Journal & Guides

Tips, techniques &
sushi stories.

From knife skills to rice secrets - guides on making better sushi at home, and the stories behind Smart Sushi Chef.

Yanagiba sushi knife resting on a wet whetstone, ready for sharpening single bevel knives
deba
Sharpening Single Bevel Knives: Shinogi, Urasuki and Uraoshi
How to sharpen single bevel Japanese knives without ruining the geometry: the shinogi line, the urasuki hollow, uraos...
Ethan · October 16, 2026 · 12 min read
Toshu Usuba 180mm and Sakai Kikumori Usuba 210mm side by side in rare blue and unique purple, an example of Japanese knife tiers
buying guide
Japanese Knife Tiers: How SSC Knife Cards Work
Every knife on Smart Sushi Chef has a card: seven tiers, the same spec rows on every knife, side-by-side compare and ...
Ethan · October 16, 2026 · 8 min read
A yanagiba single-bevel slicer and a sujihiki double-bevel slicer laid side by side on a cream prep surface, knife comparison flat-lay
japanese knives
Yanagiba vs Sujihiki: Choosing the Right Service Slicer
Two slicers, two philosophies. Here's how the single-bevel yanagiba and double-bevel sujihiki behave on the line, and...
Ethan · May 28, 2026 · 9 min read
Is a Damascus Steel Knife Worth It? An Honest Chef's Take
Aogami
Is a Damascus Steel Knife Worth It? An Honest Chef's Take
Damascus steel knives look stunning — but many are pure marketing. Here's how to spot fake Damascus and why VG10 or B...
Ethan · April 24, 2026 · 11 min read