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Kikuichi Traditional Knives
The basic Traditional Japanese Knife shapes are YANAGIBA (Long slicing knives) DEBA (Heavy Knife used for fileting a beheading fish) and USUBA (Cleaver shape for vegetables). They are true one sided knives with the edge coming to a chisel point. The front side has a pronounced bevel known as the shinogi line. The back side is concave so that when laid on a sharpening stone, the only part that touches is the cutting edge, spine and a bit of the tip. This allows you to sharpen the back side of the knife without scratching it up. Many chefs simply lay the front of the knife on the stone with the shinogi line flat and sharpen. Then lay the back of the knife flat on the stone simply to remove the burr. Please note that these are pure carbon steel knives and will rust if not wiped dry after each use.
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Kikuichi Kasumi Series 9.4-inch (240mm) Fuguhiki
A fuguhiki is a specialist slicer, and Kikuichi explains that it is used to achieve ultra-thin slices of fugu, with a much thinner blade than a yanagi. This 240mm Kasumi fuguhiki brings that thin, flexible-feeling blade to any fish served in translucent slices, such as fluke and sea bream, and to thin carpaccio of scallop.It follows the Kasumi construction, pairing a White #2 carbon edge with a softer carbon steel back, and has a traditional single bevel. The thinner blade asks for a lighter hand and a careful sharpening routine than a yanagi does, so it suits sushi chefs and experienced home cooks who already own a yanagi and want a dedicated knife for usuzukuri, the paper-thin style of slicing. Keep it to boneless whitefish and away from chopping or hard foods.
Fuguhiki or Yanagi?For general sashimi and sushi work, the Kasumi 9.4-inch (240mm) Yanagi has a sturdier blade. Learn More$484.95 -
Kikuichi Kokaji White Carbon 8.25-inch (210mm) Kiritsuke Gyuto
Sakai’s Kokaji-kai smiths hand forge the Kokaji kiritsuke gyuto, which pairs a White #2 carbon edge with the angled kiritsuke tip of the traditional Japanese knife. Each blade carries a hand-engraved chrysanthemum.Kikuichi gives the Kokaji gyuto a double-bevel, 50/50 edge, so it works like a chef’s knife for left- and right-handed cooks, and the angled tip adds precision for fine cuts and scoring. The 8.25-inch (210mm) length handles everyday prep, from dicing onions to slicing proteins. Hardened to 61 to 62 HRC, the steel takes a very keen edge and will patina with use, so it suits a cook who already cares for carbon steel. A saya is included, and the knife should be sharpened on whetstones to keep its double bevel even.
Comparing Carbon GyutosFor a Western-handled carbon gyuto, see the GC Series Carbon Steel 8.25-inch (210mm) Gyuto. The Kokaji 9.4-inch (240mm) Kiritsuke Yanagi is the single-bevel slicer of the line. Learn More$479.95 -
Kikuichi Kokaji White Carbon 9.4-inch (240mm) Kiritsuke Yanagi
Kikuichi’s Kokaji knives are completely hand forged by the Kokaji-kai knife makers in Sakai, and this 9.4-inch (240mm) yanagi gives the classic sashimi knife an angled kiritsuke tip. Kikuichi points to the line’s geometry, edge retention and eye-catching kiritsuke tip, and each blade is hand engraved with the Kikuichi chrysanthemum.The single-bevel White #2 carbon edge at 61 to 62 HRC slices raw fish in one smooth pull, and the angled tip is useful for fine scoring and detailed garnish work. This is a knife for an experienced sushi cook or a collector who wants a hand-forged Sakai blade made in the traditional way, and it ships with a saya. Like any traditional carbon knife, it should be dried and oiled after use and sharpened on whetstones.
From the Same MakersThe Kokaji White Carbon 8.25-inch (210mm) Kiritsuke Gyuto brings the same steel and tip to a double-bevel chef’s knife. Learn More$440.00 -
Kikuichi Kasumi Series 8.25-inch (210mm) Yanagi
The 8.25-inch (210mm) yanagi is the shortest in Kikuichi’s Kasumi range and the most practical for a home kitchen, where a long sashimi knife can overhang a standard cutting board. Kikuichi supplies this size with a saya to protect the edge.The single-bevel blade is hand forged in Kikuichi’s Kasumi construction, a hard White #2 carbon edge joined to a softer carbon steel back. That pairing gives a fine, keen edge for slicing salmon, tuna and yellowtail, and the softer back makes sharpening on whetstones more forgiving. It is a good first traditional knife for a home cook learning to make sashimi and nigiri, and the shorter length is easier to control as that skill develops.
210mm or 240mm?The Kasumi 9.4-inch (240mm) Yanagi gives the longer single stroke professional sushi cooks prefer. For a slicer with a double-bevel edge, see the GC Series Carbon Steel 9.4-inch (240mm) Sujihiki. Learn More$385.00 -
Kikuichi Kasumi Series 9.4-inch (240mm) Yanagi
Kikuichi calls the yanagi the quintessential sashimi knife, and the 9.4-inch (240mm) Kasumi yanagi is the length sushi cooks reach for at the counter. Its long, narrow single-bevel blade slices raw fish in one pulling stroke, which leaves a clean, glossy surface with no torn fibers.Kasumi is Kikuichi’s most popular traditional series, by its own account, and Kikuichi calls a Kasumi yanagi a knife fit for a true professional. Kikuichi hand forges the blade from two pieces of steel, a hard White #2 carbon edge backed by a softer carbon steel jacket, following traditional sword-making technique, which makes the edge keen and the blade forgiving to sharpen. Because it is single bevel, the yanagi rewards a cook who learns traditional sharpening, and it is a natural step for a home cook who already makes sushi and sashimi.
Choosing a Kasumi YanagiThe Kasumi 8.25-inch (210mm) Yanagi suits a home cutting board, and the Kasumi 9.4-inch (240mm) Fuguhiki is thinner for paper-thin slices. Learn More$440.00
