Sakai Kikumori Kikuzuki Kurouchi – Kiritsuke

Kiritsuke Knife (切付包丁 – pronounced: Kiritsuke Bōchō) literally translated from Japanese means to ‘slit open’. The name insinuates that it finely slices open produce which is true as it is used for delicately opening up and producing smooth cuts.

The Kiritsuke is one of the few traditional multipurpose Japanese knives and the long sword-like design allows it to perform multiple tasks such as cutting vegetables and slicing fish. The straight blade profile and the edge does not allow for rock-cutting vegetables. A pull-cut motion for slicing raw fish and a push-cut motion for slicing vegetables should be applied.

The Kitisuke knife has a long, sword-like shape with a flat blade and a reverse tanto tip. The long length allows for easy slicing and the tip for precision work. The Kiritsuke has a single-bevel edge allowing it to be extremely sharp. Traditional Japanese knives characteristically have single-bevel edges. Most single-bevel knives are right-handed so if you are left-handed make sure to request.

Best for: Meat, Fish, Herbs, Vegetables

Kitchen Samurai Ease of Use Rating: Specialist – Easy to use but applies to specific food types