Yoshikazu Tanaka-san is a blacksmith from Sakai renown for his mastery of carbon steel knife forging. In particular, he is known for his Blue #1 steel, which has the high hardness point without the accompanying difficulty in sharpening, according to professional sharpeners working with his blades in Sakai. Tosho fans may already know of Tanaka-san’s work from Konosuke’s coveted Fujiyama series. Despite Tanaka-san’s advanced age and propensity to work with iron cladded knives, he still challenges himself by experimenting with new materials.

A Kiritsuke Yanagiba is a Japanese fish-slicing blade with a slanted tip from a traditional single-sided blade called a Kiritsuke. This is single-sided/beveled, and often simply referred to as a ‘sushi knife’. These slicers may not be as versatile as its double-sided cousin, Sujihiki, but when it comes to pure slicing tasks of boneless protein (not just fish), a well-sharpened Yanagiba is unmatched in performance. It is a great addition for any cook.

Brand: Hitohira ひとひら
Smith: Tanaka Blacksmith 田中打刃物製作所
Producing Area: Sakai-Osaka/ Japan
Profile: Kiritsuke Yanagiba
Size: 300mm
Steel Type: Carbon Steel
Steel: Yasuki Blue (Aogami) #1, Soft Iron Clad
Handle: Ho Wood & Buffalo Horn Ferrule Octagonal
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Total Length: 446mm
Edge Length: 288mm
Handle to Tip Length: 300mm
Blade Height: 36mm
Thickness: 4mm
Handle Length: 144mm
Weight: 213g
Hand Orientation: Right-Handed
Sharpener: Mosuke