Japanese Kitchen Knife Types Explained: The 12 Blade Shapes Every Cook Should Know

Q: What is the most useful Japanese knife to own?

For most home cooks, a 170-180mm santoku or a 210mm gyuto . The santoku is slightly more vegetable-focused, the gyuto more all-purpose. Either one covers about 80% of normal home cooking. Our editorial default for a first Japanese knife is a 210mm gyuto — it has the longest useful working life because it grows with your cooking skill. See gyuto guide and santoku guide .

Q: What is the difference between santoku and gyuto?

Santoku has a shorter, flatter blade with a "sheepsfoot" tip (the spine curves down to meet the edge). Best at 165-180mm. Optimized for push-cutting vegetables in a Japanese-style kitchen. Gyuto is the Japanese version of a Western chef's knife — longer, more curved edge, pointed tip . Best at 210-240mm. Better at rocking-cut motion, meat, fish, and the kind of all-purpose work that defines a Western chef's knife. Santoku is more compact and more "Japanese feel"; gyuto is more versatile and more familiar to Western cooks. See our santoku vs gyuto guide .

Q: Can I use a Japanese knife for everything in my kitchen?

Almost. The two exceptions are bones and frozen food . The hard HRC 60-65 steel of most Japanese knives will chip if you try to chop through chicken bones, beef bones, or frozen meat. For those tasks, keep a Western cleaver, a Japanese deba (which is built for fish bones but tougher than typical Japanese knives), or a heavy German chef's knife in the kitchen. Everything else — vegetables, fruit, boneless meat, fish fillets, herbs — Japanese knives handle better than Western ones.

Q: What is a kiritsuke and why is it so expensive?

Kiritsuke (切付) is a traditional Japanese knife shape with a flat reverse-curved tip , often described as a status symbol: it is commonly said that only the head chef ( itachō ) used one in a traditional kitchen, although that story is disputed. The traditional version is single-bevel and long (240-300mm), making it among the most difficult Japanese knives to use. Modern double-bevel kiritsuke gyutos (often called "K-tip gyutos") have brought the shape to home cooks at normal gyuto prices. The traditional single-bevel kiritsuke remains a specialist tool. See kiritsuke vs gyuto guide .

Q: What is the difference between deba and honesuki?

Deba is for fish, honesuki is for chicken. Deba is a heavy, thick-spined, single-bevel knife designed to cut through fish bones and break down whole fish — head, spine, ribs. Honesuki is a small, triangular knife designed to articulate chicken joints, separate breast meat from the keel bone, and butcher whole birds. Different tools for different animals; the techniques and grinds do not overlap. See deba guide and honesuki guide .

Q: How many knives do I actually need?

Most home cooks need two or three : a 210mm gyuto (or 170mm santoku) for 80% of work, a 120-150mm petty for small tasks, and optionally a 165mm nakiri if you eat a lot of vegetables. That is it. Adding a yanagiba, deba, or specialty knife only makes sense if you frequently do that specific task. The biggest mistake home cooks make is buying a 7-piece knife block — most of those knives never come out. See first knife guide .

Q: Are all Japanese knives single-bevel?

No — only the traditional Japanese-cuisine knives (yanagiba and its takohiki variant, deba, usuba, and kiritsuke in its traditional form) are single-bevel. The poultry knives, honesuki and garasuki, come in both single- and double-bevel versions. The everyday knives — gyuto, santoku, nakiri, bunka, sujihiki, petty — are all sharpened on both sides, just like Western knives. The single-bevel vs double-bevel distinction is one of the most important things to understand when buying Japanese knives, because it determines the sharpening technique, the hand it can be used in, and whether the knife is suitable for everyday tasks. See our single vs double-bevel guide .

By Japanese Knife Lab Editorial Team

Published: May 22, 2026 · Updated: October 27, 2026 · 10 min read

Quick answer

The 12 essential Japanese knife shapes: santoku, gyuto, nakiri, usuba, deba, yanagiba, sujihiki, kiritsuke, bunka, petty, honesuki, garasuki.

