed for right-handed users), with a slight curve towards the tip. The blade is thicker at the base and tapers as it approaches the tip. This design allows for efficient power transfer when cutting through fish heads or splitting bones.
   
2. Uses：
   The Deba knife is primarily used for tasks like filleting fish into three pieces and cutting through fish heads and bones. Its thick blade can effortlessly handle larger fish such as sea bream or yellowtail. Smaller Deba knives are also suitable for processing small fish, birds, or even preparing eel.
   
3. Blade Length and Weight：
   The blade length typically ranges from 15 to 21 cm (6 to 8 inches). With its thickness and substantial weight, the knife provides a sturdy and balanced feel when held. The weight allows for easy cutting through bones with a pressing motion, offering a unique “push-through” cutting experience not found with other knives.
   
4. Distinctive Feel：
   The thick blade and single-edged design deliver exceptional sharpness and powerful cuts. However, it’s not suitable for delicate vegetable slicing, as it’s highly specialized for fish preparation. Proper sharpening and maintenance are essential to preserve its sharpness and strength over time, ensuring it continues to excel in its specific role.

Blade Design：
The Mi-Oroshi knife features a relatively thick blade, though it is not as heavy as a Deba knife. The blade is slightly narrower and longer, with a single-edged design being the most common. It has a gentle curve from the tip to the base, making it easier to make precise cuts along the contours of the fish.

Uses
This knife is specifically designed for tasks like filleting fish into three pieces and removing the flesh from the bones. After a Deba knife is used to remove the head and bones, the Mi-Oroshi knife can carefully slice the flesh away, preserving the integrity of the meat and producing clean, smooth cuts. It is particularly valuable for creating neat fillets intended for sashimi.

Blade Length and Weight
The blade length typically ranges from 20 to 24 cm (8 to 9.5 inches), making it slightly longer than a Deba knife. While it retains some thickness, it is lighter than a Deba knife, offering a balanced weight that allows for precise cuts without excessive heaviness.

Distinctive Feel
The sharp single edge glides effortlessly along the bones, enabling precise cuts that maintain the fish’s natural structure without damaging its fibers. This creates smooth, clean surfaces, ideal for preparing sashimi. The Mi-Oroshi also allows for fine adjustments in pressure depending on the fish’s size and condition, making it especially effective in the hands of experienced users.

1. Blade Design
   Compared to a Deba knife, the Aji-Kiri has a slightly narrower blade width and a shorter blade length. It is typically single-edged, with a sharp tip designed for precision, allowing it to easily navigate between the fine bones and flesh of small fish.
   
2. Uses
   The Aji-Kiri is ideal for filleting small to medium-sized fish like horse mackerel (aji), sardines, and pacific saury (sanma). It excels at delicately handling bones and skin, enabling fast and precise filleting while maintaining a clean and beautiful result. This knife is highly valued in settings like izakayas, sushi restaurants, and traditional Japanese kitchens where preparing small fish is common.
   
3. Blade Length and Weight
   With a blade length of 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 inches), the Aji-Kiri is compact and lightweight, making it easy to handle. Its small size allows for precise control when working with fish, supporting intricate cuts and detailed preparation.
   
4. Distinctive Feel
   The small, lightweight blade allows for fine movements and precise adjustments, facilitating smooth cuts. It ensures clean slices without damaging the fish, producing beautifully finished pieces ideal for sashimi, lightly pickled dishes, or other preparations that emphasize freshness and presentation.

1. Blade Design
   The blade of the Kai-Saki knife is very short, typically around 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 inches), with a sharp, pointed tip. It is often single-edged, thick, and sturdy, making it easy to insert into the narrow gaps of shellfish shells.
   
2. Uses
   The knife is primarily used for opening shellfish like clams, scallops, and turban shells. Its design allows for delicate maneuvering to pry open shells and remove the meat without damaging it, as well as detaching the adductor muscles. It can also be used for other detailed seafood preparation tasks.
   
3. Blade Length and Weight
   The blade is extremely short and lightweight, offering excellent control. Its compact size makes it easy to handle, enabling smooth and precise shell opening and organ removal.
   
4. Distinctive Feel
   The thick blade and short length efficiently transfer force, functioning like a lever to open tough shells. Its precise movements make it possible to extract the meat cleanly without causing damage, ensuring a neat and visually appealing result. This combination of strength and finesse is a defining feature of the Kai-Saki knife.

1. Blade Design
   The blade is long, thin, and typically single-edged. Common types include Yanagiba and Takobiki knives, both designed with sharp, extended edges. This makes it easy to perform a clean pulling cut, producing smooth slices without crushing the fibers of the ingredient.
   
