Erin takes Osaka, #3

Hey everyone,

It’s been a great few days in Japan, and this is my third and final post to wrap-up my Rosenkrantz travels. As I mentioned, I wanted to briefly talk about the various types of knives that Japanese knifemakers produce, and how they are essential to Japanese cuisine.

Japanese cuisine varies by the season according to what can be harvested and served fresh, and the food is often oriented toward fish and vegetables. For almost every dish prepared in Japanese cuisine, there is a specific knife used to produce it, totalling more than 200 types of specialized kitchen knives.The many types of knives and their particular purposes all contribute to the idea of bringing out a food’s natural beauty and flavour. Generally, the Japanese prioritize smoothly slicing ingredients in order to preserve their original taste and texture.

Yanagi knives at the Sakai Hamono museum

Let’s start with one of the dishes people might first think of when they think of Japanese food: sashimi, or fresh, sliced raw fish. Sashimi needs to be sliced with a razor sharp yanagi knife that can cut cleanly without bruising the fish’s surface. Therefore, a yanagi knife is long, thin, and single-ground, allowing sashimi to be cut in one light, precise stroke. If the fish had to be cut with multiple strokes, a zig-zag motion, or with lots of force behind the knife, it would ruin the surface of the fish and the integrity of the flavours. A dull knife, or a western-style double-ground knife would crush the fish’s flesh and cause it to lose moisture. Sashimi cut correctly has a sharply defined surface, looks smooth and glossy, and tastes juicy and fresh.

Tuna knife (on mahogany stand). Not as heavy as you might think,
but definitely a bit unwieldy.

Beyond yanagi knives for slicing fish and deba knives for fileting fish, there are knives for every size, shape, and flesh quality of fish. A tuna knife is big and long to cleanly slice tuna, a bigger fish. I held it using two hands. Though it wasn’t too heavy, I couldn’t imagine how much practice I’d need to be able to control it precisely. A hame hone-kiri knife is specific for hamo, or Daggertooth Pike Conger. Since it has many little bones, the honekiri is a big knife used to score the flesh with cuts as little as 1 millimeter apart to chop up the bones so it is safer to eat. There are 4 types of eel knives, or unagisaki  that originate from different regions and styles of preparation. The list goes on for salmon knives, bonito knives, knives for rolled sushi, and more.

With proper knives, Japanese chefs are also able to showcase the best of fresh, in-season vegetables. There is a similar emphasis on making clean cuts and slices, and the nakiri knife is often used for this. The blade is handy for peeling and julienning vegetables, and for making thin slices. For instance, sashimi is often garnished with thin daikon radish slivers. These slivers must be made with single-ground, flat-backed knives with extremely thin and sharp blades.

From the fresh food I’ve enjoyed here, I’d say the Japanese know what they’re doing with their cuisine. I’d also say they definitely know what they’re doing with their knives. These masterful creations are of the highest quality and last a long time, but not without commitment and maintenance on the chefs part. The thinner and harder the edge of a knife is, the sharper the blade is, and the more care is required. The blades should only be used for their intended purpose, and sharpened regularly.

Examples of specialized knives. I also saw knives for slicing Watermelon,
chopping leaves of herbs, cutting rice cake, and more.

Due to their excellent reputation, Japanese knives are growing in popularity and demand is increasing all over the globe. At Yamawaki, 60% of their sales go overseas, either to chefs who prepare Japanese cuisine, or those who desire precise cuts and excellent knives. This ties into one of the themes we’ve discussed in history of science: global networks. Not only in the commercial form of trade and products, but also of the circulation of knowledge, culture, and cultural practices. As mentioned in my first post, Sakai was historically a large trading port, and fittingly, their products continue to spread around the world.

Studying this topic has prompted me to think about other themes of materiality and of the nature of knowledge. Knives themselves are material objects created in steps by many makers. There is more to learn about when questioning the sources of the materials like steel and wood for the knife handles, and more to be interpreted from different aesthetics of knives. To study and consider these themes in depth, though, would take a lot more time. Japanese fluency also wouldn’t hurt. I have also been reflecting on the theme of knowledge, and how knowledge is passed down. While Japanese knives are increasingly in demand and a few craftsmen I met were young, I can’t help but consider the challenges this upward pressure on demand may pose in the future. With knifemaking being such a time and labour intensive process, and the training and expertise required to create such quality products, how can local masters keep up with global demand? It is notable that other traditional Japanese crafts, for instance the textile and dyeing industry of wazarashi cotton, or the painting of carp streamers,  are struggling to maintain themselves as younger generations are not learning and training to be specialists in the way their parents and families once did. How different knowledge is passed down or lost is another theme in history of science that is acutely present when observing and appreciating traditional crafts.

Till next time, Japan!

In some other closing reflections, I want to again express my humility and gratitude for this enriching experience. The craftsmen and companies I visited in Sakai were so accessible and accommodating, and the workers at the knife shops I visited were equally welcoming and helpful. Travelling alone and pursuing my own project of study has made me a more independent, resourceful, confident, and culturally fluent young adult. I have enjoyed it immensely, and want to extend my thanks to Harvard’s History of Science Department and the Rosenkrantz grant donors and committee for making it possible.

That’s all for now; I hope you have enjoyed following along on this brief exploration of Japanese knives and learned something new about knifemaking and Japan’s culture!

Erin