Yanagi

Also called yanagiba after the willow-leaf shape of the blade, the yanagi was developed in the Kansai region during the Edo period as a single-bevel slicer designed for cutting fish for sushi. As with other single-bevel knives, the yanagi's ura (inside) side is hollow ground and resists sticking to the slice of fish being cut away.

Like other Edo-period knives distinct Kanto and Kansai styles of the yanagi developed. The Kansai style has a slightly curved edge and pointed tip and is a bit heavier than the square tipped Kanto-style takohiki, which is also used for slicing raw fish while being specialized for octopus. The Kansai style has become the standard choice for cutting sashimi.