Nakiri Knives

What is a Japanese Nakiri Knife?

The Nakiri knife is a traditional Japanese vegetable knife known for its tall, flat blade and razor-thin edge.

Unlike Western chef knives, the Nakiri is designed specifically for push-cutting and chopping vegetables, ensuring clean, even slices without rocking. Its straight edge excels at dicing, julienning, and preparing delicate produce like herbs, cucumbers, and leafy greens with precision.

The History of the Nakiri Knife

The Nakiri knife has deep roots in Japanese culinary tradition, are is originally crafted for precise vegetable cutting. Dating back centuries, it was developed to meet the slicing and dicing needs of home cooks and professional chefs alike in Japan.

Unlike the Western curved chef's knife, the Nakiri has a straight, flat blade that was designed specifically for push-cutting vegetables. Over time, this Japanese style vegetable knife is considered one of the best Japanese knives, alongside the Santoku knife. It is not surprising that many give the nakiri knife credit as the sharpest knife for vegetables and is celebrated for its efficiency and precision in vegetable prep.

Vegetable Prep With Finesse Using Your Favorite Nakiri Knife

Using a Nakiri knife elevates your vegetable prep by allowing you to make clean, precise cuts with minimal effort. Its thin, rectangular blade glides through vegetables like cabbage, carrots, and cucumbers, enabling you to dice, julienne, and slice with ease. The flat blade design ensures full contact with the cutting board, making chopping quick and uniform. Whether you’re preparing delicate herbs or dense root vegetables, a Nakiri knife provides the finesse needed to achieve professional-level results in your kitchen.

Features of a Nakiri Knife

Nakiri knives are characterized by their distinctive rectangular blade and flat cutting edge. Typically featuring a thin blade with a razor-sharp edge, these knives are designed for precision vegetable prep.

Most Nakiri knives have a double-beveled edge, making them suitable for both right- and left-handed users. The blade length usually ranges around 7 inches, offering enough heft to slice through firm produce while maintaining nimbleness for delicate tasks.

High-quality Nakiri knives from Seido Knives use blade materials like VG-10 or AUS-10 Damascus steel, which adds to the knife's performance and durability. You get excellent sharpness, edge retention, and rust resistance. Ergonomic handles made from resin, stabilized wood, or other materials ensure a comfortable grip and superior control during use.

Nakiri Knives — Common Slicing Techniques

The Nakiri knife excels at push-cutting, a slicing technique where the blade moves straight forward and back, rather than rocking. This method is ideal for achieving straight cuts and uniform slices.

The flat blade of this Japanese style vegetable knife also allows for efficient chopping motions, tapping the knife up and down on the cutting board to quickly process vegetables. For finer tasks, such as mincing herbs or julienning carrots, the Nakiri’s sharp, thin blade allows for precise cuts with minimal crushing or bruising. Mastering these slicing techniques with a Nakiri knife can greatly improve your vegetable prep speed and accuracy.

Why Choose a Damascus Nakiri Knife?

At Seido Knives, our Japanese Nakiri knives are hand-forged with premium AUS-10 and VG10 Damascus steel. The multi-layered Damascus cladding enhances edge retention, corrosion resistance, and showcases a striking wave-like pattern unique to each blade. Combined with ergonomic handles made from resin, maple, and stabilized wood, our Nakiri knives are superior Japanese knives that provide comfort, balance, and superior control for daily prep work.

Whether you're a home cook or professional chef, a 7-inch Nakiri knife is an indispensable tool for mastering vegetables preparation. Explore our collection of Japanese vegetable knives and bring traditional craftsmanship and modern performance into your kitchen.