What are the blades used for?

The Traditional Ones

Deba Knife
Used for filleting fish. Because it’s quite thick, you can also use the sole part/heel to chop through smaller bones and joints in the fish. Many Japanese chefs apply a ‘koba’ edge to the deba, sharpening it at a slightly higher angle to make it more durable and robust against small bones. Japanese chefs fillet fish differently than the method commonly taught in Denmark. While many Danes prefer a narrow, flexible knife for filleting, most Japanese prefer a deba. The size of debas varies depending on the size of the fish being filleted, typically ranging from 120 mm (often called ko-deba, “ko” meaning small) to about 240 mm.

Yanagiba Knife (Includes Kiritsuke Yanagi and Sakimaru)
Once the fish has been filleted with the deba knife, the yanagiba is used to slice it into bite-sized pieces for dishes like sashimi. In Japan, meals are traditionally eaten with chopsticks, so food is generally cut into manageable pieces. The yanagiba is relatively long (typically 270 – 330 mm) and thin. By placing the heel of the knife on the fish and pulling the blade toward you, pressure on the fish is minimized, preventing it from being squashed. This technique results in a delicate, fine slice. If a shorter knife were used, it would require a back-and-forth sawing motion, creating an uneven surface that absorbs more soy sauce and affects the texture.

Usuba Knife (Kanto and Kansai)
The usuba knife requires some practice for most people to use effectively. It is primarily designed for cutting ‘katsuramuki’—a traditional technique of peeling vegetables, particularly daikon radish, into ultra-thin sheets that can be sliced into fine strands. Besides katsuramuki, the knife is excellent for delicate vegetable work. There are two main versions:
Kanto-style (Tokyo region) usuba, which has a flat tip.
Kansai-style (Osaka and Sakai region) usuba, which has a rounded tip.

The Other Single-Bevel Knives

Mioroshi Deba
As the name suggests, the mioroshi deba is a variation of the deba knife. It is longer, narrower, and thinner than a standard deba. It is often used as a hybrid between a deba and a yanagiba, making it suitable for both filleting and slicing. However, some chefs argue that it is not optimal for either task, as it compromises between the two styles. Ultimately, its usefulness comes down to personal preference.

Takobiki / Fugubiki
The takobiki and fugubiki knives are variants of the yanagiba.
Takobiki (“tako” means octopus in Japanese) has a straighter blade with a squared-off tip. It was originally designed for slicing squid but is sometimes used interchangeably with a yanagiba, depending on personal preference.
Fugubiki is a narrower and thinner version of the yanagiba, specifically designed for slicing the delicate and highly poisonous fugu (blowfish). The fugubiki’s ultra-thin blade ensures precise, paper-thin cuts, which are crucial for serving fugu safely and properly.

Double Bevel Knives

Gyuto (Chef’s Knife)
The gyuto is probably the most widely used of the double-beveled kitchen knives. It was originally designed for cutting larger pieces of meat, but today, it is used for a wide range of kitchen tasks. It closely resembles the European chef’s knife, but Japanese knives tend to be sharper and more delicate in construction. A gyuto typically measures between 210 and 270 mm.

Santoku Knife
The santoku translates to ‘three virtues,’ referring to its ability to handle meat, fish, and vegetables. It was developed for home cooking in Japan, where kitchens tend to be small. Since a large gyuto can be cumbersome, many prefer the santoku for its compact size and ease of use. Santokus typically range from 165 to 180 mm in length.

Sujibiki Knife
‘Suji’ means muscle fibers, and ‘hiki/biki’ means ‘to pull.’ This knife is designed to slice through proteins like fish and meat in a single pull, minimizing back-and-forth motion. This results in cleaner cuts that preserve juices and enhance flavor. The sujibiki resembles the yanagiba in shape—long and thin—but is sharpened on both sides for easier use.

Petty Knife
The name ‘Petty’ comes from the French word ‘Petite,’ meaning small. This versatile knife is used for precision tasks such as trimming vegetables and minor carving. A petty knife typically measures between 125 and 150 mm and is often one of the first knives added to a kitchen set.

Nakiri Knife
The nakiri is the double-beveled counterpart to the usuba. It is designed for cutting a variety of vegetables but is especially well-suited for leafy greens like spinach and cabbage due to its flat profile. It offers ease of use for home cooks and professionals alike.

Bread Knife
Bread consumption in Japan is relatively low, and the bread that is eaten typically has a softer crust compared to the crispy European-style loaves. As a result, only a few Japanese knife manufacturers produce traditional bread knives. Those that do are usually larger companies catering to international markets.