Total essential types: 12
Beginner first: Santoku
Vegetable specialist: Nakiri or Usuba
Sushi specialist: Yanagiba

Overhead view of a partly unrolled plain canvas knife roll holding five knives with only their wooden handles showing and one empty pocket — Illustration

Table of Contents

For all 18 types in one chart — with kanji, name meanings, lengths in mm, and specialists such as the takohiki and soba-kiri — see our main guide to Japanese knife types.

TL;DR — Quick pick by use case

I just want one Japanese knife. 210mm gyuto. Covers 80% of work.
I cook a lot of Japanese-style food. 170mm santoku. Better for push-cutting vegetables.
I eat lots of vegetables. 165mm nakiri (everyday) or 195mm usuba (traditional/pro).
I make sushi or sashimi. 240mm yanagiba (single-bevel slicer).
I break down whole fish. 165mm deba.
I butcher chicken or duck. 150mm honesuki.
I trim and detail meat. 240mm sujihiki (slicer) + 150mm petty (utility).
I want a single specialty showpiece. 240mm kiritsuke gyuto or bunka.

Two-knife kit (most home cooks): 210mm gyuto + 150mm petty. Three-knife kit: add 165mm nakiri. Beyond that, knives are about specialization, not necessity.

12 blade shapes at a glance

The Japanese kitchen knife family in one compact map:

All-purpose (covers most tasks): santoku, gyuto, bunka
Vegetable specialists: nakiri (everyday), usuba (pro/traditional)
Fish specialists: deba (breaking down whole fish), yanagiba (slicing fillets)
Meat specialists: sujihiki (slicing roasts), honesuki (chicken), garasuki (larger poultry/game)
Utility and small: petty (3-6 inch utility), kiritsuke (specialty all-purpose)

Of these twelve, four are single-bevel in their traditional form: yanagiba, deba, usuba and kiritsuke — although modern kiritsuke-style gyutos are double-bevel. The two poultry knives, honesuki and garasuki, are made both ways. The rest are double-bevel and work in both hands. See our single vs double-bevel guide for why this distinction matters, and our full Japanese knife types guide for the kanji and meaning of every name, plus rarer specialist knives.

All-purpose: santoku, gyuto, bunka

The three Japanese knives that try to do "everything." If you own one Japanese knife, it will be one of these.

Santoku (三徳). "Three virtues" — vegetables, meat, fish. 165-180mm. Sheepsfoot tip (spine curves down to meet edge), flat-ish edge profile. Best for push-cutting. The Japanese household default. See santoku guide.
Gyuto (牛刀). Literally "beef sword." Japanese version of the Western chef's knife. 180-270mm (210mm is the most common). Pointed tip, curved edge profile. Better for rocking-cut, meat work, and tasks Western cooks expect of a chef's knife. See gyuto guide.
Bunka (文化). "Culture" knife. A hybrid between santoku and kiritsuke — flat edge profile like santoku, reverse-tanto tip like kiritsuke. 165-180mm. More precise tip work than santoku, more compact than gyuto. Less common in stores but gaining popularity among knife enthusiasts.

Choose: santoku if you cook Japanese-style with lots of push-cutting; gyuto if you cook Western-style with rocking-cut and meat work; bunka if you want something distinctive in the middle.

Vegetable: nakiri, usuba

The two purpose-built vegetable knives. Easy to confuse, but they serve different cooks.

Nakiri (菜切). "Vegetable cutter." Double-bevel, symmetric, works in both hands. 150-180mm. Squared-off tip, completely flat edge. Designed for push-cutting vegetables on a Japanese-style flat cutting board. The home cook's vegetable knife. See nakiri guide.
Usuba (薄刃). "Thin blade." Single-bevel, asymmetric (right-handed by default, left-handed on order). 180-225mm. Designed for traditional Japanese vegetable cuts like katsuramuki (paper-thin sheet of daikon). Requires single-bevel sharpening with ura-flat technique. The professional version of nakiri. See usuba guide.

Choose: nakiri for any home use. Usuba only if you specifically do traditional Japanese vegetable work and want to learn proper single-bevel maintenance. See our usuba vs nakiri guide.

Fish: deba, yanagiba

The pair you need to break down and serve a whole fish, traditional Japanese style.

