Yanagiba Knife: The Japanese Sashimi Knife Explained

The yanagiba (柳刃, “willow blade”) is the Japanese knife for slicing raw fish. Its name comes from the long, slim shape that resembles a willow leaf. It is a Kansai (Osaka) style knife, and Sakai has made most of them for centuries. In Tokyo the traditional counterpart was the takohiki, a similar slicer with a square tip, but the yanagiba is now the standard across Japan.

Blade shape and geometry

A yanagiba is long, narrow, and pointed. Lengths start at 240mm and commonly run to 300mm or more, while blade height is only about 30 to 35mm. The edge is nearly straight with a slight curve near the tip.

It is single-bevel. The front face has one wide bevel, and the back is hollow-ground (urasuki) with a narrow flat rim along the edge. This produces an extremely acute edge, and the concave back reduces friction so fish releases cleanly from the blade. The whole point of the length is to cut each slice in a single, long pulling stroke from heel to tip, with no sawing.

What it is for, and what it is bad at

Use a yanagiba for sashimi, nigiri slices, usuzukuri (paper-thin slices of white fish), and skinning fish fillets. The clean, one-stroke cut leaves a smooth, shiny surface, which matters for texture and appearance in Japanese cuisine.

It is bad at everything else. It cannot chop vegetables well, the thin edge chips on bones, and the long blade is awkward on a small board. It is not a general slicer for cooked roasts either. A sujihiki is easier there. You also need a whole fish broken down first, which is the deba’s job.

Common lengths and which to choose

Most home cooks should buy 270mm. It is long enough for one-stroke slices through a salmon or tuna block but still fits a standard board.

Bevel and handedness

The yanagiba is single-bevel and handed. Standard stock is right-handed. Left-handed versions have the bevel on the opposite face and are usually made to order at a higher price. Do not buy a right-handed yanagiba if you are left-handed. Our single bevel vs double bevel guide explains why.

Steel recommendations

Traditional yanagiba are made in Sakai from Shirogami #1, Shirogami #2, or Aogami #2, with a soft iron body. Carbon gives the keenest edge but reacts with fish and salt, so it needs wiping during use and drying after.

Ginsan is the best stainless option for single-bevel knives, because it sharpens on stones almost like carbon. That is why the Sakai Takayuki Ginsan yanagiba is a practical pick for home sushi. Entry yanagiba start around $120 to $200, and handmade Sakai blades go from $300 to well past $800. Prices move with the yen. You will need whetstones to maintain one. See our whetstone sharpening guide.

Who should buy one, and who should skip it

Buy a yanagiba if you make sushi or sashimi at home regularly, buy sashimi-grade fish blocks, and are willing to sharpen on stones.

Skip it if you mostly want to slice cooked meat, if you only make sushi a couple of times a year, or if you do not want to learn single-bevel sharpening. A sujihiki or a long gyuto will do more for you.

Compare with

• Sujihiki: the double-bevel slicer, easier for meat and for lefties.
• Deba: the heavy knife that breaks down the fish before you slice it.
• Guide: Single bevel vs double bevel Japanese knives

If you want a left-handed yanagiba or a specific length, send us a request and we will quote it with duties included.