Best Japanese Sushi Knives to Buy in 2022

Western chefs are fond of the Best Japanese Knives due to so many reasons. Besides the knives, we do also have some cultural remarks in the form of Japanese traditional sushi. The best Japanese Sushi Knives are also practised here.

Imagine, you are using a Japanese knife for your western dishes, but you are unable to make traditional Japanese dishes, for instance, Sushi, the most popular Japanese dish in Western World.

Will you accept it?

Of Course, you won’t.

For this purpose, we have got you captured with our list of Best Japanese sushi knives without hustling in preparing it anymore. If you are just preparing it for fun, you might not need it as usual, but for professional chefs, this is as important as a whetstone for Japanese knives.

So, without any further delay, let’s explore our guide to the Best Japanese sushi knives!

Top 3 Picks of Best Japanese Sushi Knives

Best Japanese sushi knives | At A Glance

IMAGE	PRODUCT	SHOP
Overall Best	Shun Kanso 12-Inch Benefits: Smooth & Effective cutting, A Full Tang Tagyasan Handle, The Best Japanese sushi knife, Comes with a wooden sheath, A Sharp & Double Bevel Blade	Shop Here
Under $100	Mercer Culinary Asian Yanagi Sashimi Knife Benefits: Best Japanese sushi knife under $100, Thin, accurate yet Sharp cuttings, Single bevel blade with 15° edges, Long yet versatile blade for deep cuts, Best for students & beginner chefs	Shop Here
The Sharp	Shun Classic 9-Inch Hollow Benefits: For sharp yet accurate cuts, A Sharp, Slim & thin SS blade, Rockwell Hardness of 61HRC, Sharp Blade out of the box	Shop Here
Best Edge Retention	Yoshihiro Hammered Sujihiki Japanese Slicer Knife Benefits: One of the Best Edge Retention, Ambrosia & Rosewood handle, Versatile yet sharp blade knife, Comfortable handle with sheath, Easy to sharp & does not rusts	Shop Here
Best Budget	Mercer Culinary Asian Yanagi Sashimi Knife Benefits: Best Japanese sushi knife under $100, Thin, accurate yet Sharp cuttings, Single bevel blade with 15° edges, Long yet versatile blade for deep cuts, Best for students & beginner chefs	Shop Here
Best Durable	Yoshihiro Shiroko Kasumi Yanagi Sushi Sashimi Benefits: True Single Bevel knife, The most durable blade, A Comfortable handle, Impressively sharp cutting, A knife with Nice build	Shop Here
Best Comfortable	Yoshihiro Aonamiuchi Blue Steel Japanese Sushi Knife Benefits: A Comfortable Ebony Handle, Rockwell hardness of 64HRC, A Single Bevel Cutting Blade, Blue Steel sharp blade knife, Long-Lasting forged blade	Shop Here
Easy to sharpen	Kai Wasabi Yanagiba Knife Benefits: An Easy to sharpen Knife, One of the best Budget knife, Double bevel 16° sharp blade, Polypropylene D-shaped handle, Lightweight & Dishwasher safe	Shop Here
Lightweight	Suisin Inox Knife Series Sujihiki Knife Benefits: A lightweight blade overall, Optimized High Carbon steel, A Flexible yet sharp blade, Double bevel sushi knife, Does not chips or rusts	Shop Here
For Beginners & Students	XYJ Japanese Sashimi Sushi Knife 8 inch Yanagiba Knife Benefits: Best for Beginner Chefs, Easy to sharp & maintain, Sharp yet versatile blade, A single bevel knife, Riveted Comfortable handle	Shop Here

Best Japanese sushi knives | Our Best Picks & Review

1. Shun Kanso Review 12-Inch

Let’s get open to the list with our Shun’s Japanese knife. Unless you are a complete new chef, you will know Shun. This is a brand that doesn’t need to be introduced every single time.

However, if you are somewhat new, it’s better to take a look at our guide to Best Japanese Knife Brands after skimming this list as well. Well, this specific sushi knife was launched back in 2017, & it is the 39th best Japanese Carving knife now.