2. Uses
   The knife is specialized for slicing sashimi. It works well with white and red fish such as flounder, tuna, and sea bream. It supports precise cuts that enhance the flavor, texture, and presentation of the fish.
   
3. Blade Length and Weight
   The blade length is usually between 24 and 33 cm (9.5 to 13 inches), longer than most knives. While not lightweight, it is balanced to combine length with flexibility. The extended blade allows for single-stroke slicing, creating beautiful, even surfaces.
   
4. Distinctive Feel
   The thin, long blade enables pulling cuts that minimize disruption to the fish’s fibers, resulting in smooth, delicate slices. The single-edged design provides precise control, especially for right-handed users. Skilled chefs can use the blade’s tip to adjust angles and thickness, achieving the perfect cut with ease.

1. Blade Design
   Unlike traditional Yanagiba knives with pointed tips, the round-tip design features a gently curved tip. It retains the same long, thin, single-edged blade, ideal for pulling cuts that preserve the integrity of the fibers and create smooth, clean slices. The rounded tip enhances safety during handling and provides greater control for delicate cuts.
   
2. Uses
   The primary purpose is the same as other Yanagiba knives: slicing sashimi into thin, beautiful pieces. The rounded tip is particularly useful for handling delicate parts of fish or soft flesh, as it avoids snagging and allows the blade to glide smoothly. Additionally, it can be used for trimming and fine adjustments with soft ingredients outside of sashimi preparation.
   
3. Blade Length and Weight
   Like traditional Yanagiba knives, the blade length typically ranges from 24 to 33 cm (9.5 to 13 inches). Its length supports precision in delicate slicing tasks, while the weight is balanced—not too light or heavy—allowing for stable, smooth pulling cuts.
   
4. Distinctive Feel
   The rounded tip provides a smoother entry into the ingredient, especially during intricate cuts, enhancing control and precision. It reduces the risk of puncturing or damaging the food unnecessarily, ensuring clean, flawless cuts. The long blade allows for one-directional pulling motions, maintaining the integrity of the fibers and delivering beautifully crafted sashimi slices.

1. Blade Design
   While traditional sashimi knives have a slightly pointed tip with a smooth curve, the kiri-tsuke design features a sharp, angular tip. It shares the same long, thin, single-edged blade as a standard Yanagiba knife, but the straight, angular tip enhances precision for detailed cuts.
   
2. Uses
   Like the Yanagiba knife, the Kiri-Tsuke knife excels at slicing sashimi with a smooth, pulling motion that preserves the fish’s fibers and creates clean, beautiful cuts. The angular tip is particularly useful for refining sashimi edges, peeling thin membranes, and performing fine adjustments. It’s also ideal for removing small bones, skin, or connective tissue during fish preparation, making it suitable for intricate tasks.
   
3. Blade Length and Weight
   The blade length is typically 24–33 cm (9.5–13 inches), similar to a traditional Yanagiba knife. This length supports smooth, one-stroke slicing while the angular tip improves precision for detailed work. The weight is balanced, ranging from light to medium, offering excellent control for both slicing and finer tasks.
   
4. Distinctive Feel
   The straight, angular tip allows for easier control of the blade’s edge, making it ideal for precise cuts and finishing touches, such as decorative slicing or removing delicate parts. While it retains the ability to create smooth sashimi slices like a Yanagiba knife, the Kiri-Tsuke’s unique tip adds versatility and precision, enabling a broader range of culinary techniques.

1. Blade Design
   Compared to a Yanagiba knife, the Takobiki knife has a nearly straight edge with a slightly angular tip. It is typically single-edged, with a long, thin blade that excels at pulling cuts, preserving the fibers of ingredients, and creating smooth, clean slices.
   
2. Uses
   The Takobiki is primarily used for slicing octopus, squid, and white fish—ingredients with slippery or firm textures. It is particularly effective for cutting octopus into thin, uniform slices. Widely utilized in traditional Edo-style sushi preparation, the Takobiki supports the delicate work required for beautifully presented sashimi.
   
3. Blade Length and Weight
   The blade length is typically 24–33 cm (9.5–13 inches), similar to a Yanagiba knife. However, the Takobiki often features a narrower blade and less curvature, making it slightly lighter and easier to maneuver. This design is ideal for extended sashimi preparation, where precise handling and control are essential.
   
4. Distinctive Feel
   The straight edge minimizes blade wobble during pulling cuts, allowing for consistent application of pressure and smooth slicing. The resulting cuts are clean and precise, enhancing the flavor, texture, and presentation of ingredients like octopus and fish. By utilizing the pulling cut technique, the Takobiki preserves the natural umami and mouthfeel of the food, ensuring a refined and professional appearance.

