Name: 柳刃包丁 (やなぎば) Yanagi-ba Bōchō
Type: Traditional Style
Best Use: Fish
Sizes: 210-360 mm
What is a Yanagiba (Sashimi) Knife?
The Yanagiba (Sashimi) knife, written in Japanese as 柳刃包丁 (やなぎば) and pronounced Yanagi-ba Bōchō, is a traditional Japanese kitchen knife typically ranging from 210 to 360 mm in length. For general use, a knife length of about 270 mm is recommended. This knife is best for cutting fish.
Yanagiba is a traditional Japanese sashimi knife with a long, thin blade used primarily for slicing boneless fish fillets for sashimi or nigiri sushi. It is also used for filleting or skinning small to medium-sized fish. The long, narrow blade is usually pointed and has a single bevel, making it extremely sharp and ideal for slicing raw fish in one long stroke, from the heel to the tip of the knife.
Yanagiba is one of the three main knives in Japanese cuisine, along with Deba and Usuba knives. Sushi chefs favor the Yanagiba for its uniquely long, narrow blade and extremely sharp edge, which causes minimal cell damage to the surface of the fish, thus preserving the original flavor and texture of the fish.
**What Does Yanagiba Mean?**
Literally translated, ‘Yanagiba’ in Japanese means ‘willow leaf blade,’ referring to the knife’s long and slender leaf-shaped blade. Yanagiba is also sometimes referred to as ‘Shobu’ in the Kansai region, meaning ‘iris leaf,’ due to its similarity to the spear-shaped leaves of the iris plant.
What is the Yanagiba Knife Best Suited For?
The Yanagiba knife excels at slicing raw fish, especially for sashimi and nigiri sushi, where the goal is to achieve smooth, shiny, and perfectly even cuts to highlight the delicate flavors and textures of the fish. The long blade allows for cutting the fish in one smooth stroke using a ‘pulling’ motion from the heel to the tip. The knife’s acute edge enables slicing with minimal force, avoiding tearing or crushing the fish’s flesh, thereby preserving the delicate taste and texture of sashimi or nigiri sushi.
Like most traditional Japanese knives, the Yanagiba has a single bevel, meaning only one side of the blade is honed to create an extremely sharp cutting edge. The opposite side of the blade is slightly concave, giving the Yanagiba its unique non-stick property, which allows for the easy removal of perfectly smooth and shiny slices of fish without sticking to the blade.
Common Sashimi Cutting Techniques with Yanagiba Knife Include:
Hirazukuri (Vertical Pull Cut): This crosswise cut is used for fatty fish like tuna or salmon, resulting in a thicker slice that provides a satisfying bite.
Usuzukuri (Thin Vertical Pull Cut): This cutting style means ‘delicate slices’ and is achieved by slicing extremely thin slices of white fish to highlight its translucency. Usuzukuri is mostly used for white fish, as the thin slices allow one to enjoy the fish’s bouncy texture that would be lost with thicker cuts.
Sogizukuri (Diagonal Pull Cut): This clean cut is achieved by using the knife at a 45-degree angle and is a common cutting method for most types of sushi.
Yanagiba Knife Features:
The Yanagiba knife is specifically designed for slicing raw fish for sashimi and nigiri sushi. Its long, thin, and narrow blade allows the user to slice through the fish fillet in one long stroke, rather than “sawing” back and forth, thus preventing damage to the fish’s flesh. Yanagiba knives come in various blade lengths from 210 mm to 360 mm, but a length of 270 mm to 330 mm is commonly recommended.
As the translation ‘willow leaf blade’ suggests, the Yanagiba features a long, thin, and narrow blade with a sharp tip resembling a willow leaf. The blade’s acute edge allows for cleanly slicing through the delicate flesh of the fish with minimal force, using primarily the weight of the knife in one long stroke. This makes the Yanagiba an ideal tool for achieving perfectly shiny sashimi slices without crushing.