Build Quality & Material:

How could it be possible that Shun has used a mediocre material in its knives? It’s completely impossible! This knife is a result of a Japanese High Carbon Steel, which is known as AUS-10. Currently, it is the third-best knife material all across the globe.

The Kanso of Shun’s Cutlery is not just a knife. Instead, it is a complete line-up of Japanese knives & each of them is specifically meant for a dedicated purpose. In this entire lineup, Shun has used AUS-10 high carbon steel.

This steel is composed of vanadium & a bit more chromium as usual that adds decent sharpness to its blade. Moreover, the steel is not just ordinary, it is manually forged to pack as much durability as they could.

Cutting & Performance:

It is using a 12-inches long blade, that adds enormous versatility to the blade. Secondly, This blade is ultra-thin, which allows it to cut Nori paper without any effort. The good part is it doesn’t leave any chipping.

With this knife, you can deal with almost any sort of cooked or steamed meat, without any problems. Plus, the performance is the best at Sushi slicing. It has a completely round cutting edge, in the end, that assists you a lot especially in Sushi.

To make the slicing smooth & possibly the best, Shun has punched the lower profile of the blade. There are 18 clad dimples on its one face, which helps give your meal some clearance. This also prevents the meal from sticking to it. This is a fish filleting knife but it has a look similar to a deba. Get to know the difference between Deba vs Fillet knife here.

The blade is a double bevel that has a cutting angle of 16° on each side. This is a common angle nowadays even in some high-end western knives. From blade to its handle, everything is Japanese both in its material & manufacturing.

Coming to its handle, if you are a somewhat busy chef in your home kitchen or even in your restaurant, this is going to be a good match. The handle is using Japanese Tagayasan wood which makes you feel comfortable.

2. Shun Classic 9-Inch Hollow

Shun once again yet for the very last time on the list. This Sushi knife is one of the oldest Japanese knives from Shun. It was launched back in 2003, & this is now the 65th best Japanese Carving Knife.

Build Quality & Material:

Shun is using one of the most premium knife steel known as VG-Max to make it last longer. The previous one on the list was using a high carbon steel that could rust if you are lazy. However, it is not the case here at least.

VG-Max is rich in chromium & vanadium besides the steel & carbon, that doesn’t let the oxidation sit on its microstructure. This means, even if you wipe out just by cloth after using it on your Sushi, it will not catch the rust.

Moreover, the Shun claims it is a 67-layer Damascus steel that consists of an incredible sharpness. But, it is not a true Damascus material because it is nearly impossible for the price. Yes, it is durable without any doubt.

Cutting & Performance:

If you are not a big fan of long blades due to so many reasons, then this knife is specifically meant for you guys! This knife consists of a sharp blade of 9-inches that helps you a lot in gliding it due to its hollow ground design.

Though it does seem to be a long blade, the knife is meant for only Commercial or Professional Japanese style chefs. Just like the first one, this knife is also a double bevel, with an angle of 16° at one side.

Honestly speaking, this knife has a pretty sharp blade out of the box, that doesn’t leave any meat from cutting. For your Sushi, the knife is exceptional if you are a rush chef that has a lot of tasks waiting to complete.

Comparatively, this knife is using a slim, narrow & thin blade that can easily cut down any sort of meat. There is a decent edge retention, still there is room for improvement.

Plus, the knife is packed with laser or Micro Tsuchime pattern along with cladding on its lower face that prevents the boiled vineyard rice from sticking on to it. To stand out the best, there’s a Pakkawood handle to make you feel comfortable.

3. Yoshihiro Shiroko Kasumi Yanagi Sushi Sashimi

Let’s continue our list of Best Japanese sushi knives with Yoshihiro. The first contestant’s knife is Shiroko Kasumi that was launched back in 2012. It is not that old as compared to other ones, but it is the 9th best Sushi knife out there!

Build Quality & Material:

The knife comes in some other variants as well with only a difference with its blade length. Here, you will get a blade of 9.5, 10.5 & 11.8-inches which makes it somewhat long yet versatile blades.

So Yoshihiro has broken the deal in its manufacturing with White high carbon steel that is common in most of the traditional knives. This steel has a lot more carbon as compared to the steel ratio, which makes it stand out in a sharp edge.

