There is no official count of Japanese kitchen knife types. This guide covers the 26 shapes on our chart, in six families: all-purpose, small, vegetable, meat, fish and sashimi, and bread and table knives. Most everyday shapes are double bevel, sharpened on both sides; most traditional specialist knives are single bevel, ground on one side for very thin, clean cuts.
In short
- Six families, 26 shapes: all-purpose, small, vegetable, meat, fish and sashimi, and bread and table knives.
- Two edge types: everyday knives are double bevel, sharpened on both sides; most traditional specialists, such as the yanagiba, deba and usuba, are single bevel and made for one hand.
- First knife: a gyuto or a santoku, both double-bevel all-rounders.
Starting out? Most home cooks start with a 210 mm gyuto or a 165 to 180 mm santoku. Our first-knife guide covers fit and trade-offs.
Download the A3 poster
Free, no sign-up. Pick a language and a layout; every file is a print-ready A3 PDF.
- EnglishEnglish, PortraitEnglish, Landscape
- 日本語日本語, Portrait日本語, Landscape
- 繁體中文繁體中文, Portrait繁體中文, Landscape
- 简体中文简体中文, Portrait简体中文, Landscape
- 한국어한국어, Portrait한국어, Landscape
Free for non-commercial use: print it, or share it unaltered with credit to Knives & Stones; please don’t sell or alter it. Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Print it at A3, or choose “fit to page” for A4 at home.
What are you cutting?
Start from the job. Everyday knives cover most home cooking; supporting and specialist knives each do one kind of work better.
| Task | Reach for | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday | ||
| Onions, chicken and everyday vegetables | Gyuto or Santoku | Thin edges: keep them off bone and frozen food |
| Tip detail: scoring, julienne | Bunka | Compact, so not a long slicer |
| Supporting | ||
| Repeated vegetable work on the board | Nakiri | No sharp tip; made for vegetables |
| Fruit, peeling and small jobs | Petty | Short blade, for small jobs rather than big prep |
| Boneless roasts and clean portions | Sujihiki | A slicer, not a chopper |
| Bread, crusty or soft | Bread Knife | Serrated: resharpening is a specialist job |
| Specialist | ||
| Sashimi, with practised technique | Yanagiba | Single bevel, usually made right-handed |
| Breaking down whole fish | Deba | Fish heads and spines, not meat bones |
| Jointing chicken and duck | Honesuki | Works around joints, not through heavy bone |
At a glance
All 26 shapes. Typical blade lengths come from our knife profiles; the chart draws each at one typical length.
| Knife | Japanese | Usual bevel | Typical blade, mm (in) | Best for | Key limitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gyuto | 牛刀 | Double | 180 to 270 mm(7.1 to 10.6 in) | Meat, fish and vegetables, most tasks | Thin edge; not for bone or frozen food |
| K-tip Gyuto | 切付牛刀 | Double | 210 to 270 mm(8.3 to 10.6 in) | Everyday prep, scoring and push cuts | Flatter edge; rocks less than a gyuto |
| Kiritsuke | 切付け | Single | 240 to 300 mm(9.4 to 11.8 in) | Vegetables and fish, in skilled hands | Single bevel; needs skilled technique |
| Santoku | 三徳 | Double | 165 to 180 mm(6.5 to 7.1 in) | Everyday board work at home | Blunt tip; shorter reach than a gyuto |
| Bunka | 文化 | Double | 165 to 210 mm(6.5 to 8.3 in) | Everyday chopping, plus precise tip work | Compact; not a long slicer |
