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 were 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.