This blade has a Rockwell hardness of somewhere 62 HRC, which makes it the most durable blade by far on the list. The knife is commonly called Kasumi due to its blade design within the pattern.

Cutting & Performance:

Yanagi is specifically meant for slicing Sushi & some other sorts of meat as well, which makes you able to get single strokes while cutting it down. By far, this is the first Japanese sushi knife with a single bevel cutting blade. A side note for all filet knives, you should never use these blades without a good cutting board.

You will not get any Tsuchime sort of pattern on its face. Even without these patterns, the knife is still Non-Stick and does not capture the vinegared rice from your sushi rolls. It’s better to avoid frozen or chilled stuff to get the most out of it.

Thankfully, this Yogishiro has somewhat better edge retention than Shun’s Classic Sushi knife that stands out impressively. The knife may or may not rust at all, because Yogishiro has used stainless steel coating on it.

Last but not the least, this knife is using a hexagonal handle which makes the grip exceptionally the best out there in the market. Moreover, it is using a Rosewood handle that is not a true full tang. Still, the overall knife is versatile & balanced.

4. Yoshihiro Hammered Sujihiki Japanese Slicer Knife

Yoshihiro is once again on the list with its VG-10 slicer knife known as Sushi knife. The knife was launched back in 2013, & it is now the 11th best Sashimi knife out there in the market.

Build Quality & Material:

As we already mentioned earlier that this knife is using VG-10 layered steel, which not only lasts longer, plus, it also performs optimally than other steels. The core of the blade is entirely made up of VG-10 steel, which is layered as well.

VG-10 is a real steel that is widely used in cutlery manufacturing. Often, it is categorized as stainless steel, that is somewhat true. But, you will also find some underground manufacturers manipulating the composition to make its replica.

Comparatively, this steel doesn’t use more than 1% carbon content with steel. Besides this, the still is enriched with Vanadium, Chromium, Molybdenum & cobalt for some time.

This has a sharp blade that you can easily sharpen, but it sucks in edge retention most of the time. Yoshihiro has used forged steel to make it stand out even better. At the same time, it has also made it exceptionally strong as well.

Cutting & Performance:

The knife comes in two main variants with different blade & handle material. It is a 9.5-inches long blade that is versatile yet sharp out of the box. With this knife, you can deal with both veggies, fruits, & even meat but we would suggest it for sushi.

It is the first Sushi knife with such a great & dense Tsuchime pattern. Though you can also handle slicing the sushi without this much pattern, you can use it to make some other meals as well.

This is the second knife with a single bevel angle, which makes it cut down the Sushi just like veggies. For the price, it is worth it due to its sharpness, versatility, and exceptional edge retention.

Yes, you will be saying that; VG-10 does not give a good edge retention. But, this is not just a VG-10. Except, this is a layered steel that has Damascus steel on it as well. All these things make it core pretty aggressive that goes up to its edge retention.

5. Suisin Inox Knife Series Sujihiki Knife

This knife belongs to Houcho’s manufacturing department, which is not that old as Shun, Yoshihiro, or Mercer’s. But, when it comes to delivering quality, it is not less than that. The knife dates back to 2016, & it is the 62nd best knife out there.

Build Quality & Material:

Houcho has tried to reinvent the wheel a little bit & it has done successfully right. Instead of stealing the composition or using the already existing steels for cutlery, they have planned to give their idea a try & to implement as well.

They have used optimized high carbon steel that has a combination of Molybdenum, Vendaiym, Chromium, Magnesium, Carbon, Silicon & manganese along with steel of course.

Using all these materials in a specific ratio has helped them make an aggressive, agile, super sharp & flexible blade all at once at the same time. Normally, finding a flexible blade is pretty hard, but we have got you captured with this boy.

It’s better to say, this is one of the best blades ever to exist for Sushi knives. With this knife, you can expect a long life blade that can easily last for some years if not decades. You being a professional yet busy chef, really need to get it.

Cutting & Performance:

Okay, so let’s explore its performance department, which is the main area of interest of every second chef. This blade is sharp without any doubt, plus, it does not cause chipping at all. A really good job has been done.

You can use it for some single strokes (not recommended by the way) cuttings to test it yourself. We both are sure, it will neither break, neither chip down. Just for a side note, this knife is exclusively built for professional chefs at rush hours.