| Chuka | 中華 | Double | 180 to 220 mm(7.1 to 8.7 in) | Slicing, chopping and scooping prep | Not a bone cleaver, despite the look |
| Petty | ペティ | Double | 120 to 180 mm(4.7 to 7.1 in) | Peeling, trimming and small jobs | Small jobs, not big board work |
| K-tip Petty | 切付ペティ | Double | 120 to 150 mm(4.7 to 5.9 in) | Peeling, scoring and garnish detail | Less belly for rocking cuts |
| Nakiri | 菜切 | Double | 165 to 180 mm(6.5 to 7.1 in) | Clean push cuts through vegetables | No sharp tip; made for vegetables |
| Usuba | 薄刃 | Single | 180 to 240 mm(7.1 to 9.4 in) | Katsuramuki and other specialist cuts | Single bevel; wedges in dense roots |
| Kamagata Usuba | 鎌形薄刃 | Single | 180 to 240 mm(7.1 to 9.4 in) | Thin vegetable cuts and decorative work | Single bevel; needs practised technique |
| Mukimono | 剥き物 | Single | 180 mm(7.1 in) | Peeling in hand and carving garnishes | Fine work, not heavy prep |
| Sujihiki | 筋引 | Double | 210 to 300 mm(8.3 to 11.8 in) | Carving roasts, slicing meat and fish | A slicer, not a chopper |
| Gyuhiki | 牛引 | Double | from 240 mm (9.4 in) | Slicing proteins, with light prep | Long; less common at home |
| Honesuki | 骨スキ | Varies (often single) | 145 to 165 mm(5.7 to 6.5 in) | Jointing chicken and duck | Works around joints, not through bone |
| Butcher | 肉切り | Double | Varies; see the listing | Breaking down large cuts of meat | Not a general-purpose kitchen knife |
| Yanagiba | 柳刃 | Single | 240 to 330 mm(9.4 to 13.0 in) | Slicing sashimi and sushi toppings | Single bevel; usually made right-handed |
| K-tip Yanagiba | 切付柳刃 | Single | 240 to 330 mm(9.4 to 13.0 in) | Sashimi, plus garnish work | Single bevel; usually made right-handed |
| Takohiki | 蛸引 | Single | 240 to 330 mm(9.4 to 13.0 in) | Tokyo-style sashimi and octopus | Square tip; no piercing or skinning |
| Sakimaru Takohiki | 先丸蛸引き | Single | 270 to 330 mm(10.6 to 13.0 in) | Sashimi, finishing cuts and plating | Rounded tip; no point for piercing |
| Deba | 出刃 | Usually single | 150 to 210 mm(5.9 to 8.3 in) | Breaking down whole fish | Not a slicer or meat-bone chopper |
| K-tip Deba | 切付出刃 | Varies | 150 to 210 mm(5.9 to 8.3 in) | Whole fish, work inside the cavity | Uncommon; same limits as a deba |
| Unagi Saki | 鰻裂き | Single | 180 to 210 mm(7.1 to 8.3 in) | Splitting and opening eel | One job: opening eels |
| Hamokiri | 鱧切り | Single | 270 to 330 mm(10.6 to 13.0 in) | Cutting through the fine bones of hamo | One fish; not for big bones |
| Bread Knife | パン切り | Serrated | 210 to 300 mm(8.3 to 11.8 in) | Crusty bread and soft loaves | Resharpening is a specialist job |
| Steak Knife | ステーキナイフ | Plain or serrated | 100 to 130 mm(3.9 to 5.1 in) | Cutting cooked steak at the table | For the plate, not the board |
Usual bevel is typical construction; the product listing decides bevel and handedness. A double-bevel edge can be asymmetric.
All-purpose knives
General-purpose shapes that handle most daily prep, from the home santoku to the head chef's kiritsuke.
Gyuto(牛刀)
The gyuto, literally 'beef knife', is the Japanese chef's knife: a double-bevel, all-purpose blade with a pointed tip, 180 to 270 mm (7.1 to 10.6 in) long, for slicing, chopping and mincing meat, fish and vegetables. Most cooks settle on 210 or 240 mm, and next to a santoku it is longer, with a sharper point and typically more belly for rocking through herbs. Its thin edge is not made for bone or frozen food.
