Yanagiba Knives | Japanese Sashimi Knife | Vivront

The yanagiba is a traditional Japanese single-bevel knife designed for slicing raw fish. It is the sashimi knife. Long, narrow, and ground on one side only, it produces clean cuts through fish fillets in a single drawing stroke, no sawing, no tearing, no cellular damage to the flesh.

Most yanagiba blades run between 270mm and 330mm. The length is not decorative. It allows the full cut to happen in one pull, which is what keeps the surface of the fish intact and the texture clean on the plate.

Single-bevel: what it means

A single-bevel knife is sharpened on one side only. The back is flat, or very slightly concave — that hollow is called the urashiki, and it prevents the fish from sticking to the blade as you cut. The flat back is also what lets the knife track so precisely through soft protein.

Most yanagiba are made for right-handed use. Left-handed versions exist and are worth specifying if that applies to you.

Single-bevel knives sharpen differently than double-bevel knives. The bevel side is sharpened at the existing angle. The flat back is kept flat. If you are new to single-bevel sharpening, our mail-in sharpening service handles both.

Yanagiba vs sujihiki

The sujihiki is the double-bevel alternative for slicing. It is more versatile and easier for most home cooks to use and sharpen. If you are primarily breaking down proteins for everyday cooking, the sujihiki is the more practical choice.

The yanagiba is for cooks who work with raw fish regularly and want the traditional tool for the job. The single bevel produces a cut that a double-bevel knife cannot fully replicate.

Who this knife is for

Home sushi and sashimi cooks who want to do it properly. Anyone who works with whole fish regularly. Cooks who have already developed knife skills and want to extend them into single-bevel territory.

If you are earlier in that journey, start with our knife shapes guide or visit us at 4948 France Ave S in Edina to handle them in person.