Overview:
The Takohiki or octopus slicer is used in exactly the same way as the yanagiba with the only exception that the blade edge is straighter. In Japanese “tako” means octopus while “hiki” means to pull. They are common in the east of Japan and around Tokyo while the yanagiba is traditionally found in the west of Japan and around Osaka.
The slicing action is a long pull and there are few circumstances in which you would want to use the sharp tip because it would be very difficult to control in such a long blade. The squared-off tip of the knife is also useful for lifting and transferring sliced fish the cutting board to the serving plate.
The story goes that the Takohiki was developed because, unlike the chefs of the Kansai (Osaka) region of Japan where the Yanagiba originated, the sushi chefs of the Kanto (Tokyo) region sat down whilst cutting. This had the effect of increasing the height of their cutting boards relative to their arms, and consequently the almost straight edge profile of the Takohiki was more suitable for their seated position than the curved edge profile of the Yanagiba.