K-tip Gyuto(切付牛刀)
The K-tip gyuto (kiritsuke gyuto) is a double-bevel chef's knife, 210 to 270 mm (8.3 to 10.6 in), that keeps the gyuto's body but ends in an angled, clipped K-tip, for the same everyday prep as a gyuto. The defined point is better for scoring and detail, the slightly flatter edge favours push cuts, and unlike the traditional kiritsuke it is double bevel. It rocks a little less freely than a gyuto.
Kiritsuke(切付け)
The kiritsuke is a traditional single-bevel knife, 240 to 300 mm (9.4 to 11.8 in), long, tall and flat with an angled K-tip, historically the head chef's knife and used for both vegetables and fish. Its height cuts vegetables like an usuba, and its length slices fish like a yanagiba. It suits an accomplished hand: the single bevel steers and wedges when technique slips.
Santoku(三徳)
The santoku, 'three virtues', is the compact, double-bevel all-rounder of Japanese home kitchens: a broad blade with a fairly flat edge and a low, rounded tip, 165 to 180 mm (6.5 to 7.1 in), for slicing, dicing and mincing on the board. Its shorter, flatter blade makes chopping feel more controlled than a gyuto. The blunt tip is less precise for tip work than a bunka's, and the shorter blade gives less reach for long slices.
Bunka(文化)
The bunka, 'culture', is a compact, double-bevel all-purpose knife whose spine drops at an angle to a sharp K-tip, 165 to 210 mm (6.5 to 8.3 in), for the same everyday slicing and chopping as a santoku. Commonly distinguished by its angular K-tip, it adds precision for scoring, julienne and other tip work; profile, grind and height vary by maker. Next to a K-tip gyuto it is shorter and taller: a compact chopper rather than a long slicer.
Chuka(中華)
The chuka bocho, literally 'Chinese kitchen knife', is the Japanese-made Chinese cleaver: a broad, rectangular, double-bevel blade, 180 to 220 mm (7.1 to 8.7 in), used as a general prep knife for slicing, chopping and scooping food off the board. The tall blade clears your knuckles, and compared with a nakiri it is larger and heavier, with a sharp front corner. Despite the look, it is a thin slicer, not a cleaver for bone.
Small knives
Short, slim knives for work in the hand and small jobs on the board.
Petty(ペティ)
The petty, from the French petit, is a small, slim, double-bevel utility knife, 120 to 180 mm (4.7 to 7.1 in), for peeling, trimming, coring and other close work in the hand. It also handles small board jobs such as shallots, fruit and herbs, with a little more reach than a Western paring knife. It is a knife for small jobs; bigger board work suits a gyuto or santoku.
K-tip Petty(切付ペティ)
The K-tip petty is a small, double-bevel utility knife, 120 to 150 mm (4.7 to 5.9 in), with an angled K-tip and a flatter edge, for peeling, scoring and garnish detail. The defined point places cuts exactly, and the flat edge sits evenly against food peeled in the hand. It gives up a little belly for rocking cuts.
Vegetable knives
Tall, flat-edged blades for clean push cuts, from the approachable household nakiri to the professional usuba.
Nakiri(菜切)
The nakiri, 'vegetable cutter', is the Japanese household vegetable knife: a tall, rectangular, double-bevel blade with a near-flat edge, 165 to 180 mm (6.5 to 7.1 in), for clean push cuts through vegetables. The whole edge meets the board, so slices separate without rocking, and next to an usuba it is generally more approachable for everyday vegetable board work. It has no sharp tip, and it is made for vegetables rather than meat or fish.
Usuba(薄刃)
The usuba, 'thin blade', is the professional single-bevel vegetable knife: tall, thin and dead straight, 180 to 240 mm (7.1 to 9.4 in), here in the Kanto (Tokyo) style with a square tip, designed for specialised techniques such as katsuramuki. In katsuramuki the cook turns a daikon against the edge to peel one continuous sheet; the usuba also does fine julienne. It wedges in dense roots and asks more of the cook than a nakiri.
