Rectangular and twisted pieces of beige konnyaku (yam cake) are arranged on a wooden cutting board. The pieces vary in shape, with some flat and others braided.

We cut konnyaku (konjac cake) many different ways in Japanese cuisine depending on the dish. For simmered and celebratory dishes, we often use a decorative cutting technique so it resembles auspicious woven horse reins called tazuna (手綱). In this simple tutorial, I’ll show you How to Make Tazuna Konnyaku with one incision and a simple twist.

See how I use tazuna konnyaku in my Oden and Chikuzenni (Nishime) recipes!

Tazuna Konnyaku — Japanese Cutting Techniques: Kazarigiri

What is Tazuna Konnyaku?

Tazuna konnyaku (手綱こんにゃく) is a simple Japanese cutting technique that gives konnyaku (konjac) a twisted shape that looks like narrow-strap horse reins (tazuna) with interwoven braids. This shape adds elegance and symbolizes good fortune. What’s more, the increased surface area improves flavor absorption. Therefore, we often use tazuna konnyaku in chikuzennni, bento boxes, and Osechi Ryori (New Year’s foods).

Osechi ryori in 3 tier boxes.
A Japanese ceramic bowl containing simmered chicken and vegetables.
Namiko Hirasawa Chen

Why I Love This Cutting Technique

  • Easy to do with one incision and a simple tuck.
  • Improves flavor absorption by increasing konnyaku’s surface area so it can soak up the delicious seasonings from simmering liquid.
  • Adds elegance and symbolism to everyday simmered dishes and celebratory meals.

Types of Food for Tazuna Cut

Tazuna konnyaku is part of the broader kazarigiri (飾り切り) Japanese cutting technique meaning “decorative cut.” It’s the art of carving fruits or vegetables into beautiful, symbolic shapes for seasonal or celebratory Japanese dishes. We use the tazuna cut with these ingredients:

Eight pieces of twisted, translucent konnyaku (yam cake) are neatly lined up on a wooden cutting board, with an uncut block on the right side.
Kamaboko Reins (Tazuna)

What is Konnyaku?

Konnyaku (こんにゃく) is a Japanese food product made from konjac or devil’s tongue, a yam (taro) in the genus Amorphophallus. It comes in either gray with specks or white varieties and has a gelatinous, bouncy texture. It may surprise you that konnyaku is flavorless, gluten-free, and high in fiber. However, it has almost no calories, sugar, fat, or protein. On the flip side, it’s great at soaking up flavorful simmering broths.

Konnyaku Yam Cake | Easy Japanese Recipes at JustOneCookbook.com

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

Jump to TUTORIAL

How to Make Tazuna Konnyaku

  1. Cut the konnyaku pieces and make a slit. First, slice the cake crosswise into pieces about ⅛ to ¼ inch (7–8 mm) thick. Next, cut a lengthwise slit in the center of each slice about 1½ inches (3.75 cm) long.
Tazuna Konnyaku 1
Tazuna Konnyaku 2
  1. Tuck one end through. Lift up the bottom end and gently push it into the opening.
Tazuna Konnyaku 3
Tazuna Konnyaku 4
  1. Pull it all the way through so the konnyaku piece lays flat and the sides are twisted.
Tazuna Konnyaku 5
Two hands twist a piece of grey konnyaku (yam cake) into a decorative knot on a wooden surface, with additional twisted konnyaku pieces in the background.

Nami’s Tips

  • Tuck gently – Do not pull on the slit or try to stretch it, as this can tear the hole open.
  • Cut the slit the right size – About 1½ inches (3.75 cm) works best. Do not make a shorter slit that’s hard to thread the konnyaku through. Also, avoid a longer one that can weaken and rip the ends.
  • Don’t cut the konnyaku too thick – A thick piece won’t be as pliable or fit through the slit. Therefore, I recommend keeping them ⅛–¼ inch (7-8 mm) thick.

How to Use Tazuna Konnyaku

A blue Japanese bowl containing Nishime, simmered vegetables and chicken.
A donabe clay pot containing Japanese fish cake stew called oden, an assortment of fish balls and fish cakes.
Two hands twist a piece of grey konnyaku (yam cake) into a decorative knot on a wooden surface, with additional twisted konnyaku pieces in the background.
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How to Make Tazuna Konnyaku

by Namiko Hirasawa Chen
One of the easiest Japanese cutting techniques makes konjac cake look like auspicious braided horse reins. I'll show you how to make tazuna konnyaku with one incision to add a decorative twist to your Japanese simmered dishes and stews.
Prep: 5 minutes
Total: 5 minutes
Servings: 1 batch

Equipment

Materials  

Instructions

  • Slice the konnyaku cake crosswise about ⅛ to ¼ inch (7–8 mm) thick. In the center of each slice, cut a 1½-inch (3.75 cm) slit lengthwise.
    Two close-up images show hands slicing a gray, jelly-like block of konnyaku on a wooden cutting board with a knife. The left image shows horizontal cuts; the right image shows vertical cuts.
  • Place the bottom end of the slice through the opening. Nami's Tip: Do not pull on or stretch the slit, as it may tear.
    Two images show hands twisting and shaping pieces of gray konnyaku on a wooden surface, demonstrating how to make decorative twists in the konnyaku pieces.
  • Gently push it through the middle and pull it out on the other side.
    Two close-up images show hands twisting and shaping slices of grey konnyaku jelly on a wooden cutting board, preparing them for cooking.
  • Pull the end through completely so the konnyaku piece lays flat and the sides are twisted like ribbons or reins.
    Close-up of hands twisting a piece of greyish konnyaku, and a row of six neatly twisted konnyaku pieces lined up on a wooden cutting board.

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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on December 24, 2012, and updated with new images on June 6, 2024. It was republished with more helpful information on July 17, 2025.