Today, we'll cut deeper than a 90's Ginsu knife infomercial with a blog about types of authentic Japanese knives for those thinking to invest in getting at least one for their kitchen.
It is no surprise that the art of blade making started in Japan during samurai times as Japanese kitchen knives are pretty much the sharpest money can buy. The time when the craft began to be developed is why there are many types with different advantages as Japan was once divided up into areas which each had their own unique sword crafting techniques that are still very used in the production of Japanese kitchen knives today. Out of this came knives for various specific purposes and some of these will be explained below.
Ceramic Knife - If you are just starting out with your cooking and building your kitchen arsenal, this is a great light and easy to hold yet sharp enough knife for getting most cutting jobs done in spades in your kitchen. The only drawback is that these will likely not be the ones you pass on to you great grandchildren unlike the others on this list because they are not known to last nearly as long but do note they are still popular among professional chefs. One thing that makes ceramic knives great for beginners is that the material they are made from allows them to stay sharper longer so you won't need to invest in a good knife sharpener for at least a while. You won't be cutting any frozen foods or even boning or prying with one of these so be aware that you will encounter some limitations as your recipes expand but again this is fine for doing a wide range of other knife tasks and not a bad one to start with at all.
Nakiri Knife - It looks sort of like the end was broken or cut right off but do not be fooled as this tool from Seki City is the one you'll want for slicing and dicing up your greens and all kinds of veggies like a ninja thanks to the blade's unique features such as its flatness and intentional lack of a tip in the design. Big vegetables like eggplant and hard root vegetables like daikon and carrot will be no longer giving you any problems so this is one you'll want in your kitchen for all those healthy recipes.
Yanagiba Knife- This knife is used for preparing fish because of its length and very sharp blade. If you do sashimi then look no further because this is your guy! These knives give you a long and narrow blade with a pointed tip and specially designed edge that allows for efficient and precise cuts to be pulled off with considerable ease. They are excellent for skinning and filleting a variety of fish but not preferred for larger fish.
Gyuto Knife - Looks sort of deceivingly similar to the average "kitchen knife" you may already have but it’s much sharper and probably a lot more well-made too. The rounded shape of the blade makes it great for rocking it back and forth to make precise slices. While you can use it as a multi-purpose knife to cut vegetables, it is more suited for your meats and you can do the "rock chop" with it to mince just like with conventional western knives. By the way, the name means "beef sword" in Japanese so there you go!
Which knife do you think suits your needs the best? We hope this blog gave you some ideas. See you next time.
