【Reading】わぼうちょう

【English Name】Japanese Kitchen Knife

Wa-bocho is the general term for knives used in Japanese cuisine. A characteristic feature is the traditional method of forge-welding steel (hagane) to soft iron, with a single-bevel (kataba) structure being the mainstream. In right-handed knives, the cutting edge is biased toward the left side.

When the knife is put to a whetstone, the soft iron wears away first, naturally revealing the sharp steel edge. The handle is of the driven-in (uchikomi) type, offering the advantage that it can be easily replaced if it corrodes.

Representative types include the deba bocho, used to fillet fish into three pieces; the sashimi bocho (yanagiba) for slicing sashimi; and the usuba bocho and nakiri bocho for vegetables. In its connection to sushi, there is also the sushikiri bocho for cutting rolled sushi and pressed sushi, whose kamaboko-shaped blade can cut through rice and ingredients without crushing them.

The metalworking techniques honed through the Japanese sword live on throughout these knives, and their reputation overseas has risen rapidly in the 21st century. More overseas travelers now seek out Japanese knives in Kappabashi and Tsukiji. On the other hand, the joint between blade and handle is structurally somewhat weak; this is said to be a design that makes disassembly and maintenance easier in hot, humid environments.