1. Blade Design
   The Usuba knife features a thin, single-edged blade with a straight edge and a broad width. There are two main types: Kanto-style (rectangular), which has a straight-edged tip, and Kansai-style (kamagata), which has a rounded, semi-circular tip. Both types are designed for sharp, clean entry into ingredients, thanks to their thin blades.
   
2. Uses
   The Usuba is ideal for advanced vegetable-cutting techniques like katsuramuki (thin, continuous peeling) and intricate decorative cuts. It is widely used in traditional Japanese kitchens for tasks such as slicing daikon radish into thin sheets, julienning, or creating beautiful seasonal vegetable garnishes that enhance both the texture and appearance of dishes.
   
3. Blade Length and Weight
   The blade length is typically 15 to 18 cm (6 to 7 inches), making it compact and easy to handle. Its thin construction makes it lightweight, reducing fatigue during detailed work and minimizing strain on the wrist.
   
4. Distinctive Feel
   The sharp single-edge and thin blade allow for precise cuts that cleanly sever vegetable fibers, resulting in smooth, glossy surfaces. This preserves the natural sweetness and crisp texture of the ingredients while enhancing their visual appeal. With skill and practice, the Usuba supports advanced techniques, making it an indispensable tool in high-end Japanese restaurants and traditional kitchens.

1. Blade Design
   Like the Usuba knife, the Kama-Usuba is single-edged and finely ground to a very thin blade. However, it features a unique kamagata (sickle-shaped) rounded tip, which enhances precision and allows for delicate cuts and easy handling of ingredients at subtle angles.
   
2. Uses
   The Kama-Usuba is primarily used for delicate vegetable preparation, such as katsuramuki (thin, continuous peeling), julienning, decorative cuts, and garnishing. It is especially valued in traditional Kansai-style Japanese cuisine, where it plays an essential role in elegantly preparing Kyoto vegetables and seasonal ingredients to highlight their visual appeal and texture.
   
3. Blade Length and Weight
   The blade length is typically 15–18 cm (6–7 inches). Its thin construction and single-edged design make it lightweight and highly maneuverable. This reduces fatigue during extended use and allows for precise control, translating the chef’s movements directly to the blade.
   
4. Distinctive Feel
   The curved tip provides a smooth cutting experience, enabling clean and uniform cuts while preserving the fibers of the ingredients. The curve also allows for fine adjustments, making the knife especially useful for decorative cuts and intricate garnishing. This precision makes the Kama-Usuba indispensable in high-end Japanese cuisine, where subtle details and refined presentations are paramount.

1. Blade Design
   Unlike Usuba knives, which have a flat, thin, single-edged blade, the Mukimono knife is small, with a sharp and finely tapered tip. Its short blade is designed for easy maneuvering at subtle angles, making it ideal for intricate decorative cuts and curved designs.
   
2. Uses
   The Mukimono knife is used for the Mukimono technique, which involves peeling vegetables or fruits into thin, ribbon-like strips and carving them into precise shapes such as flowers, leaves, or animals. While the Usuba knife excels at tasks like katsuramuki (thin peeling) or slicing, the Mukimono knife is specialized for creating delicate, aesthetic garnishes and intricate patterns to elevate the visual appeal of dishes.
   
3. Blade Length and Weight
   The blade is much shorter than that of an Usuba knife, typically 5–10 cm (2–4 inches), making it extremely compact. Its lightweight and ergonomic design provide excellent control, even with small ingredients, allowing for highly detailed work.
   
4. Distinctive Feel
   The small, pointed blade offers direct feedback to the user’s hand, making it easy to adjust pressure and angles for fine, detailed cuts. While the Usuba knife is suited for smooth, clean slices, the Mukimono knife requires a “carving” technique to create intricate designs and three-dimensional decorations. In the hands of a skilled chef, it transforms ingredients into works of art, making it indispensable in high-end Japanese cuisine.

1. Blade Design
   The blade is short (approximately 5–10 cm) with a thin, sharp edge. Its narrow width is designed for precision work. Peeling knives are typically double-edged, with symmetrical sharpening that makes them equally easy to use for both right- and left-handed users.
   
2. Uses
   The primary purpose is peeling a wide variety of vegetables and fruits, such as potatoes, apples, carrots, and kiwis. It’s also ideal for tasks like coring, trimming, removing sprouts, and fine decorative cuts. Perfect for small ingredients or those with curved surfaces, it excels where larger knives are unwieldy.
   
