Japanese Kitchen Knife Catalog

Santoku is a Japanese all-purpose kitchen knife commonly used for vegetables, boneless meat and fish. It typically has a relatively flat cutting edge and a shorter blade than many Gyuto models. Edge geometry, size and steel vary by maker; avoid bones, frozen foods and prying.

Gyuto is a Japanese-style chef's knife used for varied board work, including slicing boneless meat and preparing vegetables. Many models have a pointed tip and a more curved edge than a Santoku, but blade thickness, balance and sharpness differ between products. Choose length according to cutting-board space and technique.

Deba is a comparatively thick, heavy Japanese knife traditionally used to prepare whole fish. Many traditional models have a single-bevel edge and require attention to handedness and sharpening geometry. Its strength does not make it chip-proof: avoid forceful impacts, hard bones and twisting, and follow the maker's intended-use guidance.

Yanagiba is a long, narrow Japanese knife for slicing sashimi and other boneless fish portions with controlled drawing strokes. Traditional versions are usually single-bevel, so handedness and sharpening method matter. A long blade can help make a clean slice, but results depend on technique and maintenance; it is not intended for chopping bones.

Nakiri is a typically double-bevel, rectangular vegetable knife with a relatively straight edge suited to chopping and slicing vegetables on a cutting board. Its broad, blunt-looking tip is not designed for fine tip work, and the blade should not be used on bones or frozen foods. Check the maker's grind and care guidance.

Petty is a small Japanese utility knife commonly chosen for trimming, fruit preparation and other precision tasks. Length and edge geometry vary. It can complement a Santoku or Gyuto, but its short blade is less efficient for large ingredients and should not be used to pry or cut hard bones.

Pankiri is the Japanese bread knife. It is characterized by its long blade with serrated teeth, designed to grip and saw through hard bread crusts or delicate, soft cake layers without crushing the soft interior.

The Usuba is the professional single-bevel vegetable knife of Japan. Meaning 'thin blade', it features a completely straight edge with no belly curve, allowing it to make flat contact with the cutting board. Its single-bevel geometry is designed for paper-thin precision cuts, such as Katsuramuki (rotary peeling of daikon radish).

The Kiritsuke is a traditional multi-purpose Japanese knife with a signature angled tip (reverse tanto profile). In professional Japanese kitchens, it has often been treated as a symbol of status and expertise and is frequently associated with senior chefs. It combines the capabilities of the Yanagiba (sushi slicer) and the Usuba (vegetable knife).

The Honesuki is a specialized Japanese boning knife designed primarily for deboning poultry and meat. It features a triangular shape with a stiff, thick spine and a pointed tip. Unlike many Western flexible boning knives, the Honesuki is rigid and strong, designed to move confidently between joints and lift meat from bones.

The Sujihiki is the Western-style double-bevel equivalent of the traditional Yanagiba. Meaning 'muscle puller', its long, thin, and narrow blade is designed for slicing meats and fish in a single pulling motion. It minimizes friction and food drag, resulting in clean, uniform cuts.

The Bunka is a traditional multi-purpose kitchen knife very similar to the Santoku, but distinguished by its aggressive, inverted tanto tip (called a 'Bunka tip'). This pointed tip is excellent for scoring, fine slicing, and precision work. It was highly popular in Japanese households during the early 20th century as a symbol of modern culture (Bunka).

The Hankotsu is a unique Japanese butchery knife designed specifically for deboning meat from hanging carcasses. It features a thick, stiff blade with a straight edge that terminates in a strong tip. The first third of the blade near the heel is kept unsharpened (dull) so that the chef can safely choke up on the blade or scrape bone directly without chipping the edge.

The Menkiri is a highly specialized Japanese knife with a long, completely flat edge that extends all the way back to the handle. It is designed specifically for cutting folded dough into thin noodles like Soba and Udon. The weight and flat geometry help the blade cut cleanly through the dough onto the board in a single stroke.