SANTOKU
SANTOKU
The short answer
For making sushi at home, a sharp santoku is the best single knife — it slices fish, vegetables and rolls cleanly. Traditional sushi chefs add a long, single-bevel yanagiba for sashimi and a deba for breaking down whole fish, but most home cooks only need a good santoku, plus a long gyuto if you slice a lot of sashimi. Our pick: the Haruta 7" Santoku (£89.99).
Updated June 2026 · 6 min read · UK Japanese knife specialists
Sushi is a traditional Japanese dish that combines fresh fish and seafood, vegetables and even fruit. The different textures and cutting styles involved mean certain knives are better suited to the job than others — presentation is a big part of sushi, and a clean cut matters.
Professional sushi chefs switch between several specialist knives. For a home cook the question is simpler: which one knife should you buy? There's no single "best" sushi knife, but the traditional contenders are the yanagiba, deba, usuba and the versatile santoku — and for most people the santoku is the practical winner.
Characteristics of a Good Sushi Knife
Not all knives are made the same way. Traditional Japanese sushi knives are built with specific intentions, and they differ from Western-style knives in three important ways: a very sharp edge, often a single bevel, and a light, nimble feel.
Sharp Edge
Japanese knives, and sushi knives in particular, are ground to a keen edge for precision, edge retention and flavour. Most Japanese knives are sharpened to around a 15-degree angle, which gives a razor edge.
That sharpness matters for sushi: a keen blade glides through the flesh without crushing the cells, so the fish keeps its juice, texture and flavour. An easy tell of a sharp sushi knife is a clean board with little juice left behind — a dull or thick edge crushes the cells and leaves a wet, ragged cut.
Single Bevel
The bevel shapes a knife's sharpness. Traditional Japanese sushi knives like the yanagiba are single-bevel — flat on one side, tapered on the other — giving an ultra-fine edge for precise slicing. A Western knife is usually double-bevelled at roughly 20 degrees per side (40 degrees total).
Worth knowing before you buy: the knives we recommend for home use below — the santoku and gyuto — are double-bevel (about 15 degrees per side). They're easier to live with and sharpen than a single-bevel yanagiba, and they suit right- and left-handed cooks alike.
Lightweight
Japanese knives are usually made from harder, high-carbon steel blends, which lets them be ground thin and light while still holding an edge for longer. That light, nimble feel is ideal for the delicate, precise cutting sushi presentation demands.
What Knives Are Used for Sushi
Here are the traditional Japanese knives associated with sushi, and where each one fits:
- Yanagiba — a long, slender, single-bevel slicer designed for cutting sashimi and sushi rolls in one clean draw. The classic sushi knife.
- Deba — a heavy, thick-spined knife for breaking down whole fish (bone and cartilage included). Only needed if you butcher your own fish.
- Usuba — a single-bevel vegetable knife for very fine, precise cutting and peeling.
- Santoku — the all-rounder. A double-bevel, general-purpose knife whose name means "three virtues" (meat, fish and vegetables). It slices fish, preps veg and cuts rolls, which is why it's the most practical single choice for home sushi.
The store currently stocks the santoku and longer gyuto chef knives rather than traditional single-bevel yanagiba or deba — and for the vast majority of home cooks those are exactly the knives that get the job done.
Difference Between Sushi and Sashimi Knives
People often assume sushi and sashimi knives are the same, but there's a distinction. A sashimi knife (the yanagiba) is built for one job: slicing raw fish. A "sushi knife" is more versatile — it needs to handle fish, vegetables and the assembled roll. That versatility is the reason a home cook is better served by an all-rounder like a santoku than by a single-purpose sashimi blade.
The Best Knife for Sushi Rolls
Most people can't justify a full sushi knife set, so which one knife covers the most ground? For home sushi, it comes down to two: the santoku and, if you slice a lot of sashimi, a long gyuto.
The santoku is the best all-purpose choice — it cuts fish, meat and vegetables and handles rolls comfortably. If you regularly slice sashimi and want a longer drawing cut closer to a yanagiba, a 8" gyuto is the practical stand-in. Between them they'll cover almost everything you'll do making sushi at home.
Our Picks for Sushi at Home
All live in our range right now, with real customer ratings.
★★★★★ 4.87 (110 reviews)
A do-it-all VG10 Damascus santoku — fish, veg and rolls. The most versatile single knife for home sushi. Also in the AUS-10 Minato Santoku (£89.99) and premium Chikashi 7" Santoku (£96.99).
View the Haruta Santoku →
★★★★★ 4.87 (110 reviews)
A longer blade for the drawing cut sashimi needs — the practical stand-in for a yanagiba, and a brilliant all-round chef knife the rest of the time.
View the Haruta Gyuto →Final Thoughts
A traditional sushi kitchen uses a range of specialist knives, but you don't need a 5–7 piece set to make great sushi at home. A sharp santoku covers the vast majority of the job, and a long gyuto adds proper sashimi-slicing reach. Buy those two well and you're set.
Ready to slice? Browse our Japanese knives.
Shop santoku knives →Related guides
FAQ
What knife do I need to make sushi at home?
A sharp santoku is the best single knife for home sushi — it slices fish, vegetables and rolls cleanly. Add a long gyuto if you slice a lot of sashimi.
What is a yanagiba used for?
A yanagiba is a long, single-bevel Japanese knife for slicing sashimi in one clean draw. It's traditional but not essential for a home cook.
Do I need a deba knife for sushi?
Only if you break down whole fish yourself. If you buy prepared fillets, you can skip the deba.
Can I use a santoku knife for sushi?
Yes. A santoku is the most versatile single choice for sushi at home, handling fish, vegetables and rolls.
What angle are Japanese sushi knives sharpened to?
Traditional single-bevel sushi knives are about 15 degrees. The double-bevel santoku and gyuto we recommend are about 15 degrees per side.
