Collection: Yanagiba
Yanagiba 柳刃包丁
The Yanagiba is the soul of Japanese sashimi preparation — a long, single-bevel knife of extraordinary elegance and precision. Its name, 柳刃 (Yanagiba), means "willow blade", a poetic reference to its long, slender profile that tapers gracefully to a fine point. Originating in the culinary traditions of Osaka and western Japan, the Yanagiba is the knife of choice for sushi and sashimi chefs worldwide, and mastering it is considered a rite of passage in the Japanese professional kitchen.
The single-bevel grind of the Yanagiba is what sets it apart from other slicing knives. By removing steel from only one side of the blade, the craftsman creates an edge of unparalleled sharpness and a geometry that allows the knife to glide through raw fish with seemingly zero resistance — The flat, slightly concave back of the blade, known as (urasuki/裏スキ), prevents the fish from sticking, while the long blade length allows the full cut to be completed in a single, uninterrupted drawing stroke.
At Shinobi Industries, our Yanagiba collection features handmade knives crafted by master blacksmiths across Japan. From Shirogami and Aogami high-carbon steels, to VG-10 and Ginsan honed to a mirror polish in Sakai — the historic home of single-bevel knife making — each Yanagiba we offer represents decades — often generations — of Japanese craftsmanship, knowledge, tradition and skill.
