In most kitchens around the world, the flavor of food is enhanced primarily through thermal processing and spices. In Japanese cuisine, however, the use of seasonal and fresh ingredients is highly important, making carefully and precisely cut food a key part of preparation, with great attention also paid to the visual presentation and decoration of each dish.
All of this translates into the method of preparation—into cutting techniques that highlight the natural beauty and flavor of the ingredient. This concept is called shun and describes the essence of the season, food that can be enjoyed locally and seasonally. The surface area of the food changes depending on the cut, which in turn alters the mouthfeel (where the taste receptors are located)—and this is where Japanese kitchen knives, designed for executing clean and precise cuts, come into play.
HOW TO CORRECTLY HOLD A KITCHEN KNIFE
For safe and comfortable work, knives must be held correctly! The lead role belongs to the dominant hand—the one holding the knife—but the other hand is an equally important supporting factor, as it holds, pushes, and stabilizes the ingredient.
- The blade must be sharp and clean – A sharp knife is a safe knife; it enables precise cutting and reduces the risk of accidents.
- Correct posture of the cutting hand – A proper knife grip is essential in Japanese cutting techniques. The most common grip for versatile knives is the pinch grip, where the thumb and index finger pinch the blade just forward of the handle, so the middle finger rests in the choil, and the ring and pinky fingers wrap around the handle. This grip allows for better control and balance when cutting. A correct knife grip ensures we use the full length and sharpness of the blade as efficiently as possible. The pinch grip is the primary grip for cutting, but for demanding and precise tasks requiring more accurate guidance, we place the index finger on the spine of the blade. This allows exact control of the front part of the knife (the tip), which is necessary for tasks like filleting, carving, piercing, scoring...
- Correct grip on the food while cutting – To stabilize the food during cutting, a proper grip is necessary to prevent cuts and injuries. The ideal hand position on the ingredient is called the "bear claw": the fingertips and nails press down on the ingredient, while the first knuckles serve as a guide for the knife during cutting, as the blade glides safely back and forth against the knuckles. This allows for cutting and dictates the width and thickness of the slice. Both hands move synchronously in the cutting direction until the ingredient is finished. This method requires proper body posture.
- Cutting – With a Japanese knife, we do not chop; we cut without applying force by using an even pressure in a back-and-forth motion with minimal lifting of the blade from the surface. For a sharp knife, the steady pressure of the forward and backward glide is enough.
CORRECT BLADE MOVEMENT
For Japanese cuisine and the proper use of thin Japanese knives, correct blade movement is also essential. The basic movement of the blade originates from the shoulder, not the wrist as in Western techniques.
Japanese knives utilize a push-and-pull cutting technique; the blade is pushed straight down through the food, rather than pulling it or rocking it up and down, which allows us to utilize the full length of the knife and its sharpness. With this technique, we not only cut the ingredient correctly and evenly, but we also ensure the long-lasting sharpness of the knife and avoid unnecessary damage to the edge, which would otherwise be caused by rough chopping on the board.
- Push and pull – With a proper pinch grip, the only comfortable cutting method is the push-and-pull technique, moving the arm back and forth (which is done with the shoulders and not the wrist, unlike the European cutting method—the arm movement originates from the shoulder and not the wrist).
- Sashimi nigiri – For sashimi, utmost attention is paid to using minimal force with maximum utilization of the blade's length. The goal is to cut the thinnest possible slice with as little damage to the ingredient as possible. The cut starts at the heel of the blade and finishes in a long arc at the tip of the blade. Before completing the cut, the master begins to lift the knife, thereby extending the slice. Through this motion, they apply no unnecessary pressure on the blade.
- Chop – With Japanese knives, this technique is used only with heavy blades designed for chopping, such as the deba. It intentionally features a steeper single-bevel angle that allows for filleting without putting pressure on the fish, while simultaneously being robust enough to cut through fish bones, fins, and other hard parts with a single, sharp motion.
CORRECT BODY POSTURE
For the correct use of a knife and for efficient, safe cutting, the posture of your entire body is important. The fundamental parameters of proper body position in Japanese cutting techniques are: a straight back, the forward-and-backward movement of the elbow, and utilizing the full length of the blade.
The Japanese intentionally raise the surface of the working area to avoid putting downward pressure on the knife (chopping with the blade). While working, they straighten their spine so that the elbow allows for comfortable back-and-forth movement, ensuring the full length of the blade is used!
Body posture:
The correct body posture equals standing facing the cutting board; the dominant foot is positioned at a 45-degree angle pointing toward the center of the cutting surface, and the other foot is in a comfortable position behind it. The upper body is in the correct position when the knife held in your hand forms the right angle relative to the cutting board. There must be enough space between the board and your body.
