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Japanese Kitchen Knives: Essential Techniques and Recipes Hardcover – July 1, 2009

by Hiromitsu Nozaki (Author), Yasuo Konishi (Author), Kate Klippensteen (Contributor)

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Sales of Japanese kitchen knives are booming in the U.S. But how many people have the skills to use these superbly-crafted tools to full advantage? Now, internationally renowned chef Hiromitsu Nozaki shares his expertise and insights in a book that will help anyone who owns a Japanese knife to maximize its performance.

In Japanese Kitchen Knives, Nozaki teaches the reader how to use usuba, deba and yanagiba, the three main traditional Japanese knives. He explains many essential techniques, such as the importance of understanding blade angle and point of force, and illustrates these lessons by working with ingredients familiar to western readers, like carrots and rainbow trout. Color photos and Nozaki's commentary further clarify the process, and the pictures are taken from the chef's perspective for easier understanding (most other books take photos from the reverse perspective). Each technique is accompanied by recipes that require its use, and all recipes are very simple, using easy-to-acquire ingredients. Other sections include a look at artisanal Japanese knife-making and information on sharpening, storing and identifying the variety of Japanese knives. Specialty knives are shown on location, from the unique unagi eel knife in an unagi specialty restaurant to the colossal tuna filleting knife in Tsukiji fish market.

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Product Details

Hardcover: 158 pages
Publisher: Kodansha USA (July 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 4770030762
ISBN-13: 978-4770030764
Product Dimensions: 10 x 0.8 x 7.5 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,279,862 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #358 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Asian Cooking > Japanese
- #3735 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Kitchen Appliances
- #11979 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Regional & International

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Customer Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars

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4 star		20%
3 star		3%
2 star		7%
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Top Customer Reviews

For those interested in Japanese kitchen knives, how they are used, held, maintained and more!

By [KNDY] Dennis A. Amith TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE VOICE on July 27, 2009

Format: Hardcover

For any culinary chef, the tools you have with you to prepare certain meals are quite important. For many chef's, the knives used are critical in preparing certain meals. In Japan, the Japanese kitchen knives are extremely critical as many dishes include paper-thin dishes.

It's one thing to watch this on television via "The Iron Chef" or watching your sushi chef prepare it at the restaurant. But for many people who enjoy cooking, many people who enjoy cooking know that knives are important and for the last decade or more, the sales of Japanese kitchen knives have been increasing but the question is, do a lot of people know how to utilize them?

With "Japanese Kitchen Knives: Essential Techniques", chef Hiromitsu Nozaki (with Kate Klippensteen) shows you how to create a variety of dishes but also learning how to get started, proper knife anatomy and knife control. Also, gaining knowledge of the three main knives being used.

Hiromitsu Nozaki was the executive chef of Tokuyama and Waketokuyama in Tokyo during the 80's and catered to the Japanese athletes for the 2004 Olympics in Athens. He has published and authored over 40 cookbooks in Japan and together with Kate Klippensteen (who wrote "Cool Tools: Cooking Utensils from the Japanese Kitchen"), both do a great service for upcoming chefs, people who are passionate about Japanese food (especially on how vegetables, fish and meat are cut thinly) and those who have been wanting to invest in Japanese knives.

The book is broken down to three major chapters which are THE USUBA, THE DEBA and THE YANAGIBA.

The Usuba deals with learning how to use rotary peeling, needle cuts, whittling, tea-whisk cut, serpent belly cut and decorative vegetable carving.Read more ›

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Essential Japanese knife skills

By Zack Davisson HALL OF FAMETOP 500 REVIEWERVINE VOICE on September 17, 2009

Format: Hardcover

Many of the fancy cuts and delicate arrangements in Japanese cooking require a certain set of tools. One can imitate them with Western cooking equipment, but never really perfect them. Central to these techniques are the three single-beveled Japanese knives; the yanagiba, the deba and the usuba.

"Japanese Kitchen Knives: Essential Techniques and Recipes" is an introductory book to these three essential knives and their use. Written by celebrated chef Nozaki Hiromutsu (who has many cooking books available in his native Japanese) and Kate Klippensteen (Cool Tools: Cooking Utensils from the Japanese Kitchen), the book is about one-third knife history and information, one-third knife skills course, and one-third cook book with recipes.

I enjoyed all of the different elements of "Japanese Kitchen Knives." I have read about some of the knife techniques, such as the sanmai oroshi three-piece filleting technique in that Japanese cooking bible Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art, but it was much easier to follow here with the photographs and step-by-step guide.Read more ›

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EXCELLENT book for knife users...not scientists...

By TolkienFan TOP 1000 REVIEWER on May 23, 2016

Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase

I find it a little strange when folks write a review and complain about something when it is obviously their own fault because they didn't pay attention or they didn't read the descriptions.... Therefore, I am going to depart a little from my usual "style" and make this review more of a helpful primer for someone who is wondering about this book....

First, this book is about Japanese Kitchen Knives. Is it about how Americans use knives.? NOPE.... Is it about the nice German knives or the nice steel from Sheffield England.?? NOPE.... It is about Japanese Kitchen Knives and Essential Techniques for their use. That's all folks...!!

So does this book cover the entire process of how Japanese knives are made (in detail no less..)??? NOPE...not that either. Does it go into detail on Japanese steel.??? NOPE.. It is about Japanese Kitchen Knives and some Essential Techniques for their use. Really folks, this book talks about some different styles of Japanese knives and what they are used for in Japan. It discusses the basic forms and edge design. It talks a little about why one design is "better" than another for a specific purpose. It talks a little about the edge angles and the fact that the Japanese edges are extremely sharp.... but there is a tradeoff. The edges can chip or break if you use them wrong.

Does this book discuss all of the knife technique in Japan.?? NOPE, not even close. It discusses the basic techniques, the basic uses, the basic cuts. If you want to start using Japanese knives and you want to learn something about how they are used... this book will take you there. It talks about blade shape and thickness, edge geometry, and handle shapes. It discusses the basic uses and cuts performed with each design presented in the book.Read more ›

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

Beautiful book. Looks interesting

Beautiful book. Looks interesting. Got it for my adult son to go with a knife his brother brought him from Japan.

Published 3 days ago by Jean

Great book on Japanese knives.

Very authoritative book on the correct use of Japanese kitchen knives. It centers on the main three knives (yanagiba, usuba and debate), but that's about all you need.

Published 1 month ago by Amazon Customer

chef review

I have seen many books on japanese food that are very beginner, this is not that book. If you are interested in sushi, buy this book. Written very well by a master.

Published 2 months ago by Amazon Customer

Five Stars

love love this book, I do not lend this one out..

Published 4 months ago by Amazon Customer

Good book

Very interesting book. A little less technical information than I wanted, but otherwise quite interesting. Great information on Japanese techniques. I would recommend.

Published 13 months ago by eleckh

Excellan Book

Excellant Book

Published 15 months ago by Patrick C.

I am not a chef but I have enjoyed this book

clear descriptions and photos in clear print. I am not a chef but I have enjoyed this book. I know it will make me a better cook and japanese knife owner.

Published 16 months ago by andrew Marquez

Not just for the coffee table

Loaned to a friend and having difficult time prying it out of his hand!

Published 20 months ago by Doug Siddens

Good book

Great info in this book

Published 20 months ago by R. J. Coates

Good clearly written book

Good clearly written book...a must for a beginning oriental cook.
How to sharpen was worth the price of the book. Read more

Published 22 months ago by Henry Ellwood