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