Japanese Kitchen Knives

Sales of Japanese kitchen knives are booming, but how many people have the skills to use these superbly crafted tools to full advantage? Now, renowned chef Hiromitsu Nozaki shares his expertise and insights in a book that will help anyone who owns a Japanese knife to maximize its performance.

In “Japanese Kitchen Knives,” Nozaki teaches the reader how to use the three main traditional Japanese knives: the usuba, the deba, and the yanagiba. He explains many essential details, such as the importance of the angle of the blade and how force is applied through it, and illustrates these lessons by working with ingredients familiar to Western readers, such as everyday vegetables and rainbow trout. The instructions are accompanied by simple, easy-to-follow recipes that use the cutting techniques described.

As you read the book, you will gain basic knowledge not only about specific techniques using Japanese knives, but also about the knives in general, from basic cutting stance and sharpening techniques to knife anatomy, knife forging, and the enormous range of shapes these knives can take.

One of Tokyo’s most renowned chefs shows how to maximize the performance of the world’s best knives.

Color photos (from the chef’s perspective) and detailed commentary cover the step-by-step process of cutting.

Each cutting technique is accompanied by recipes that call for its use. All recipes are very straightforward, using easily available ingredients.

Specialty knives are shown on location, from a unique unagi eel knife used in a specialty restaurant to a colossal tuna filleting knife wielded at the Tokyo fish market.

Other sections include a look at artisanal Japanese knife-making and information on sharpening, storing and identifying the variety of knives.

Additional Information:

By Hiromitsu Nozaki with Kate Klippensteen
Kodansha Int’l

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Latest 15 of 28 Total Comments Show All

presto345 at 06:44 PM JST - 2nd July

henkels and wusthof are better

Better than which knives, exactly? Japanese kitchen knives is a general term. They come in many qualities and so do the Henckels knives. I have an expensive set of Zwilling Henckels knives sitting in a woodblock. Never, never hang your knives. I also have a couple of rather expensive Japanese knives, for slicing sushi and a deba for other purposes. Without comparative data the above quote is meaningless.
LIBERTAS at 08:16 PM JST - 2nd July

The reason I don't use Japanese knives is that they don't have finger-guards at the back end of the blades. Give me ergonomically designed, non-rusting German knives any day.
tclh at 08:52 PM JST - 2nd July

With carbide steel in the middle and stainless steel on both sides ,japanese kitchen knives may be superb quality but I love my collection of Thailand stainless steel kitchen knives, Kiwi brand. With 200 dollars you can probably buy just one japanese knife ,but with that money I can buy whole set of Kiwi brand knive from fruit knife to carving knife to meat cleaver... and still have some money left .These knives are so sharp ,so light easy to use and so on, but beware of nasty imitation from China.
knews at 10:03 PM JST - 2nd July

I like Henckels too, but you don't really know what sharp is until you have used a professional Japanese kitchen knife.
presto345 at 10:05 PM JST - 2nd July

Thailand stainless steel kitchen knives, Kiwi brand

Oh, yes. I remember. Dirt cheap. For those on a limited budget. Their lifespan is limited as well. You will find out in a couple of years.

I do think amateur cooks/chefs don't need to spend a fortune on chef knives, but if you do spend a fair amount of time in the kitchen with the idea of preparing quality dishes you won't be very successful with low priced inferior knives. Cheap knives lose their cutting edge real quick. If you think Japanese knives rust, you have never seen a real Japanese knife. Wanna know more? Have a look here: http://reviews.cookingcache.com/kitchen-knives-review.html
OssanAmerica at 12:37 AM JST - 3rd July

i'm sure the blade is wonderful, but do you think they could try some >new handle designs? doesn't look like it would be very comfortable to >use. and how about a loop for easy hanging?

I have used Japanese Hocho's for a few decades and I assure you that the very simple handle is extremely comfortable. Furthermore, it's more than just tradition. The simplicity itself allows a greater concentration and control at the cutting edge, a necessity as some aspects of Japanese cuisine which call for some almost unbelievably detailed cutting. There's no way that as modern "erognomic" handle could provide this as I have found from personal experience. The handle of Japanese knives made of wood also has an antibacterial aspect, a trait shared by many traditional Japanese cooking tools. NOTHING beats Japanes knives for reducing a whole fish into anything you want. That said, I still prefer my Wustoffs to prepare and carve my rib roast. Very few people in the U.S. "hang" their knives, most everyone relying on knife blocks for storage. There really is no need for loops or straps on ANY kithen knife. I've watched Japanese chefs keep their knives very carefully stored each one wrapped in cloth.
OssanAmerica at 01:54 AM JST - 3rd July

The reason I don't use Japanese knives is that they don't have finger->guards at the back end of the blades. Give me ergonomically designed, >non-rusting German knives any day.

Japanese knives and German knives were originally designed for different cuisines calling for differnt cutting styles and methods. They really aren't interchangable. And if you really need a finger guard to use a kitchen knife you shouldn't be in the kitchen. The vast majority of German, French, American, and their collective Chinese knockoffs and such, don't have finger guards.
OssanAmerica at 02:00 AM JST - 3rd July

henkels and wusthof are better

Silly comment. The range of "Japanese kitchen knives" is unbelievably wide startuing from low priced ones foun in any "home center" to the most sought after expensive ones. Henkels is better? Which ones, the Henkels International Series priced ultra low made in China crap, or the slightly better ones made in Spain or the good stuff made in Solingen Germany? I own both Henckels and Wustofs (same company now I believe) and they have their place for sure, but it's not the same as that for Japanese knives.
panzerdampf at 01:37 PM JST - 6th July

tclh,

Yeah, those Kiwi knives are great aren't they? 8", $3.99. Assorted small ones, $1.50 each. I'd get the $8.99 cleaver, but I want to keep my fingers.
am1301 at 12:41 PM JST - 7th July

henkels and wusthof are better

Those are bad knives. Go read anthony bourdain's book "kitchen confidential", Most professional chefs in america don't even use henkels and wusthof, they prefer global brand knives.
OhioDonna at 11:58 PM JST - 8th July

I love mono-histories. I have read the history of the pencil, the toilet and most recently one about chewing gum. There are mono-histories for almost anything in the world. They are fun reads.
Mittsu at 08:42 PM JST - 9th July

Globals are fabulous. i must also say I am amazed at the extent of JT readers' knife knowledge. Seesm this book is redundant
Sarge at 09:15 PM JST - 9th July

I've had a Swiss-made kitchen knife for 30 years. It's cut countless vegetables, chicken, fish, etc., I never sharpen it and it's still sharp as a razor! ( won't cut tin cans, though, like the kitchen knife in that commercial where they say "Wait - there's more!"
Himajin at 05:50 AM JST - 11th July

I can just picture a Monty Python sketch with someone bumbling into hanging Japanese knives and coming out much the worse for it :-D Besides it being like having a razor hanging on the wall, the other reason not to hang, jostle or crash them about is chipping of the blades. It can be fixed, but why damage them in the first place?

I for an American knock-off of a Japanese knife, the shape of both blade and handle is identical (the handle is steel though) and one month on it won't cut butter :-D

If you go to a kanemonoya outside the city you can get really nice knives for about 8500 each. I wouldn't use anything else.
oberst at 09:27 AM JST - 18th July

I use a tanto in shira saya signed Sa for daily kichen use, that sucker is sharp !!