🔪 🇯🇵Yanagiba Shirogami knife with a 27 cm blade is a thin and long traditional Japanese knife. Yanagiba knives were designed for slicing raw fish into thin slices (perfect for sushi lovers) as well as for slicing large pieces of meat (such as steaks). It is a single-bevel knife, meaning that only right-handed people can handle it. Although Yanagiba knives are usually used only in sushi and Japanese restaurants, there is a growing trend for home cooks to own these beauties for sushi or weekend BBQ parties. ⚡️

The blade of this knife is made of Hitachi 2 white steel, also known as Shirogami 2, which was hardened to approximately 61-62 HRC.

❗Since Shirogami steel does not contain chrome, a patina forms on such a blade during use. However, the main advantage of this steel is that it has a very thin, soft sharpness, is easy to sharpen, and stays sharp for a very long time. To care for such blades, Ballistol oil is recommended.

🚩The blade is protected by a thin anti-corrosion oil coating, which protects it from rust and scratches even before it reaches its owner's hands. Therefore, carefully wash the knife before the first use to remove this thin protection.

Osaka Hamono blacksmiths equipped the Japanese (wa) handle with a plastic end cap. The handle is made of magnolia wood, which is the most commonly used handle wood for traditional Japanese knives. Magnolia wood is a soft, light wood that requires additional care as it is prone to staining, so we recommend having clean hands before using the knife. Japanese sushi chefs prefer this wood for its antiseptic properties and its ease and affordability to process, as there are many magnolia handles available on the market.

Suitable for those who are buying a Japanese kitchen knife for the first time. It can also serve as a wonderful gift!

Use and care:

⚡️Hand wash in warm water and dry with a towel.

⚡️Use a sharpening stone (not a honing steel!) to sharpen the knife.

⚡️Do not cut frozen products or meat bones.

⚡️Do not wash the knife in the dishwasher.

⚡️Check out our detailed guide to proper care of kitchen knives.

Still not sure which type of Japanese knife is best for you? We have created a quick 5-step test that will help you find the perfect knife based on your culinary skills and types of products.