The knife is a double bevel though, that has a razor-sharp both side cutting edge, which can tear the Nori sheet without any problem. Yes, a little effort is required, but a manipulated material on bevel has made your job pretty easy.

Overall the knife is pretty thin & lightweight than the others. The knife is also using a traditional style of handle that is riveted along with its full tang blade to make it more balanced. This grip is comfortable to use for a couple of hours.

6. Yoshihiro Aonamiuchi Blue Steel Japanese Sushi Knife

For the third time, we have got Yoshihiro for your sushi preparation at your restaurant kitchen. If you are a true professional chef, who doesn’t want to compromise even a single inch on productivity, you can keep exploring it then.

However, if you are newly inspired or a Pro chef, then it’s better to save some time & bucks to get back to any other knives or jump towards our next best Japanese Sushi Knife. The knife is from 2011, which is now the 42nd best Sashimi knife.

Build Quality & Material:

It is the first & only knife that is a result of blue steel #1. Now if you are not aware of such material, let us make it simple to help you get a clear understanding. This gives one of the best edge retention along with rust resistance that helps last the blade longer.

As compared to white steel, that is made after tempering the high carbon steel at a high temperature without turning it back to liquid to solidify. Meanwhile, the tungsten & chromium elements are added to it to make it rust-free.

This knife is at its exceptional durability, sharpness, longevity & resistance against rust. But, keep in mind these blades are not easy to sharpen, and it’s better to get a professional knife sharpening service in your leisure time once a year at least.

Cutting & Performance:

The knife is completely Japanese from its top to bottom that results in its exceptional quality. It is a sharp knife that doesn’t dull easily. With this knife, you can keep cutting the Sushi every day for at least three months.

It is a single bevel blade knife, that skyrockets its sharpness at its peak that you can feel during your job. The knife is pretty safe as well, as there are little to no sharp edges that would hurt your fingers.

To be honest, the knife is slightly heavier & this is what made us categorize it as a Professional chef knife. Comparatively, the blade is slightly wide, a bit thick from its top & extensively fine from its edge.

Moreover, the knife comes along with a sheath that is unique this time but made up of the same Mongolian wood. The handle is comfortable & modern, using a hexagonal geometrical design that is perfectly balanced.

7. Yoshihiro Hammered Sujihiki Knife

Yoshihiro for the very last time on the list, with its gorgeous Sujihiki knife. Till yet, you will be exploring universal & mostly the professional Sushi knives.

Later after this one, you will get at least three Japanese Sushi knives for under $100 for beginners. However, this one was launched back in 2010 at Online Stores.

Build Quality & Material:

As usual, Yoshihiro’s knife is using VG-10 steel that doesn’t need an introduction. However, if you have just skimmed the list, VG-10 uses carbon, molybdenum, vanadium & chromium at a significant ratio to make it durable & anti-rust.

This time, though the construction is entirely from VG-10 core steel, the layering process is not that extensive as usual. Still, the knife performs impressively when it comes to your context & part of your job.

Cutting & Performance:

The knife has a blade size of 9.5-inches that feels to be versatile. It is a lightweight knife that hardly hits 200 of grams scale. For its blade, every single VG-10 & layered blade performs pretty amazing.

This knife has a shallow steel cladding that makes the Sushi slices easy to cut without causing any clearance issues. So, the knife is more likely to be on the side of Non-Stick Japanese Sushi knives. However, this is specifically meant for it.

Here, the edge is durable enough to survive in extensive usage, but it could get risky if fell on a hard surface. Without any Surprise, the knife is a double bevel blade, but It ultimately enhances your productivity.

8. Kai Wasabi Yanagiba Knife

From this one to the last knife, you will be taking a look at the Best Japanese sushi knives under $100. If you are not a professional chef who doesn’t want to spend a lot of bucks into it, the upcoming three knives are a budget choice then.

Build Quality & Material:

This knife comes in a couple of variants that come in six different variants for your ease of selection. If you want to cook sushi whether at your home or your Culinary school, this knife is a reasonable option for you.