Kamagata Usuba(鎌形薄刃)
The kamagata usuba, 'sickle-shaped' usuba, is the Kansai (Osaka) form of the single-bevel vegetable knife, 180 to 240 mm (7.1 to 9.4 in): the same thin, straight edge, with the spine curving down to a rounded point. It does all usuba work, katsuramuki included, and Kansai cooks use the curved point for decorative cuts and for peeling in the hand. Like any usuba, it asks for practised technique.
Mukimono(剥き物)
The mukimono is a small, thin, single-bevel knife named after the craft it serves, the decorative cutting of vegetables and fruit; the front is cut off at an angle to a sharp point, and 180 mm (7.1 in) is the usual length. It peels in the hand, turns vegetables and carves garnishes, and it is nimbler than an usuba. Its thin, light blade is for fine work rather than heavy prep.
Meat knives
Long slicers for drawn cuts, and stiff or heavy blades for joints and large cuts.
Sujihiki(筋引)
The sujihiki, 'sinew puller', is a long, narrow, double-bevel slicing knife with a pointed tip, 210 to 300 mm (8.3 to 11.8 in), for carving roasts and portioning meat or fish in long drawn strokes. The slim blade sticks less than a gyuto, and its double bevel forgives technique more than a single-bevel yanagiba. It is a slicer, not a chopper.
Gyuhiki(牛引)
The gyuhiki is a double-bevel knife between a gyuto and a sujihiki, usually 240 mm (9.4 in) and up, for slicing proteins and fish while keeping enough height for light prep. It is longer and slimmer than a gyuto and a little taller and stiffer than a sujihiki, which is why busy restaurant line cooks favour it. The name is a modern hybrid, not a traditional category, and at home it is a less common choice.
Honesuki(骨スキ)
The honesuki ('hone' means bone) is a short, stiff, triangular boning knife for poultry, 145 to 165 mm (5.7 to 6.5 in), for jointing chickens and ducks; it is mostly single bevel, and double-bevel versions, often asymmetric, also exist. The tip finds the joint, the heel pops through cartilage and the rigid blade scrapes meat off the bone; unlike a flexible Western boning knife, it relies on stiffness. It works around joints and cartilage, not through heavy bone.
Butcher(肉切り)
The butcher knife, or nikukiri ('meat cutter'), is a broad, double-bevel meat knife with a curved spine and an upswept, rounded tip, for quartering, deboning and trimming large cuts; lengths vary, so go by the listed size. The upswept tip makes a long slicing cut through thick meat with a fairly short blade, and it is heavier and rounder than the honesuki, made for red-meat primals rather than poultry joints. It is not a general-purpose kitchen knife.
Fish and sashimi knives
Single-bevel slicers that cut raw fish in one long draw, and heavy blades for breaking fish down.
Yanagiba(柳刃)
The yanagiba, 'willow blade', is the classic sashimi knife: a long, slender, single-bevel blade with a pointed tip, 240 to 330 mm (9.4 to 13.0 in), for slicing raw fish in one clean draw. Its concave back (ura) lets it cut without pressing or sawing, it also skins and portions fillets, and its point works into fish more easily than the square-tipped takohiki. It is usually made right-handed, and the single bevel rewards practised technique.
K-tip Yanagiba(切付柳刃)
The K-tip yanagiba (kiritsuke yanagiba) is a yanagiba with an angled K-tip, so the front of the edge runs flatter: single bevel, 240 to 330 mm (9.4 to 13.0 in), for slicing sashimi in long, clean draws. The defined point also suits trimming vegetables and cutting garnishes, and compared with the traditional kiritsuke it is a sashimi knife first, slimmer and without the usuba-like height. Like any yanagiba, it is single bevel and usually made right-handed.
Takohiki(蛸引)
The takohiki, 'octopus puller', is the Kanto (Tokyo) sashimi slicer: a long, straight, single-bevel blade with a square, blunt tip, 240 to 330 mm (9.4 to 13.0 in), usually a little narrower and thinner than a yanagiba. It draws long, even slices through raw fish, and the slim blade gives dense flesh such as octopus less to grip. The square tip gives up piercing and skinning work.
