Hasegawa Soft Cutting Board 410mm
Hasegawa soft cutting board, 410 x 230 x 20mm: a wood core sealed in a soft, knife-friendly surface, rigid enough for daily use and far lighter than solid plastic.
This is the smaller Hasegawa soft board, sized for a single station, a sushi counter or a home kitchen. Inside is a wood core; outside, a thick, soft synthetic surface that seals it in completely. The core keeps the board stiff and flat and cuts the weight by 30 to 50% compared with a solid plastic board, while the soft surface is gentle on thin Japanese edges and grips food so it does not slide as you cut.
Why Chefs Choose This
- Kind to edges: the soft surface gives under the blade, so fine Japanese knives stay sharper for longer
- Grippy: fish and vegetables stay put, which helps with thin, precise cuts
- Light and rigid: the wood core makes it 30 to 50% lighter than solid plastic and resists warping
- Hygienic and practical: the core is fully sealed, and the board is dishwasher safe
How to Use
- Sushi and sashimi: slice fish and prepare neta with a yanagiba or gyuto on a surface that protects the edge
- Everyday prep: vegetables, herbs and boneless meat at a single station
- Keep it clean: use the Hasegawa scraper between tasks to clear the surface
- Mind the heat: wash in water up to 90°C and avoid UV sterilising cabinets
In Japan the cutting board is the manaita (まな板), and at a sushi counter it is the stage everything happens on. Traditional boards are hinoki or other soft woods, prized because they are kind to knives, but wood is heavy, needs drying and can warp. Hasegawa's answer was to keep the softness and lose the drawbacks: a light wood core for stiffness, wrapped in a soft, washable synthetic that feels much closer to wood under the knife than hard plastic does. Boards like this are widely used in Japanese professional kitchens, where knives are expensive and the board gets scrubbed many times a day.
Learn more: Japanese Kitchen Knives
Why use a soft cutting board with Japanese knives?
Japanese knives are hard and ground thin, which is what makes them sharp, but a thin, hard edge rolls or chips when it hits a hard surface. Glass, stone and hard plastic boards blunt a fine edge quickly. A soft board lets the edge sink very slightly into the surface instead of stopping dead against it, so the edge lasts longer between sharpenings. The grippy surface is a bonus: ingredients stay still, so cuts are cleaner and safer.
Product Details
| Type | Soft cutting board with wood core (まな板, manaita) |
| Brand | Hasegawa (長谷川化学工業), Japan |
| Dimensions | 410 x 230 x 20mm |
| Construction | Wood core fully sealed in a soft synthetic surface |
| Heat Resistance | Up to 90°C |
| Colour | Beige |
| Origin | Japan |
| Care | Dishwasher safe; bleach safe; no UV sterilisation; store flat |
Is a wood core board hygienic?
Yes. The wood core is completely sealed inside a thick synthetic layer, so food never touches the wood during normal use. The surface washes like any plastic board and is dishwasher safe. If deep cuts or damage ever expose the wood, the board should be replaced.
How do I clean and look after it?
Scrape the surface with the Hasegawa scraper, wash in hot soapy water or the dishwasher, and dry it. Keep washing water to 90°C or below and do not put it in a UV sterilising cabinet, which can discolour it. Store it flat to keep it true. Strong-coloured foods such as turmeric and fried food can mark the surface more than others.
Which size should I choose?
This 410 x 230mm board suits a single station, a sushi counter or a home kitchen. For large fish and bigger batches, the 600mm Hasegawa soft board gives you much more room to work.
SKU : T1981