Kai has used an above-average steel here to make it last for some months if not years. This knife is using 1K-16 High Carbon steel, with a shallow coating of stainless stuff on its edges, not on the entire blade.

Though, this is the first & only Japanese Sushi knife that is safe for washing in the Dishwasher & doesn’t rust. However, for your Dishwasher’s safety, it’s better to avoid & wash it manually.

Cutting & Performance:

Now, you can use its sharp blade to cut fish with this knife. Nori Sheet & boiled rice without sticking or pushing from it. You can also use it for cutting veggies for your sushi dinner without any doubt.

This knife is using a double bevel blade that doesn’t perform extremely best, but it does work for household, training & domestic usage with some lite preparation. However, it has a 16° bevel on each side, for sharp cuts.

For the price, the performance is the same as it was supposed to be. But, we don’t recommend it for busy professional chefs as it could chip in extensive usage or if not taken care of properly.

Moreover, the knife is not a full tang, but it is still versatile due to its balance. The handle that you will get here is made up of synthetic Polypropylene plastic, just to make your hands comfortable. Yet, the design is of D-shape and doesn’t slip.

9. Mercer Culinary Asian Yanagi Sashimi Knife

The one & only Mercer’s Sushi knife on the list, that has got 9th spot here. It was launched back in 2012, & it is the 7th best all-purpose knife out there. However, in today’s context, the knife does perform as well.

Build Quality & Material:

The knife has launched in 3 different variants with different blade sizes yet the same material. This knife is using German High Carbon steel, which stands out for the price.

It is a knife that can not rust if you wash it manually & dry it instantly without setting it idle or starting to use it. To get a sharp cutting edge for a long time, you first need to maintain it at your best possible practices.

Cutting & Performance:

This knife is using more than average sharpness, which is enough for cutting down a fish for sushi dinner. However, you need to get it to sharpen as frequently as you could.

To be honest, the blade can cut thin slices of any sort of meat including sushi. Even being a single bevel blade, the knife performs more than average. Besides these things, the handle is slightly tapered to avoid any potential injury.

Last thing, the knife comes with a plastic handle that doesn’t slip nor hurts your hand. This is because there is a tiny little filling that makes some grip for your palm. The knife is a full tang, that makes the gliding balance.

10. XYJ Japanese Sashimi Sushi Knife 8 inch Yanagiba Knife

Last on our list, we have XYJ, a Japanese local brand that manufactures good & high-quality Japanese style Sushi knives. It was launched back in 2020 & now it is the 18th best Sashimi knife out there.

Build Quality & Material:

This knife is made up of common high carbon steel, which makes it best for beginners. There is no such an exceptional thing with this sort of steel, but it does perform enough to cut ingredients for your Sushi.

Cutting & Performance:

Except for daily usage chopping & cutting, you can use it for Sushi as it has an 8-inches long blade, which is more than enough for beginners. With this knife, you are supposed to cut down rice & meat rolls as well.

Surprisingly, this knife is a single bevel knife, which helps a lot in cutting. But, even being a single bevel, the quality is just fine for the price & design. You get what you pay for.

Now, the knife is using non-specific wood that doesn’t soak water frequently but in the end. However, the handle is quite comfortable & it does not slip due to its D-shaped design.

Overall, the knife is well balanced, the blade is sharp enough, & the handle is comfortable in feel. Plus, it also comes along with a plastic sheath.

Best Japanese sushi knives | Frequently Asked Questions

The Bottom Line | Best Japanese sushi knives

Sushi is the most popular Japanese traditional dish all across the world, especially in Europe & North America. There are at least 4000 Japanese Restaurants all across the United States, so you can imagine its popularity.

Americans love eating Sushi & you being a chef can serve them as well. But to prepare the delicious Sushi at its best, you are first required to get the Best Japanese sushi knife. You cannot keep using a Sashimi for cutting your Sushi.

Without this, your typical knife will start dangerous chipping when you will start using it at Nori Sheet. Moreover, if your knife doesn’t own a decent blade, you will be putting a lot of effort into cutting it, which results in low productivity.

All of these best Japanese Sushi knives are versatile, own a sharp blade, using a comfortable handle & also they are lightweight. With these knives, you can keep making Sushi either for your family or for your patrons without hustling.