The single bevel edge of the Yanagiba is a hallmark of traditional Japanese knives, reflecting Japanese culinary traditions and history. Traditional Japanese cuisine seeks to preserve and highlight the true flavors of fresh, seasonal ingredients, which requires the sharpest possible edge for smooth cutting. The single bevel edge is honed on only one side to achieve a fine and extremely sharp cutting edge. The opposite side of the blade is slightly concave, which means only the blade’s cutting edge lightly touches the fish, making it perfect for smooth sashimi cutting that maintains the fish’s natural freshness, flavor, and texture.
If you are new to Japanese knives or have not used a single bevel knife before, remember that mastering the “pulling” cut with this type of knife involves a learning process. Right-handed Yanagiba knives tend to pull to the left during cutting, while left-handed Yanagiba knives tend to pull to the right. Additionally, most single bevel knives are designed for right-handed users, so if you are left-handed, be sure to look for a left-handed Yanagiba knife.
Handle
Yanagiba knife handles can be categorized into two types: traditional Japanese ‘wa-handle’ or Western-style handles. Most Yanagiba knives have a wooden wa-handle. The most common wa-handle shapes are D-shaped, oval, or octagonal. While some prefer the ergonomic grip of a D-shaped or octagonal handle, the choice of handle ultimately comes down to personal preference.
What is the Best Handle for a Yanagiba Knife?
The handle of your Yanagiba knife will determine how balanced the knife feels in your hand and how comfortable it is to use.
Consider your usual grip on a knife. If you mostly hold the knife by the handle, a shaped or tapered Western-style handle will feel more comfortable and familiar to you.
If you hold the knife using a pinch grip, a traditional Japanese-style handle (also known as a ‘wa-handle’) will feel great in your hand. The most common wa-handle shapes are D-shaped, oval, or octagonal. While some prefer the ergonomic grip of a D-shaped or octagonal handle, it all comes down to personal preference.
What are Common Variants of Yanagiba Knives?
Although the willow leaf-shaped Yanagiba from the Kansai (Osaka) region of Japan is the most commonly used, a variety of regional and task-specific variations of the Yanagiba exist. These include:
Kensaki Yanagiba (剣先柳) – Also Known as Kiritsuke Yanagiba or Kiritsuke-tip Yanagiba
The Kensaki Yanagiba, also known as Kiritsuke Yanagiba, has a very similar profile to the regular Yanagiba but features an angled tip often called ‘reverse tanto’ or ‘clipped point,’ which is useful for precision cutting. The Kensaki Yanagiba is typically a single-bevel knife with a blade length ranging from 240 mm to 330 mm. It is generally slightly heavier than the common Yanagiba.
Takohiki (蛸引 | Octopus Knife) – Also Known as Takobiki
The Takohiki is a variant of the Yanagiba, featuring a blunt, square tip and a straight spine that makes it easier to cut through tough and dense ingredients, such as octopus (called ‘Tako’ in Japanese, hence the name). Takohiki originates from the Kanto region and is usually lighter, thinner, flatter, and shorter in blade height than the Yanagiba. The blade is typically single-bevel and the length usually ranges from 210 mm to 390 mm.
Sakimaru Takohiki (先丸蛸引 | Round-tipped Octopus Knife)
The Sakimaru Takohiki is a variation of the Yanagiba and Takohiki knives used for achieving clean and precise sushi and sashimi cuts. However, the Sakimaru Takohiki features a slightly rounded tip similar to those found on a Katana (traditional Japanese samurai sword), which gives it its unique style. The straight spine of the Takohiki and the slightly curved edge like the Yanagiba make this single-bevel knife a stylish combination of the two. Its blade length ranges from 210 mm to 390 mm.
Fuguhiki (河豚引 | Blowfish Knife) – Also Known as Fugubiki
The Fuguhiki is a variation of the Yanagiba, with a thinner, narrower, and slightly more flexible blade designed to cut extremely thin slices of delicate flesh fish, such as Japanese flounder (hirame) or blowfish (‘fugu’ in Japanese, hence the name). The extremely thin cuts of blowfish made by using a Fuguhiki knife are typically served on a painted plate, so that the design of the plate can be seen through the thin sliced pieces. The single-bevel blade ranges from 180 mm to 360 mm in length.