What is a sujihiki?
A sujihiki (筋引, roughly "sinew slicer") is the Japanese take on a Western carving or slicing knife. It's long (240–300 mm, with 270 mm the common size), narrow, and ground on both sides like a Western knife — so, unlike a yanagiba, it works in either hand and sharpens conventionally.
Its job is slicing proteins cleanly: carving a roast, portioning a brisket, cutting ham, skinning a fillet, or slicing raw fish. The thin, low blade is the opposite of a tall all-rounder like a gyuto — it's built to glide through a single long cut, not to chop on a board.
How it cuts: one long draw
Like any good slicer, a sujihiki works in a single, smooth drawing stroke — pulling the full length of the blade through the food rather than sawing. A sawing motion tears meat fibres and roughens the surface; one long draw leaves a clean, even face. The narrow blade means very little metal drags against the cut, so slices release cleanly instead of sticking.
That same narrowness is why it isn't a board knife: the low height leaves little knuckle clearance, so it's poor at chopping or dicing. Use it for slicing and carving, and keep a gyuto or nakiri for everything on the cutting board.
Sujihiki vs yanagiba
The sujihiki and the yanagiba are the two long Japanese slicers, and choosing between them comes down to versatility vs specialisation. The sujihiki is the double-bevel generalist; the yanagiba is the single-bevel sashimi specialist.
| Sujihiki 筋引 | Yanagiba 柳刃 | |
|---|---|---|
| Bevel | Double | Single |
| Made for | Meat, fish, all slicing | Raw fish, sashimi |
| Handed | Either hand | Yes (right or left) |
| Length | 240–300 mm | 240–330 mm |
| Edge | Very keen | Exceptionally keen |
| Sharpening | ~15° both sides | Bevel + light back (uraoshi) |
| Learning curve | Easy | Steeper |
Choose the sujihiki if you want one easy slicer for meat and fish alike; choose the yanagiba if you're committed to traditional sashimi and the cleanest possible cut.
Sujihiki vs gyuto: do you need both?
Reach for the gyuto
- Chopping, dicing and rocking on a board
- Everyday cooking — veg, meat, all-round
- You want one knife to do most things
- Knuckle clearance matters
Reach for the sujihiki
- Long, clean slices of cooked meat or fish
- Carving roasts, brisket, ham
- Slices where a tall blade drags or sticks
- You already have a board knife
For most home cooks a gyuto alone is enough — it will carve in a pinch. The sujihiki is a second knife you add when you slice proteins often and want the cleaner, easier cut a dedicated slicer gives.
Size & steel
270 mm is the versatile default; drop to 240 mm for smaller kitchens or step up to 300 mm for large roasts and brisket. Because a sujihiki often slices wet, acidic proteins, many cooks like a low-maintenance stainless steel such as VG10; carbon steels take a keener edge but need the usual wipe-dry care. Either way, a slicer lives or dies by its edge, so keep it sharp.
Do you need a sujihiki?
Get one if
- You carve roasts or slice brisket and ham
- You portion proteins and want clean faces
- You want a sashimi-capable slicer that's easy to use
- You already own a board knife
Skip it if
- You need one do-everything knife — get a gyuto
- You rarely slice large cuts of meat
- You want a board knife for chopping
- Your gyuto already carves well enough for you
The bottom line
The sujihiki is the easy answer to "how do I slice this cleanly?" — a double-bevel slicer that carves meat and portions fish without the single-bevel commitment of a yanagiba.
It's a considered second knife, not a first purchase. If you're still building your kit, start with an everyday blade — see the best Japanese knife for beginners — and add the slicer later.
Frequently asked questions
What is a sujihiki used for?
A sujihiki is a slicing knife for proteins — carving roasts, slicing brisket and ham, portioning cooked meat and fish, and skinning or trimming fillets. Its long, thin, narrow blade slices in one clean draw, so it leaves a smooth face and releases food easily instead of tearing it. Think of it as the Japanese take on a Western carving or slicing knife.
Sujihiki vs yanagiba — what's the difference?
Both are long slicers. The sujihiki is double-bevel and Western-style: it works in either hand, sharpens like any double-bevel knife, and slices meat as happily as fish. The yanagiba is single-bevel and traditional, made specifically for raw fish, and gives an even cleaner cut on sashimi at the cost of being handed and harder to sharpen. For an easy, versatile slicer choose the sujihiki; for dedicated sashimi work choose the yanagiba.
Sujihiki vs gyuto — do I need both?
They overlap but solve different problems. A gyuto is a tall all-rounder for board work — chopping, dicing, rocking — with the height to keep your knuckles clear. A sujihiki is a narrow specialist for long, clean slices where a gyuto's height and belly get in the way. Most home cooks are well served by a gyuto alone; add a sujihiki when you carve roasts or slice proteins often and want a cleaner, easier cut.
What size sujihiki should I buy?
270 mm is the versatile all-round size. A 240 mm is easier to store and handle for smaller kitchens, while 300 mm suits large roasts and brisket, where you want to finish the slice in a single pass. As with any slicer, longer is better for big cuts — you slice in one pull rather than sawing.
Can you slice sashimi with a sujihiki?
Yes. A sharp sujihiki slices sashimi very well and is a far more forgiving starting point than a single-bevel yanagiba — it's double-bevel, works in either hand, and sharpens conventionally. A yanagiba will give a slightly keener, more traditional cut, but for most home cooks a good sujihiki covers raw fish and cooked meat both.
Why is a sujihiki so narrow?
A narrow, thin blade means less surface dragging against what you're slicing, so the food releases cleanly and the cut face stays smooth. The trade-off is that the low blade height gives little knuckle clearance, which is why a sujihiki isn't meant for chopping on a board — it's built for slicing, not board work.
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