3. Blade Length and Weight
   Its compact size and lightweight construction make it easy to maneuver and control for detailed tasks. The small blade reduces strain during extended prep work, making it suitable for everyone from beginners to professional chefs.
   
4. Distinctive Feel
   The knife offers a sense of precision, allowing for accurate control even in detailed work. It enables thin peeling, minimizing waste while preserving the full flavor of fresh fruits and vegetables. With practice, it becomes easy to handle curved or intricate surfaces smoothly and efficiently.

1. Blade Design
   Typically single-edged, the blade is long, thin, and resembles the streamlined shape of a Yanagiba knife. However, to handle the task of cutting through bones, it is slightly thicker and more rigid than a standard sashimi knife. This design allows precise, controlled pressure to effectively sever fine bones without damaging the flesh.
   
2. Uses
   The knife is primarily used for the specialized honekiri technique, which involves cutting through the dense, small bones of fish like hamo. This process ensures the bones are finely chopped inside the flesh without piercing the skin, creating a smooth texture for refined dishes. It is an essential tool in high-end Japanese restaurants for crafting elegant hamo dishes.
   
3. Blade Length and Weight
   The blade length is generally 24–33 cm (9.5–13 inches), similar to a sashimi knife. The weight is balanced—not too light—to allow stable, rhythmic strokes. This balance ensures the precision required for consistently cutting small bones with controlled, repetitive motions.
   
4. Distinctive Feel
   Mastery of the Honekiri knife requires exceptional skill. Cutting the bones inside the fish without damaging the outer skin demands precise control over the blade’s depth and spacing. Unlike the smooth slicing motion used for sashimi, this technique involves a rhythmic, light chopping action that allows for delicate bone cutting.

1. Blade Design
   The Soba-Kiri knife has a thick, wide blade with a straight cutting edge. Its rectangular shape and sharp edge provide stability and precision, while its heavy, robust design ensures consistent performance. Unlike single-edged knives, Soba-Kiri knives are typically double-edged, with symmetrical sharpening for balanced use.
   
2. Uses
   This knife is primarily used in the final stage of making soba noodles, cutting the rolled dough into uniform strands of consistent width. This ensures even cooking, a balanced texture, and an appealing presentation. It can also be used for cutting other types of noodles, such as udon or cold noodles.
   
3. Blade Length and Weight
   The blade is generally 20–30 cm (8–12 inches) long, with a broad surface and substantial weight. This added weight allows the user to press down and cut through the dough in a straight motion, facilitating a steady, rhythmic cutting process.
   
4. Distinctive Feel
   The wide, heavy blade stabilizes the cut and creates smooth, even edges. The up-and-down motion allows for precise, uniform cuts, ensuring the dough strands remain consistent in width. Skilled chefs use a rhythmic, fluid motion to produce perfect noodles, emphasizing both technique and precision. The Soba-Kiri knife plays a critical role in the noodle-making process, directly impacting the final quality of the dish.

1. Blade Design
   The Watermelon knife features a long, wide blade with a slightly thicker profile, typically double-edged. The straight edge is designed for powerful, straight cuts through large, tough-skinned fruits like watermelon. Some models include special coatings or grooves on the blade to prevent the fruit from sticking during slicing.
   
2. Uses
   This knife is ideal for cutting large fruits and vegetables with thick skins, such as watermelon, cantaloupe, and pumpkin. It efficiently removes tough rinds and divides the interior into equal portions. The thick blade allows for long, clean cuts, making it easier to achieve uniform sizes and shapes.
   
3. Blade Length and Weight
   The blade length is generally around 30 cm (12 inches), providing ample reach for large produce. Its weight is slightly heavier than standard knives, helping to transfer force effectively when slicing through tough exteriors.
   
4. Distinctive Feel
   The long, sturdy blade enables stable and powerful cuts, allowing users to slice through even the largest watermelons with a single stroke. It glides through tough-skinned produce without excessive effort, producing clean cuts and minimizing juice loss. Using a dedicated watermelon knife improves both safety and efficiency, especially when cutting multiple large fruits, reducing preparation time significantly.