Sakimaru Takohiki(先丸蛸引き)
The sakimaru takohiki ('sakimaru' means rounded tip) is a takohiki finished with a long, rounded, sword-like tip: single bevel, mostly 270 to 330 mm (10.6 to 13.0 in), for slicing sashimi in a single pull. The straight edge gives long, even contact, and many cooks find the rounded tip more elegant and a little handier for finishing a cut and plating. Like the takohiki, it has no sharp point for piercing.
Deba(出刃)
The deba, 'protruding blade', is the traditional fish-butchering knife: thick, heavy and usually single bevel, deep at the heel with a pointed tip, 150 to 210 mm (5.9 to 8.3 in), for breaking down whole fish. It takes off heads, splits the collar, cuts through the spine and fillets, letting its weight do the work. With technique and within its size it handles fish heads and spines, but it is not a slicer and not a chopper for meat bones.
K-tip Deba(切付出刃)
The K-tip deba (kiritsuke deba) is an uncommon deba variant whose spine angles down sharply to a defined K-tip; the heavy heel is unchanged, the bevel varies by maker, and lengths run 150 to 210 mm (5.9 to 8.3 in). It does everything a deba does, and the defined point reaches into the cavity to cut out the blood line along the backbone. It shares the deba's limits: a fish knife, not a slicer or a meat-bone chopper.
Unagi Saki(鰻裂き)
The unagi saki, 'eel splitter', is the Japanese eel knife: single bevel, with a straight edge and spine, 180 to 210 mm (7.1 to 8.3 in), for opening eels for grilling. On the Tokyo form, the Edo saki, the front rises at an angle to a sharp point; the point goes in and one long, controlled cut opens the fish flat along the backbone. It is lighter and narrower than a deba, made for this one long cut rather than for heads and bones.
Hamokiri(鱧切り)
The hamokiri, 'hamo (pike conger) cutter', is the knife for hamo, the daggertooth pike conger prized in Kyoto and across the Kansai: long, tall, heavy and single bevel, 270 to 330 mm (10.6 to 13.0 in). After filleting, the cook cuts through flesh and fine bones about a millimetre apart, stopping at the skin, so the bones end up small enough to eat. It is a precise cutter for this one fish and does not chop through big bones.
Bread and table knives
Two Western shapes made by Japanese makers: one for the loaf, one for the plate.
Bread Knife(パン切り)
The bread knife, or pan-kiri ('bread cutter'), is a long, narrow knife with a serrated edge, 210 to 300 mm (8.3 to 11.8 in), a Western shape made by Japanese makers for crusty and soft loaves. The teeth bite into a hard crust and saw through in a few light strokes, so the crumb keeps its shape, and they need sharpening far less often than a plain edge. When they do, resharpening is a specialist job.
Steak Knife(ステーキナイフ)
The steak knife is a short table knife for cooked steak, 100 to 130 mm (3.9 to 5.1 in), a Western shape made by Japanese makers. Plain-edged versions slice cleanly and can be sharpened; serrated ones saw and need specialist sharpening. It is made for the plate rather than the board.
Commonly confused
First, how each moves: flat-edged knives such as the nakiri, usuba and santoku typically suit push cuts; slicers such as the yanagiba and sujihiki draw through in one long pull; and a gyuto's typically curved belly lets it rock.
Gyuto, santoku or bunka?
All three are double-bevel all-rounders. The gyuto is longer, with a pointed tip and typically more belly for rocking and long slices; the santoku is shorter and flatter, with a rounded tip, and feels controlled on the board; the bunka is santoku-sized with an angled K-tip for tip work. Verdict: the gyuto for reach, the santoku or bunka for a compact board knife. More in gyuto vs santoku.
Nakiri, usuba or chuka cleaver?
The nakiri is double bevel and generally more approachable for everyday board work; the usuba is single bevel, designed for specialised techniques such as katsuramuki, and asks for technique; the chuka is larger and heavier, with a sharp front corner that also scores and carves. Verdict: the nakiri for home vegetable work, the usuba for professional cuts such as katsuramuki, the chuka for one big prep knife.
