Japanese Kitchen Knife
knife style guide
Learn about & shop the various styles of Japanese kitchen knives
Chef’s Knife
Gyuto
The all-rounder. Ideal for meat, fish, and vegetables.
The Gyuto is the Japanese counterpart to the Western chef’s knife. With a slightly thinner blade and sharper edge, it’s perfect for slicing, dicing, and chopping a wide variety of ingredients. A must-have in any kitchen.
Multi-Purpose Knife
Santoku
A versatile knife for home cooking – “three virtues”: meat, fish, and vegetables.
With a shorter blade and a rounded tip, the Santoku is user-friendly and ideal for quick everyday prep. Loved by many home cooks in Japan and abroad.
Utility Knife
Petty
A compact blade for detailed work.
Similar to a paring knife, the Petty is used for small tasks like peeling, trimming, or cutting fruit. It’s compact, precise, and easy to handle.
Vegetable Knife
Nakiri
The vegetable expert with a straight edge.
Nakiri is designed to make straight cuts through vegetables. Its flat blade ensures full contact with the cutting board, perfect for chopping greens, root vegetables, and herbs.
Slicing Knife for Sushi & Sashimi
Yanagiba
Designed for precision slicing of raw fish.
Yanagiba features a long, single-bevel blade perfect for delicate slicing without damaging the structure of ingredients—especially raw fish. It’s the go-to knife for sushi chefs.
Fish Butchery Knife
Deba
Thick and sturdy for breaking down whole fish.
Deba knives have a thick spine and single bevel, ideal for cutting through fish bones and filleting whole fish. A tool for professionals or serious seafood lovers.
Want to learn more?
Explore how our handcrafted knives from Japan’s top blacksmiths are made — Craftsmanship & Origins