Fugu Hiki translates as ‘pufferfish puller’. These are long thin and highly flexible knives, that are similar to the Yanagi Ba, except with a thinner and more flexible blade.
The Fugu Hiki is traditionally used to slice the prized Fugu into an extremely thin sashimi. As you probably know, this is not a job for amateurs, as fugu is lethally poisonous if incorrectly prepared. Because of this, Fugu has become one of the most notorious and celebrated dishes in Japan, requiring great skill and experience from sashimi chef.
Our views and advice to buyers
Because of the danger, Fugu is the one delicacy in Japan that is forbidden to the Emperor! As such a Fugu Hiki might be considered rather unnecessary for an everyday kitchen, and perhaps just one for enthusiasts and collectors, or to serve merely as a decorative object.
