Unagisaki Hocho (Eel)

Unagisaki Hocho is a knife specialised for filleting eel. Anyone who has attempted to fillet an eel before will realise what a difficult task this is, and how important it is to have a blade deliberately fashioned for the task. There are several variations on the Unagisaki, according to traditions that have grown up in different cities in Japan. The one pictured is considered the standard type.

Our views and advice for buyers

The knife is used by pushing the sharp tip into the eel right behind the head, before being slid along the body to open up the entire length of the fish. This is a motion that takes some practice and skill – it is a real pleasure to watch an expert in action.