Deba (出刃). Heavy, thick-spined single-bevel knife for breaking down whole fish. 150-210mm, but unusually heavy for its length (200-400g). Used to cut through fish bones, separate the head, and fillet the fish. The standard full-size form is the hon-deba ("true deba"); the smaller ko-deba suits small fish. (A "honyaki deba" is not a size: honyaki is a construction method, a blade forged from a single piece of steel and differentially hardened.) See deba guide.
Yanagiba (柳刃). "Willow blade." Single-bevel, very long (240-330mm), narrow and light. Designed for one continuous pull-cut to slice sashimi from a fillet. The signature knife of a sushi chef. See yanagiba guide.

Both are single-bevel — they need single-bevel sharpening technique and they are handed (right or left). For occasional home sushi without the maintenance burden, a sujihiki (double-bevel slicer) is a more practical substitute for yanagiba.

Meat: sujihiki, honesuki, garasuki

Three meat-focused knives, each for a different scale of animal.

Sujihiki (筋引). "Tendon-puller." Double-bevel slicer, 240-300mm, long and narrow. The Japanese version of a Western carving knife or slicer. Used for slicing roast meat, brisket, ham, and large fish fillets without dragging. The home cook's alternative to a yanagiba for sashimi.
Honesuki (骨スキ). Hone (骨) means bone; the name is usually translated simply as "bone knife." 145-180mm, triangular shape, rigid blade, pointed tip. Designed for articulating chicken joints and butchering whole birds. See honesuki guide.
Garasuki (ガラスキ). Larger version of honesuki, 180-230mm, for bigger poultry (duck, goose) or small game. Less common in home kitchens.

Of these three, only sujihiki sees regular home use. Honesuki and garasuki are specialist tools — buy them only if you actually butcher whole birds.

Small / utility: petty, kiritsuke

One for daily small tasks, one for tradition.

Petty (ペティ). "Small." Japanese utility knife, 75-150mm. The Japanese answer to a paring knife or small utility knife. Used for peeling, small fruit, garnish, anything too small for a gyuto. See petty guide.
Kiritsuke (切付). "Cut-attached" or "cut and finish." Traditional single-bevel, 240-300mm, with a flat reverse-curved tip. Often called a status knife: it is commonly said that only the head chef (itachō) could use one, although that story is disputed. Modern double-bevel "kiritsuke-style gyutos" are more accessible. See kiritsuke vs gyuto.

Petty is universally useful. Kiritsuke is a specialty piece — beautiful, distinctive, and not strictly necessary for any home cook.

Full comparison table

Knife	Best for	Length	Bevel	Best technique	Home cook need
Santoku	Vegetables, light meat/fish	165-180mm	Double	Push-cut	★★★★★
Gyuto	All-purpose chef	210mm	Double	Rocking + push	★★★★★
Bunka	All-purpose with tip work	165-180mm	Double	Push-cut	★★★
Nakiri	Home vegetables	165mm	Double	Push-cut	★★★★
Usuba	Traditional vegetable craft	195mm	Single	Pull/push specialty	★
Deba	Breaking down whole fish	165-180mm	Single	Cleaving + pull	★★
Yanagiba	Sashimi slicing	240-270mm	Single	One long pull	★★
Sujihiki	Slicing roasts, fish	240-270mm	Double	Pull-slice	★★★
Kiritsuke	Status, all-purpose	240-300mm	Single (trad) / Double (modern)	Push-cut + tip	★★
Petty	Small utility	120-150mm	Double	Any small task	★★★★★
Honesuki	Chicken butchery	150mm	Single or double	Articulation	★★
Garasuki	Larger poultry	180-230mm	Single or double	Articulation	★

Which to buy first, second, third

Knife number	Recommended	Why
1st knife	210mm gyuto (or 170mm santoku)	Covers 80% of home cooking
2nd knife	120-150mm petty	Small tasks the gyuto cannot do
3rd knife	165mm nakiri	Vegetable specialist if you eat lots
4th knife	240mm sujihiki	Slicing meat, fish at the dinner table
5th knife	150mm honesuki	If you butcher chicken regularly
6th knife	165mm deba + 240mm yanagiba	If you serve whole fish or sashimi at home
Specialty	Kiritsuke, usuba, garasuki	Only when you have a specific use

The biggest mistake is buying knives 3-7 in the same year. Each new knife adds maintenance overhead, drawer space, and sharpening time. Add them gradually as your cooking style demands them.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most useful Japanese knife to own?

