The word for blowfish in Japanese is fugu (ふぐ) and freshwater blowfish is tansui fugu (たんすいふぐ). Hear their proper pronunciations in the table below.
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| Romanji | Kanji | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Blowfish ふぐ | Fugu | 河豚 | |
| Freshwater blowfish たんすいふぐ | Tansui fugu | 淡水ふぐ |
Interesting facts about the blowfish / pufferfish
Blowfish, also known the pufferfish, is a very unique and somewhat pricey Japanese delicacy. It also happens to be one of the most poisonous fish in the world. It’s ovaries, liver, and even skin contains a toxin that is deadlier than cyanide and symptoms include paralysis and death.
Japanese chefs who prepare fugu must undergo years of specialized training and even obtain a special license to remove the poisonous parts of the blowfish before serving it to customers. And despite this highly specialized training, there has still been cases of fugu poisoning in Japan.
Although there are serious risks, fugu still remains a very popular delicacy in Japan. It is commonly served deep fried, in a hot-pot and even raw as sashimi.