Japanese Cutting Techniques

There are some cutting techniques that are very specific to Japanese cooking, and certain
dishes tastes and looks better when the ingredients are cut a certain way.  However, you’ll notice for the most part that it’s the same way you cut.

BASIC JAPANESE CUTTING TECHNIQUES

Usugiri (薄切り) – “Thin” Cut

• Cucumber, ginger, onion, eggplant, garlic, negi (green onion)
• Crisp texture
• Good for stir fry, simmered dishes, salad, pickled dish.

Nanamegiri (斜め切り) – “Diagonal” Cut 

• negi
• Cut against grain/fiber diagonally

Naname Usugiri (斜め薄切り) – “Thin Diagonal” Cut 

• negi, celery
• Good for salad

Wagiri (輪切り) – “Round” Cut 

• cucumber, daikon, tomato, eggplant, carrot, lotus root
• Thickness varies depends on recipes
• Good for simmered dishes

Rangiri (乱切り) – “Random Shape” Cut 

• carrot, cucumber, daikon, eggplant, lotus root
• Cut into random shape, but the same size
• Create more surface so it will cook faster

Koguchigiri (小口切り) – “Small Round” Cut

• negi, green onion, cucumber
• Thickness varies depends on recipes but roughly 2-3 mm

Kushigatagiri (くし形切り) – “Comb Shape” Cut

• cabbage, onion, tomato, lemon
• Cut into wedges

Mijingiri (みじん切り) – “Minced” Cut 

• onion, carrot, ginger, garlic, negi
• Cut into small pieces from Sengiri

Hangetsugiri (半月切り) – “Half Moon” Cut 

• cucumber, daikon, tomato, eggplant, carrot, lotus root
• Good for soups and simmered dishes

Ichogiri (いちょう切り) – “Gingko Leaf ” Cut

• daikon, carrot
• Good for soups and simmered dishes

Hyoshigiri (拍子 木切り) – “Long Stick” Cut

• daikon, carrot
• Good for stir fry and simmered dishes
• Cut into 5 cm x 1 cm x 1 cm cubes

Sainomegiri (さいの目切り) – “Diced” Cut 

• daikon, carrot, cucucmber
• Cut into 1 cm x 1 cm x 1 cm
• Good for soup and salad

Hosoghiri (細切り) – “Slender” Cut

• cucumber, gobo, potato, daikon, carrot, negi, bell pepper
• Generally 4-5 cm x 3 mm

Sengiri (千切り) – “Thousand” Cut 

• cabbage, ginger, daikon, carrot
• Generally 6-7 cm x 1-2 mm

Zakugiri (ザク切り) – “Rough Chop” Cut

• cabbage, green vegetables, tomato, chives
• Generally 3-4 cm width
• Roughly chop, not in uniform way
• Good for stir fry and hot pot

Butsugiri (ぶつ切り) – “Chop” Cut

• negi, cerely
• Chop into convenient size, usually 3 cm pieces
• Good for hot pot and simmered dishes

Tanzakugiri (短冊切り) – “Strip of Paper” Cut

• daikon, carrot
• Good for salad and soup

Sasagaki (ささがき) – “Bamboo Leaf” Cut 

• gobo, carrot
• “Shave” like sharpening pencil with knife

Sogigiri (そぎ切り) – “Angle Slicing” Cut 

• mushrooms, napa cabbage
• Works best for thick (part of) ingredient and helps to cook faster and evenly
• Slice at a 45 degree angle

Hana Renkon (花レンコン) – Flower Lotus Root

• Lotus root
• Cut the lotus root into flower shape

Hanagiri (花切り) – “Flower” Cut (Carrot,Shiitake Mushroom)

• shiitake mushroom, carrot, lotus root,
• Flower shape on vegetables
• Used as an accent and decoration

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