For most home cooks, a 170-180mm santoku or a 210mm gyuto. The santoku is slightly more vegetable-focused, the gyuto more all-purpose. Either one covers about 80% of normal home cooking. Our editorial default for a first Japanese knife is a 210mm gyuto — it has the longest useful working life because it grows with your cooking skill. See gyuto guide and santoku guide.

What is the difference between santoku and gyuto?

Santoku has a shorter, flatter blade with a "sheepsfoot" tip (the spine curves down to meet the edge). Best at 165-180mm. Optimized for push-cutting vegetables in a Japanese-style kitchen. Gyuto is the Japanese version of a Western chef's knife — longer, more curved edge, pointed tip. Best at 210-240mm. Better at rocking-cut motion, meat, fish, and the kind of all-purpose work that defines a Western chef's knife. Santoku is more compact and more "Japanese feel"; gyuto is more versatile and more familiar to Western cooks. See our santoku vs gyuto guide.

Do I need a yanagiba if I make sushi at home?

Only if you frequently slice sashimi or thin slabs of fish. A yanagiba is a single-bevel, ultra-long (240-330mm) knife designed for one long pull-cut to slice a uniform piece of sashimi from a fillet. It is the right tool for the job, but it requires single-bevel sharpening technique and is not useful for any other task. If you make sushi 1-2 times a month, a 240mm sujihiki (double-bevel slicer) is more practical and easier to maintain. If you make sushi weekly and want to learn proper technique, then yanagiba. See yanagiba guide.

Can I use a Japanese knife for everything in my kitchen?

Almost. The two exceptions are bones and frozen food. The hard HRC 60-65 steel of most Japanese knives will chip if you try to chop through chicken bones, beef bones, or frozen meat. For those tasks, keep a Western cleaver, a Japanese deba (which is built for fish bones but tougher than typical Japanese knives), or a heavy German chef's knife in the kitchen. Everything else — vegetables, fruit, boneless meat, fish fillets, herbs — Japanese knives handle better than Western ones.

What is a kiritsuke and why is it so expensive?

Kiritsuke (切付) is a traditional Japanese knife shape with a flat reverse-curved tip, often described as a status symbol: it is commonly said that only the head chef (itachō) used one in a traditional kitchen, although that story is disputed. The traditional version is single-bevel and long (240-300mm), making it among the most difficult Japanese knives to use. Modern double-bevel kiritsuke gyutos (often called "K-tip gyutos") have brought the shape to home cooks at normal gyuto prices. The traditional single-bevel kiritsuke remains a specialist tool. See kiritsuke vs gyuto guide.

What is the difference between deba and honesuki?

Deba is for fish, honesuki is for chicken. Deba is a heavy, thick-spined, single-bevel knife designed to cut through fish bones and break down whole fish — head, spine, ribs. Honesuki is a small, triangular knife designed to articulate chicken joints, separate breast meat from the keel bone, and butcher whole birds. Different tools for different animals; the techniques and grinds do not overlap. See deba guide and honesuki guide.

How many knives do I actually need?

Most home cooks need two or three: a 210mm gyuto (or 170mm santoku) for 80% of work, a 120-150mm petty for small tasks, and optionally a 165mm nakiri if you eat a lot of vegetables. That is it. Adding a yanagiba, deba, or specialty knife only makes sense if you frequently do that specific task. The biggest mistake home cooks make is buying a 7-piece knife block — most of those knives never come out. See first knife guide.

Are all Japanese knives single-bevel?

No — only the traditional Japanese-cuisine knives (yanagiba and its takohiki variant, deba, usuba, and kiritsuke in its traditional form) are single-bevel. The poultry knives, honesuki and garasuki, come in both single- and double-bevel versions. The everyday knives — gyuto, santoku, nakiri, bunka, sujihiki, petty — are all sharpened on both sides, just like Western knives. The single-bevel vs double-bevel distinction is one of the most important things to understand when buying Japanese knives, because it determines the sharpening technique, the hand it can be used in, and whether the knife is suitable for everyday tasks. See our single vs double-bevel guide.