In Japanese cuisine, it all begins with the pinnacle of the Japanese chef’s craft: sashimi. A delicacy of fresh seafood evenly sliced and plated with wasabi and shoyu (soya sauce), sashimi is served before the main dishes, allowing each and every morsel to be savored and enjoyed to its utmost. The beauty, simplicity and texture of sashimi is unlike anything else.

The Yanagi-bocho (literal translation: willow blade) is the only tool for preparing fresh sashimi. For connoisseurs, this knife, above all others, encapsulates the very essence of Japanese knife design and craftsmanship. The Unsui Yanagi-bocho’s blade measures 210mm (8.2in), which allows for single fluid strokes through the fish. This famous Japanese knife’s defining characteristic is its single edge, allowing for greater pitch and, as a result, finer slices of fresh raw fish (sashimi).

This kitchen knife was produced by Kirin Hamono exclusively for Unique Japan. Kirin Hamono has been crafting quality kitchen knives in Japan for more than 130 years – having established their guild just after the Meiji Restoration in 1868. This is a significant time in Japanese history as it marked the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate, and with it Japanese swords (katana) were no longer permitted to be worn in public by Samurai.

These knives are born by swordsmiths who simply channeled their katana expertise towards cutlery production to meet a new set of timely demands. Craftsmen working at Kirin Hamono STILL USE sword-making techniques to this day to forge kitchen knives, and are one of the last remaining workshops in Japan proudly doing so.

Kirin knives have been used by many top chefs in Japan that include Nobuo Murakami, the former head chef at Tokyo’s Imperial Hotel and Komei Nakamura who was a champion Iron Chef. A “Kirin” is Japan’s most powerful fire-breathing mythical creature that is said to bring a good omen.

Your kitchen will in turn be filled with the human energy that went into crafting each and every knife. We absolutely promise you’ll feel the difference. Not only is it safer to use a sharp knife, your food will taste better. And most importantly, you’ll be noticeably inspired to eat healthy and enjoy the foods of life!

This knife is created with handcrafted construction techniques used when forging a traditional Japanese samurai sword (katana). The blade is hand-forged of both high-carbon and low-carbon steel. The result is an impeccably sharp and lightweight knife that performs its intended purpose with incredible precision.

A very sharp sashimi knife is absolutely necessary, and the implications are significant. When slicing fish with a sharp knife you are first and foremost minimizing the cell damage done to the fish. This directly helps to keep the fish fresher, tastier and maintains its colour and presentation. It’s a joy to use and with this knife you can now buy fresh sashimi from your trusted fish source in larger quantities and prepare the slices at home. It’s incredibly inspirational and will save you some money too – sushi restaurants can get expensive if you frequent them often.

There is no need to sharpen the knife for the first 6 months of regular usage. It stays VERY sharp. Eventually it will need to be sharpened and we recommend using the Suehiro Roll Sharpener that can sharpen all types of kitchen knives safely and without damage.

The knives in our Unsui collection feature a unique hammertone pattern, designed to allow cut food to slide easily from the knife’s surface. The pattern is inspired in part by the exquisite beauty of Echizen Japanese washi paper. In addition, the hammering process allows the molecule mixture to become more compact at the microscopic level, giving the knife its strength, sharpness and longevity. Each knife is a true work of art, with no two knives the same. The superior quality and craftsmanship is strikingly evident.

The Japanese kanji stamped on the knife reads Unsui, which means “flowing clouds and water”. This is a term to describe the dedicated spiritual training of Zen Buddhist monks who have achieved enlightenment after an initial period of training under their first master, take to the road in search of other masters. This is a knife meant for someone who is devoted to perfecting his or her craft. The UJ stamp gives the owner confidence in knowing that this knife is a genuine handcrafted product of Japan and meets the highest standards.

The teardrop-shaped sakura (Japanese cherry tree) handle has a well-defined ridge along its side that fits perfectly in hand, as well stabilizes the blade, preventing it from turning and twisting mid-stroke. It is extremely comfortable and natural to hold and work with for right-handed individuals. For left-handed users, please contact us for options.

Hand-forged kitchen knives created in the ancient city of Takefu represent Japanese craftsmanship at its very finest. Dating back almost seven centuries to 1337, master swordsmith Chiyozuru Kuniyasu traveled from Kyoto to the Fukui prefecture looking for water most suitable to forge his samurai swords. His search ended in Koshinokuni, which later grew to be Takefu city.

• Blade length: 210mm (8.2in)
• Knife weight: 140g (4.9oz)
• Handcrafted in Takefu using traditional Japanese sword-making techniques (watch video)
• Extremely sharp and lightweight
• Produced from extremely high quality VG-10 stainless steel
• Blade contains high levels of Carbon (1%) for strength and Chromium (15%) that gives it excellent stain resistance. Other elements in this unique steel formulation include Vanadium, Molybdenum and Cobalt.
• Hardened to HRC 60-61 (Rockwell Scale)
• Japanese sakura handle with its teardrop-shape makes it very comfortable to hold (right-handed only). For left-handed users, please contact us for options.
• Unique personalized engraving services are available on the blade of this knife (we will phonetically translate the desired name into Japanese characters). Just $10 per knife!
• Each knife has its own unique character that is strikingly evident – no two knives are alike.
• Each knife holds the soul and energy of the men and women who personally handcrafted it.

• Genuine Handcrafted Unsui Yanagi-bocho from Takefu, Japan
• Securely Packaged in Box with Printed Japanese Caligraphy on Cover
• Printed Knife Care Instructions Included
• Comprehensive Product Description (text that appears on this page)

• Limited Lifetime Warranty
• 110% Money Back Guarantee
• Payments: Fully Secure through PayPal (accepting all major credit cards and debit cards)
• Deliveries within Japan: Absolutely free. Shipments generally arrive within 1-2 days once dispatched.
• International Express Delivery: Shipment is sent via EMS (Express Mail Service) for only $19.99 from Japan. Normally arrives within 4 days once dispatched. Track and trace code provided.
• Authenticity: Guaranteed. A knife purchased from Unique Japan is a genuine Japanese master craftsmanship investment.