1. Blade Design
   The Chinese cleaver features a wide, rectangular blade with varying thickness, from relatively thin to medium. The tip is nearly square, and the long, straight edge is a defining characteristic. The broad blade surface is not only ideal for cutting but also for scooping up chopped ingredients, adding to its practicality.
2. Uses
   Known as an “all-rounder,” the Chinese cleaver can handle virtually any ingredient, including meat, fish, vegetables, and fruit. It excels in a variety of tasks, from fine mincing and thinly slicing vegetables to slicing meat and processing bone-in cuts. Its versatility makes it indispensable in the dynamic cooking style of Chinese cuisine, where one knife can perform nearly all preparation tasks.Thanks to its adaptability and efficiency, the Chinese cleaver is not limited to Chinese cuisine; it is cherished in kitchens worldwide for its universal appeal.
3. Blade Length and Weight
   The blade length typically ranges from 18 to 22 cm (7–9 inches), with a width of 5 to 10 cm (2–4 inches), making it significantly larger than most knives. The weight is moderate, and the wide blade lowers the center of gravity, allowing for stable force application during cutting. This design can even accommodate heavier tasks like chopping through small bones.
4. Distinctive Feel
   The wide blade enables rhythmic “tap-tap” chopping, smooth ingredient transfer, and versatility in techniques ranging from fine slicing to chopping through tougher materials. With practice, the cleaver becomes a highly efficient tool for handling complex preparation tasks or large volumes of ingredients, all with a single knife.

1. Blade Design
   The Sushi-Kiri knife typically features a long, slender blade with a sharp double edge. Unlike single-edged Yanagiba knives, the double-edged design provides symmetrical cuts, making it easier to achieve clean, stable slices for sushi rolls. Some models also include coatings or slits on the blade to reduce sticking from rice or fillings.
2. Uses
   This knife is primarily used for slicing sushi rolls into uniform pieces and shaping or cutting fish toppings for nigiri sushi. It excels at handling delicate ingredients like vinegared rice, seaweed, and soft sashimi without compromising their shape, making it indispensable in sushi bars and Japanese restaurants.
3. Blade Length and Weight
   The blade length is generally 24–30 cm (9.5–12 inches). The blade is relatively thin and lightweight, reducing strain on the wrist and shoulder during precise cutting tasks. This lightweight design allows for fine control, even during extended periods of preparation.
4. Distinctive Feel
   The double edge ensures consistent, symmetrical cuts, allowing sushi rolls to be sliced in one smooth motion while maintaining the integrity of the rice and fillings. A sharp blade prevents crushing seaweed or sashimi, ensuring clean, polished edges. Professional chefs often wet the blade with water or vinegar water to prevent rice from sticking, enhancing both the appearance and quality of the sushi.

1. Blade Design
   The Edo-Saki knife is designed specifically for Kanto-style eel preparation, where the fish is filleted from the back. The blade is long and slender, with a slightly pointed tip, and features a sharp, single-edged design. Its construction emphasizes precision near the base of the blade, allowing for delicate work around the spine.
2. Uses
   The primary use of the Edo-Saki knife is to fillet eel from the back. In Edo-style cooking, the eel is split along the spine, the innards are removed, and the preparation progresses to bone cutting and skewering. This knife facilitates smooth, precise filleting, supporting the creation of iconic Kanto-style eel dishes like unaju and unadon.
3. Blade Length and Weight
   The blade length is relatively short for better maneuverability. Lightweight and well-balanced, the knife allows for precise control, with direct feedback from the wrist and fingertips. This optimized size and weight make it ideal for the delicate work required in eel filleting, enabling experienced chefs to achieve accuracy and finesse.
4. Distinctive Feel
   The sharp single edge and spine-focused tip design enable smooth, precise cuts along the eel’s backbone, minimizing damage to the flesh. This ensures clean, even fillets with minimal disruption to the texture. Skilled chefs can manipulate the blade at subtle angles, applying just the right amount of pressure to preserve the eel’s natural flavor and texture during preparation.

1. Blade Design
   The Mochi-Kiri knife typically features a wide, relatively thick blade with a straight edge. Its rectangular shape and flat profile make it ideal for push-cutting. Many models include non-stick coatings such as Teflon or a mirror finish on the blade to prevent sticky mochi from adhering to the surface.
2. Uses
   This knife is primarily used to cut fresh or hardened mochi into uniform sizes and shapes. Due to mochi’s high stickiness, regular knives often struggle to slice through it cleanly without the dough sticking to the blade. The Mochi-Kiri knife addresses this challenge with its specialized design. It can also be used for cutting other soft, sticky ingredients when needed.
3. Blade Length and Weight
   The blade length is typically 20–30 cm (8–12 inches), with a sturdy weight that enhances stability during cutting. The weight helps apply consistent pressure, making it easier to slice thick pieces of mochi evenly without excessive effort.
4. Distinctive Feel
   The smooth blade surface prevents mochi from sticking, allowing for stress-free cutting. Its robust design enables the user to push-cut through firm mochi efficiently, improving workflow and creating clean, even cuts without excessive force. Additionally, the non-stick properties make it easier to maintain cleanliness, as the blade resists residue buildup.