The Kitaoka Damascus Yanagiba is made entirely by hand. It is forged by Hideo Kitaoka in his small workshop in Takefu Village.
Shirogami #1 steel is used in the core construction of the blade with a multilayer hagane (or cladding) of soft carbon steel outside. This is forged into a beautiful Damascus pattern, which enhances the strength and durability of the knife. It is a single-handed design, as is the case with all single bevel knives, and this one is suitable for right-handed users only. Like all similar constructions, the carbon blade requires care with cleaning and drying to reduce the chances of corrosion and discoloration. The beautiful slim blade is complemented by a traditional octagonal handle made from sandalwood and black pakka wood for the ferrule. A gap between the handle and the machi, known as "Tokyo Style," pays homage to traditional Japanese sword design, where a Tsuba once held its place.
This is primarily intended as a sushi knife, the most important aspect of which is to ensure that the fish is cut with a single and light action, thus minimizing the damage caused to the cellular structure of the ingredient. The added length of the 300mm blade makes this task easier than with a shorter variety. Of course, you do need some serious board space to utilize its full size.
The Kitaoka Damascus Yanagiba is a very fine sushi knife that is easy to recommend to any home or professional chef in search of a superbly crafted and gorgeous Japanese slicing knife.
Each knife is made by hand so measurements may vary.Blacksmith: Kitaoka
Location: Echizen, Japan
Construction: Hammer Forged, San Mai
Cladding: Carbon Steel Damascus
Edge Steel: White #1
Grind: One-Sided Traditional, Right-Handed (see choil photo)
Handle: Sandalwood Octagonal
Ferrule: Black Pakka Wood
Engraving: Hand Engraved
Weight: 7.4 oz (210 g)
Edge Length: 285 mm
Total Length: 450 mm
Spine Thickness at Base: 4 mm
Blade Height: 35 mm
Please note: We only ship Kitaoka knives in the USA
Shirogami #1 steel is used in the core construction of the blade with a multilayer hagane (or cladding) of soft carbon steel outside. This is forged into a beautiful Damascus pattern, which enhances the strength and durability of the knife. It is a single-handed design, as is the case with all single bevel knives, and this one is suitable for right-handed users only. Like all similar constructions, the carbon blade requires care with cleaning and drying to reduce the chances of corrosion and discoloration. The beautiful slim blade is complemented by a traditional octagonal handle made from sandalwood and black pakka wood for the ferrule. A gap between the handle and the machi, known as "Tokyo Style," pays homage to traditional Japanese sword design, where a Tsuba once held its place.
This is primarily intended as a sushi knife, the most important aspect of which is to ensure that the fish is cut with a single and light action, thus minimizing the damage caused to the cellular structure of the ingredient. The added length of the 300mm blade makes this task easier than with a shorter variety. Of course, you do need some serious board space to utilize its full size.
The Kitaoka Damascus Yanagiba is a very fine sushi knife that is easy to recommend to any home or professional chef in search of a superbly crafted and gorgeous Japanese slicing knife.
Each knife is made by hand so measurements may vary.
Reviews
1 review(s) WRITE A REVIEW (Reviews are subject to approval) Amazing, January 27, 2026Posted By: John Tucker
Only had this blade for a few hours. Processed some salmon - including removing the skin with it. It's just a dream. The length and weight do all the work. The knife itself is just gorgeous. My favorite steel. Very sharp out of the box. I would say this is a "Grail" knife for myself. Just so smooth and controllable to work with. Highly recommended.
Only had this blade for a few hours. Processed some salmon - including removing the skin with it. It's just a dream. The length and weight do all the work. The knife itself is just gorgeous. My favorite steel. Very sharp out of the box. I would say this is a "Grail" knife for myself. Just so smooth and controllable to work with. Highly recommended.
