Traditional sashiko needles are very long (about 2 inches) with a small eye.

The width of the needle is uniform all the way to the top. Modern sashiko
needles have a larger eye so the needle can be more easily threaded. In the
photo, I included the largest embroidery needle in my collection, a 1mm
width needle to show the difference between the needles. As youll see
below, a long needle is necessary to the sashiko embroidery technique.