Furutsu Naifu Knives

Furutsu naifu knife. © Paul Chamness Iida / 2019

A Japanese fruit knife (“Furutsu naifu”, Japanese:  フルツ。ナイフ) is a small inexpensive knife made and sold in Japan.

It is designed to help peel and slice fruit cleanly without damaging it.

It is meant to be used in the hand, as opposed to on a cutting board.

It is about the size of a paring knife and will have a handle typically made of wood or plastic.

These knives also typically come with a wooden or plastic sheath / scabbard that slides onto the blade, making them safely portable for packing into lunch boxes, purses, backpacks, picnic boxes, etc. This allows the knife owner to eat fruit easily on the run during the day, or in situations such as travelling on a train or bus.

The knives can also be used as paring knives with vegetables such as mushrooms, celery, etc.

Literature and Lore

Despite this knife being designed to be portable, people in Japan must be ready to explain to police if asked why they have one on them: “According to Article 22 of Japan’s Weapons Control Law, individuals must be able to provide a legitimate reason for carrying a blade over 6 cm (2.4 inches) in length.” ^[1]Wakayama City official arrested for taking fruit knife home from work. Japan Today. 26 March 2015. Accessed October 2019 at https://japantoday.com/category/crime/wakayama-city-official-arrested-for-taking-fruit-knife-home-from-work

Language notes

“Furutsu naifu” is the Japanese pronunciation of “fruit knife” in English.