Travel to Japan to enjoy death-provoking dishes sought after by rich people
Puffer fish sashimi (called Fugu in Japan) is a famous dish in the land of cherry blossoms, but not everyone has the financial ability or courage to bet their lives on this dish.
Fugu is the quintessence of Japanese cuisine.
The internal organs of this most toxic fish on the planet contain tetrodotoxin, which is said to be 1,200 times more toxic than cyanide. Even a dose as small as the tip of a needle is enough to take a person’s life in less than an hour through pain and paralysis of the entire body. But on the contrary, the meat of this fish is very delicious. That explains why it is so life-threatening that it still appears on the dining table, even as the quintessence of Japan’s culinary culture.
Processing this type of fish is not simple, because a single carelessness on the part of the chef will cost the customer’s life. Not every chef or restaurant in Japan sells puffer fish. A chef must undergo at least 2 years of training to officially serve this dish. And currently, across Japan, there are only a few chefs who are legally licensed to prepare and serve this extremely unique dish to customers.
In the Fugu processing process, even a small mistake can cost the customer’s life.
Processing procedures also need to be strictly followed. Although fish meat does not contain poison, if the surgery process is careless and touches the fish’s internal organs, the poison can spread throughout the fish meat. Normally, chefs will cut open the fish’s head and remove the brain and eyes. The next step will be to remove the skin, cut the intestines and completely remove the fish’s internal organs, especially the fish liver and ovaries, which contain the highest toxic content. This organ will be placed separately on a metal tray labeled “inedible” and destroyed in a wood stove according to a strict process.
Currently, there are only very few restaurants in Japan that are legally qualified to serve this dish, including a 3-star Michelin restaurant in Tokyo. Every year this restaurant welcomes a large number of customers who come to bet their lives to enjoy the most unique pufferfish sashimi on the planet at a price of 200 USD (equivalent to nearly 4.5 million VND) for a meal of 8 pieces.
Fugu is sought after by many “rich” customers with a price of about 200 USD.
