History about Japanese Western Style Knives
                                                                                                and Japanese Traditional Style Knives

Western Style Knives

Japanese Traditional Style Knives

   Once upon a time, before Western Culture and foods were brought to Japan, Single Bevel Edge of Japanese Traditional style knives were very common knives for daily cooking in Japan. The Single Bevel of Japanese Traditional style knives make great cutting performance. For examples, the “Yanagiba” is well designed for slicing and preparing the Sashimi (Raw Fish) without loosing the beautiful shape and freshness.  The “Usuba” is suitable design for cutting, peeling, also thin & precise cutting for vegetables. They are necessary tools and knives for the Japanese foods (their main food materials were fishes and vegetables).

   After the Western Culture and foods were brought to Japan (Especially after the Year 1900, Western Style of European Knives was also brought to Japan at that time.),  Japanese people had more chances to eat meats and they needed the proper knives for cutting meats. That was the Western Style knives which have Double Bevel Edge and is more suitable design for cutting, slicing the meats to prepare Western Foods. Japanese people became more familiar with using Western Style knives gradually as they started eating Western Foods gradually.

   With increasing demands of Western Style knives, many knife makers have started to make Western Style knives with the experience and techniques of Japanese Swords making and Japanese Traditional Style knife making. (At that time, Samurai’s period was already over and many of Japanese Swordsmiths and Craftsmen had to stop making Japanese Swords and turned to make other cutlery.)

   And time has passed and back to this generation, there are now many of fantastic Japanese Made Western Style knives and fine Japanese Traditional Style knives being available from fine makers and Craftsmen.

   As to the Japanese Traditional Style Knives, there are many numbers of professionals and serious home chefs (especially Japanese food chefs) who demand outstanding cutting performance to make special foods that require the freshness, beautiful shape & looks and delicate works. Also many people love the traditional taste and traditional forged knives which can feel the soul of craftsmanship and something special to own.

   On the other hand, as the western Culture and foods became very common and popular in Japan and the demands for Western Style knives continued to increase, there have been much competitions in the market, which has helped improve the quality and craftsmanship of Western Style knives by their efforts to produce superior knives each other. Nowadays, many people in the world enjoy using great cutting performance and fine quality Japanese Western Style knives.

   In this page, we would like to introduce common and popular blade types among Western Style Knives and Japanese Traditional Style Knives. There are so many varieties of blade types  designed for specific cutting tasks and purpose. This is important information for your  selection of right knives, and help you get your good cooking partners and special knife set.

  There is similar square shape blade of vegetable knife called “Nakiri” which is also designed for cutting vegetables, but have Double Bevel Edge.