Sujihiki, yanagiba or gyuhiki?
The sujihiki is a double-bevel slicer for meat and fish that forgives technique; the yanagiba is the single-bevel sashimi knife; the gyuhiki is a taller, stiffer modern hybrid that still does light prep. Verdict: the sujihiki for roasts and general slicing, the yanagiba for sashimi technique, the gyuhiki for one long knife that slices and preps.
Yanagiba, takohiki or sakimaru takohiki?
All three are single-bevel sashimi slicers, and the tip is the difference. The yanagiba (Kansai) ends in a point; the takohiki (Kanto) ends square and gives up piercing and skinning; the sakimaru takohiki rounds the square tip into a long, sword-like curve. Verdict: the cut is the same, and the yanagiba's point adds some general use.
Deba, honesuki or butcher knife?
The deba is a heavy, usually single-bevel fish knife for heads, spines and filleting; the honesuki is a short, stiff poultry knife that works around joints; the butcher knife is a broad, double-bevel blade for large cuts of red meat. Verdict: fish, deba; poultry, honesuki; large cuts of meat, butcher knife. None of them is a heavy-bone chopper.
Kiritsuke or K-tip gyuto?
They share the angled tip, and many shops list them interchangeably; we keep them apart. The kiritsuke is a traditional single-bevel knife, taller and flatter, for skilled hands; the K-tip gyuto is a double-bevel gyuto with an angled tip, for everyday prep. Verdict: the K-tip gyuto for everyday cooking; the kiritsuke is a specialist's knife.
What “K-tip” means
K-tip is a tip style, not a knife type: the spine drops at an angle to a defined point, the kiritsuke tip, which also gives the bunka its point. Tip shape does not decide the bevel: on our chart the K-tip gyuto and K-tip petty are double bevel, while the traditional kiritsuke and K-tip yanagiba are single bevel; the K-tip deba varies by maker.
Single or double bevel, and left-handed cooks
A double-bevel knife is sharpened on both sides. Most work comfortably in either hand, but many are ground asymmetrically for right-handers, so check the knife's listing for its grind. A single-bevel knife is ground on one side with a concave back (ura); it cuts very thin and clean but asks more technique, and it is made for one hand.
Single bevel as standard: kiritsuke, usuba, kamagata usuba, mukimono, yanagiba, K-tip yanagiba, takohiki, sakimaru takohiki, deba (usually; the yo-deba is a separate double-bevel form), unagi saki and hamokiri.
Varies by maker; check the listing: honesuki, K-tip deba, bread knife and steak knife.
Double bevel as standard: gyuto, K-tip gyuto, santoku, bunka, chuka cleaver, petty, K-tip petty, nakiri, sujihiki, gyuhiki and butcher knife.
Our single-bevel guide goes deeper on the one-sided knives.
Single-bevel knives are made for one hand; right-handed is the common default. Left-handed versions exist for some models: browse our left-handed knives or ask us about options. Handles matter too: D-shaped wa handles are handed, while octagonal and oval handles suit either hand. Our double-bevel page covers the two-sided knives.
Kanto and Kansai styles
Kanto (around Tokyo) and Kansai (around Osaka) have their own forms of three specialist knives.
| Kanto (Tokyo) | Kansai (Osaka) | |
|---|---|---|
| Sashimi | Takohiki: square tip | Yanagiba: pointed tip |
| Vegetables | Usuba: square tip | Kamagata usuba: rounded, sickle-shaped point |
| Eel | Edo saki: angled point; the eel is opened along the back | A regional knife of its own; the eel is opened along the belly |
Beyond the shape
- Steel. Carbon steel can rust and develops a patina with use; stainless steel resists rust. Compare them on our steels page.
- Handles. Japanese knives come with a wa (Japanese-style) or yo (Western-style) handle. D-shaped wa handles are handed, while octagonal and oval handles suit either hand.
