【Made to Order】Shotaro Nomura 210mm Usuba - White #2 (Shirogami #2) Kasumi Finish with Signed Saya

【Made to Order / Request Order】
This knife is made to order after your request is confirmed. It is not a regular ready-stock item. Each piece is prepared individually upon order.

Not simply a Japanese vegetable knife, but a traditional tool of professional Japanese cuisine.

This 210mm Usuba is finished by Shotaro Nomura, a highly respected Sakai sharpener specializing in traditional single-bevel Japanese knives.

Crafted from White #2 (Shirogami #2) carbon steel and finished in the traditional Kasumi style, its wide, single-bevel geometry provides the control and precision required for refined vegetable preparation in Japanese cuisine.

Usuba or Nakiri — What Is the Difference?

Outside Japan, Usuba and Nakiri are sometimes grouped together simply as “Japanese vegetable knives.” Their origins and intended roles, however, are quite different.

The Nakiri developed primarily as a practical, double-bevel vegetable knife for everyday household cooking. The Usuba, by contrast, belongs to the professional tradition of Japanese cuisine. Its single-bevel construction and distinctive geometry were developed for the precise vegetable work required by Japanese chefs.

Techniques such as katsuramuki (continuous rotary peeling), extremely fine slicing, and delicate decorative vegetable work demand a degree of control that explains why the Usuba became an important specialist tool in traditional Japanese kitchens.

For anyone seeking to go beyond the familiar Nakiri and experience the vegetable knife associated with traditional professional Japanese cuisine, the Usuba represents a very different level of specialization.

A Signed Saya — A Personal Detail from the Craftsman

What makes this knife even more distinctive is its saya personally signed by Shotaro Nomura.

Rather than being merely an accessory, the signed saya gives the knife a direct connection to the craftsman responsible for its finishing — a rare detail that adds significance whether the knife is acquired for professional use or as part of a serious collection.

A knife should not be chosen by specifications alone. The difference is found in its geometry, its finish, and the hands behind it.

Specifications

• Craftsman: Shotaro Nomura
• Type: Usuba
• Blade Length: 210mm
• Steel: White #2 / Shirogami #2
• Finish: Kasumi
• Construction: Traditional single-bevel
• Saya: Included, personally signed by Shotaro Nomura
• Origin: Sakai, Osaka, Japan
• Order Type: Made to Order / Request Order

Traditional Sakai craftsmanship for the precise vegetable work at the heart of Japanese cuisine.

Important — Made to Order

This is a Request Order / Made-to-Order item. The knife is prepared after your order is confirmed and is not normally held as ready stock. As each knife is individually prepared, appearance and other subtle details may vary slightly from the example shown. Please contact us before ordering if you have any questions regarding specifications or availability.