The usuba is the most specialized vegetable knife in the Japanese tradition - single bevel, flat-edged, and designed for the push-cutting and katsuramuki (rotary peeling) technique used in kaiseki and traditional Japanese cuisine. Where a nakiri is double-beveled and accessible to a wide range of cooks, the usuba demands proper single-bevel technique and rewards it with paper-thin precision cuts that no double-bevel knife can quite replicate. Tojiro builds this 180mm version in Sanjo City with Shirogami (White #2) carbon steel, bringing the traditional format to a price that makes it attainable for serious students of Japanese knife work.
Shirogami (White Paper Steel) is a high-purity carbon alloy that reaches an acute, polished edge and sharpens with a responsiveness well-suited to the fine geometry a usuba requires. The kurouchi hammered finish on the soft iron cladding gives the blade road its traditional appearance while the single bevel grind follows the geometry refined over centuries of Japanese vegetable knife production. The flat profile and tall blade height give the usuba its characteristic push-cutting ability and allow for the long, uninterrupted peeling strokes that katsuramuki technique demands. The Ho wood handle is a traditional fitting appropriate to the format. This is a knife for cooks who want to study and practice the full range of Japanese blade work.
Care Instructions: Shirogami (White #2) carbon steel with soft iron cladding means both the edge and the blade road are reactive. Wipe and dry the knife immediately after use - do not leave it wet or in contact with acidic foods. Apply a light coat of camellia oil for storage. Hand wash only - never the dishwasher. A natural patina will develop with use and actually helps protect the steel. Free shipping over $100.
Shirogami (White Paper Steel) is a high-purity carbon alloy that reaches an acute, polished edge and sharpens with a responsiveness well-suited to the fine geometry a usuba requires. The kurouchi hammered finish on the soft iron cladding gives the blade road its traditional appearance while the single bevel grind follows the geometry refined over centuries of Japanese vegetable knife production. The flat profile and tall blade height give the usuba its characteristic push-cutting ability and allow for the long, uninterrupted peeling strokes that katsuramuki technique demands. The Ho wood handle is a traditional fitting appropriate to the format. This is a knife for cooks who want to study and practice the full range of Japanese blade work.
Care Instructions: Shirogami (White #2) carbon steel with soft iron cladding means both the edge and the blade road are reactive. Wipe and dry the knife immediately after use - do not leave it wet or in contact with acidic foods. Apply a light coat of camellia oil for storage. Hand wash only - never the dishwasher. A natural patina will develop with use and actually helps protect the steel. Free shipping over $100.
- Maker: Tojiro
- Location: Sanjo City, Niigata, Japan
- Construction: San Mai
- Edge Steel: Shirogami (White #2) Carbon
- Cladding: Soft Iron
- Finish: Kurouchi Hammered
- Edge Grind: Single Bevel
- Handle: Ho Wood
- Blade Length: 180 mm