- Finishes. Kurouchi, nashiji, tsuchime and damascus are surface and construction finishes, not shapes: they change the look, and some help food release a little.
- Care and sharpening. Hand wash and dry, with no dishwasher, and sharpen on whetstones. Our care and sharpening guides and honing rod vs whetstone go further.
- Bone and frozen food. None of these 26 is a frozen-food or heavy-bone chopper. Thin all-purpose knives, the nakiri and slicers stay off bone; the deba handles fish heads and spines within its size, and the honesuki works around poultry joints.
- Beyond these 26. Other specialist shapes exist, such as the fuguhiki for blowfish, the sobakiri for noodles and the mioroshi deba.
How to choose
- Your first knife: a gyuto or a santoku. Not sure which? Read gyuto vs santoku and our guide to a first Japanese knife.
- Mostly vegetables: a nakiri; its flat edge makes clean push cuts and is generally approachable for everyday board work.
- Fish: for whole fish, a deba breaks it down, heads and spines included, with technique and within its size. For boneless fillets or sashimi at home, a sujihiki or a sharp gyuto works; the yanagiba is the specialist sashimi choice, optional rather than a required second knife.
Questions
How many types of Japanese kitchen knives are there?
There is no official count. Our chart covers 26 common shapes in six families: all-purpose (gyuto, santoku, bunka), small (petty), vegetable (nakiri, usuba), meat (sujihiki, honesuki), fish and sashimi (yanagiba, deba), and bread and table knives. Other specialist shapes exist, such as the fuguhiki for blowfish and the sobakiri for noodles.
What is the difference between single-bevel and double-bevel knives?
A double-bevel knife is sharpened on both sides; most suit either hand, though many are ground asymmetrically for right-handers. A single-bevel knife is ground on one side with a concave back (ura): very thin, clean cuts, more technique, made for one hand. A few shapes, such as the honesuki, vary by maker. See our double-bevel and single-bevel pages.
What is a bunka knife used for?
Everyday slicing, dicing and chopping of vegetables, fruit and boneless meat, like a santoku. It is commonly distinguished from the santoku by its angular K-tip, which makes scoring, julienne and tip work more precise; profile, grind and height vary by maker. Next to a K-tip gyuto it is shorter and taller: a compact chopper, not a long slicer.
Nakiri or usuba: which vegetable knife?
For most cooks, the nakiri: its double-bevel blade is generally more approachable for everyday vegetable board work. The single-bevel usuba is designed for specialised techniques such as katsuramuki, peeling a daikon into one paper-thin sheet, and it asks much more of the user; it is the professional's vegetable knife.
Which knife is used for sashimi?
The traditional sashimi knife is the yanagiba; a sujihiki, or a sharp gyuto at home, also slices raw fish cleanly. The yanagiba's long single-bevel blade draws each slice in one pull, without pressing or sawing. In Tokyo the square-tipped takohiki does the same job, and the double-bevel sujihiki is more forgiving of technique.
Which Japanese knife should I buy first?
Most home cooks start with a 210 mm gyuto or a 165 to 180 mm santoku, both double-bevel all-rounders for meat, fish and vegetables. The gyuto is longer, with a pointed tip; the santoku is compact and feels controlled on the board. Our guide to the best first Japanese knife covers fit and trade-offs.
Can Japanese knives cut bone or frozen food?
None of the 26 shapes here is made for frozen food or heavy bone. Keep thin all-purpose knives, the nakiri and slicers off bone. The deba breaks down fish, including heads and spines with technique and within its size, but it is not a meat-bone chopper; the honesuki works around poultry joints and cartilage.
Come and see them
A chart shows the shapes; holding a knife tells you the rest. You are welcome to try them in person at our shops in Sydney (St Peters and Crows Nest), Melbourne (Prahran) and Canberra (Kakumei, Braddon).
Online, every name on this page opens its profile page.
Chart by Knives & Stones: 26 knife shapes drawn to one scale at typical blade lengths. Updated October 2026.
