fugu
Fugu, one of Japan’s most gourmet foods, is the ramen star of the classy Ginza neighborhood.
Get a glimpse of how one of Japan’s delicacies, the poisonous fugu fish, is traded at auction!
UFO catchers occupy a major portion of Japanese arcades nowadays. If you happen to walk by an arcade, the flashing lights and fun prizes all beckon customers to try their luck at these “skill” testing games. Normally, the prizes are figures and stuffed animals from popular TV shows and manga, but you will often see snacks and food. Most recently, a UFO catcher at the Amuseum Oizumi caught our eye because of its prize, a real live pufferfish!
When you’re hovering on the verge of leaving this world, the last thing you want to feel is lingering regret about those unique foods you never had the chance to try and all those unimaginable flavours and textures you missed out on, or never knew existed. To avoid such a terrible fate, a list of 20 strange bucket-list foods has recently been compiled by a British news site and has been widely commented on in Japan, as it features two home-grown favourites: fugu and shiokara. Fugu is the poisonous pufferfish of Simpsons fame, while shiokara is a relatively harmless dish composed of shreds of meat from a sea creature (commonly squid) in a slimy paste of its heavily salted, fermented raw guts. I mean, viscera.
So my taste buds won’t spend an eternity regretting the tragic circumstances that left their fugu and shiokara cherry unpopped, I aim to get to the bottom of these Japanese dishes! Er, okay, maybe not right to the bottom. I’ll have a few cautious bites and see how it goes.
You may think it’s crazy to voluntarily eat poisonous fish, but in the case of pufferfish, or “fugu” in Japanese, it’s something the Japanese have been doing for a long time. We understand how the idea of eating a potentially deadly poisonous fish could be off-putting to some, but most Japanese people wouldn’t think twice about going to a restaurant and having pufferfish; in fact most of us would welcome it as a treat, as a full-course fugu meal usually doesn’t come cheap. Well, this time, we have a story from one of the reporters at the Pouch website about an unusual way to have pufferfish, and this is definitely a recipe you won’t be able to recreate at home! Read More
MOST POPULAR
Now
That time Seiji called JASRAC to ask why he didn’t get paid royalties for his song being on TV
Hayao Miyazaki says Happy New Year to Studio Ghibli fans with new art for Year of the Horse
The 10 best day trips from downtown Tokyo【Survey】
Why Sensoji temple in Asakusa is better at night
Draw like a Studio Ghibli anime artist with exclusive watercolour set approved by Hayao Miyazaki
Nattoku! Factory offers free factory tours of a famous natto brand production process
Instant cozy anime cosplay can be yours with new Ranma 1/2 roomwear sets【Photos】
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Chinese government’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning has heartwarming non-effect on Yokohama Chinatown
35 fascinating photos of Korea from 100 years ago (before K-dramas took over Asia)
Weekly
Starbucks Japan ready to get Year of the Horse started with adorable drinkware and plushies【Pics】
Cyberpunk anime meets traditional culture in Ghost in the Shell gold leaf Japanese changing screens
7 great places to see Mt. Fuji from without having to climb it
Hello Kitty Choco Egg figures are an adorable trip through three periods of Japanese pop culture【Pics】
7-Eleven Japan’s ramen-cooking robot whipped us up a bowl of noodles【Taste test】
We found possibly the quietest Japanese-style hotel in Tokyo’s bustling Shinjuku district
Japan’s otoshidama tradition of giving kids money at New Year’s gets a social welfare upgrade
Sumo Sanrio! Hello Kitty and pals team up with Japan Sumo Association for new merch【Pics】
More Than a Capsule Stay: Why Solo Travelers Choose “global cabin Yokohama Chinatown”
Japan’s oldest largetooth sawfish in captivity back on display in Mie Prefecture
Monthly
- Starbucks Japan ready to get Year of the Horse started with adorable drinkware and plushies【Pics】
7-Eleven Japan starts new temporary luggage storage service in over 300 branches
Disillusionment at Tsukiji’s tourist-target prices led us to a great ramen restaurant in Tokyo
Starbucks teams up with 166-year-old Kyoto doll maker for Year of the Horse decorations【Photos】
Tokyo considering law requiring more trash cans following litter increase in heavily touristed area
Tokyo’s Tsukiji sushi neighborhood asks tour groups to stay away for the rest of the month
Tokyo event lets you travel back in time, for free, to celebrate 100 years since Showa era start
Sanrio theme park in Japan announces plans to expand into a Sanrio resort
Japan may add Japanese language proficiency, lifestyle classes to permanent foreign resident requirements
Stamina-destroying “Paralysis Noodles” are Tokyo’s newest over-the-top ramen innovation
Yearly
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Japan’s deadliest food claims more victims, but why do people keep eating it for New Year’s?
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Starbucks Japan reveals new sakura drinkware collection, inspired by evening cherry blossoms
Updated cherry blossom forecast shows extra-long sakura season for Japan this year
RECOMMENDED STORIES
Nattoku! Factory offers free factory tours of a famous natto brand production process
Instant cozy anime cosplay can be yours with new Ranma 1/2 roomwear sets【Photos】
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Chinese government’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning has heartwarming non-effect on Yokohama Chinatown
35 fascinating photos of Korea from 100 years ago (before K-dramas took over Asia)
The best Starbucks Japan Frappuccinos we want to drink again in 2026
Family Mart opens first clothing store in Tokyo
How special is Starbucks Japan’s new “Special Ver.” Frappuccino?
Japanese Twitter reveals the one Japanese word that gets English-speakers super excited
Graffiti artist Pikachu plushies coming to brand-new Shibuya Pokémon Center megastore【Photos】
New Sailor Moon figure turns your bedroom into an anime backdrop
Here’s the oldest recipe for Japanese curry in existence, and how it tastes【SoraKitchen】
Hayao Miyazaki draws Year of the Dragon illustration for New Year’s card to Studio Ghibli fans
-