Height of the working surface:
The correct height of the working surface allows for unhindered push-and-pull cutting. The knife is at elbow height or just below, which prevents downward pressure on the knife. If the working surface is too low, bend at the knee of the dominant leg instead of slouching your spine.
JAPANESE CUTTING TECHNIQUES
Japanese chefs believe that the flavor of an ingredient is also extracted by the way the ingredient is cut (and with what tool), which is why there are so many cutting techniques. The main focus of Japanese cutting techniques is preserving natural flavors while also highlighting the aesthetics of the cut ingredients and the final dish.
The structure of cut vegetables differs based on the direction of the cut, which depends on the final result we wish to achieve. To maintain a beautifully crunchy texture, vegetables are always cut along the fibers, ensuring they become less mushy and softened during cooking. For a precise cut that does not ruin the natural qualities of the fresh ingredient but instead further enhances its flavor, color, and aroma, a sharp cutting tool is of paramount importance!
We have described all the techniques in detail in the article Japanese Cutting Techniques.
THE RIGHT KNIFE FOR THE RIGHT TASK
Unique construction, cutting angle geometry, and materials are crucial for achieving the fine sharpness necessary for the smooth and precise cuts demanded by Japanese culinary tradition. The less the blade damages the cellular membranes of the food, the more ripeness and flavor it retains. A thin and precise blade enables accurate cutting that preserves the integrity of flavors and the appearance of ingredients.
There are many different Japanese blades, which, depending on their shape, geometry, and blade length, are divided into versatile blades and blades for specialized cuts. After all, not every knife is meant for every task: for robust and heavier tasks, we use a deba or cleaver; for peeling and trimming, smaller petty knives; and for all-purpose work, one of the universal knives—this includes the gyuto, kiritsuke, bunka, and santoku.
The Lead Actors
With a few versatile knives, you can perform practically any task in the kitchen. A basic home set should therefore consist of the following blades:
- Chef’s knife: As the main knife for home use, we can choose among versatile knives—the gyuto, santoku, bunka, or the slightly longer and more exotic kiritsuke blade. For many home cooks, the shorter blade of a santoku or bunka is perfect, especially for beginners and households where vegetable preparation is the focus. Gyuto is a Japanese blade that has earned the title of Chef’s knife and is the Japanese equivalent of the main Western knife. For basic use, a 210 mm blade will suffice, but if you are accustomed to longer blades and meat is frequently on the menu, a 240 mm blade is a better choice. Explore multi-purpose knives!
- Petty knife: These small knives are constantly in use in most households for extremely diverse tasks, as their shorter blades make them nimble and precise. Petty knives come in various dimensions; those between 80 mm and 90 mm are meant for peeling and trimming, while longer ones up to 150 mm can be used instead of versatile knives for certain tasks due to their length, though the narrow blade still allows for peeling and detailed work. Explore petty knives!
- Bread knife: In Western cuisine, bread is often a staple food, and a good serrated blade is indispensable, especially for homemade loaves. A serrated blade also comes in handy for slicing pastries, roasted meats, and many other tasks. Explore bread knives!
- Peeler: We know this is not a knife, but it is an important tool that saves a massive amount of time and ensures evenly peeled vegetables. With a peeler, we can also skip a step when using Japanese cutting techniques (for the initial steps of hosogiri, we can use a peeler—warning, here we violate the fundamentals of Japanese sharpness, because a peeler can never recreate the perfectly smooth cut of a Japanese blade!!). Explore food preparation tools!
The Supporting Cast
Shape, blade flexibility, specific cutting angles—everything on these blades is tailored for highly specific cutting tasks. Excellent companions to versatile blades!
- Nakiri: A highly specialized knife designed for vegetables. The wide blade allows for cutting larger quantities of various vegetables, and because it has a squared-off tip, it won't get stuck in the cutting surface. Explore nakiri blades!
- Boning knife: The blade of a boning knife is thin and features a significant curve, making it suitable for removing meat from bones, removing skin, and deboning poultry. Explore boning knives!
- Filleting knife (deba): The single-bevel blade of the deba is specialized for filleting fish, but it can also be used for preparing poultry. It is an excellent tool for anyone who frequently prepares and fillets fresh fish. For different sizes of fish, there is an equally large array of deba blade sizes and shapes, but a 150 mm Hon-Deba is usually used for domestic households. The deba is a key Japanese kitchen knife; the widespread use and variety of deba blades testify to the importance and rich culinary tradition of fish dishes in Japan. Explore deba blades!
- Slicer / sujihiki: A long and thin knife for slicing raw meat and fish, it will be an irreplaceable tool for anyone who often has large pieces of meat on the menu—carpaccio, sashimi, tagliata. Explore all slicer knives!
