In the tora fugu, or tiger blowfish, which is the most popular and most expensive type, the meat, skin and testes are safe to eat, Mr. Finally, in 20 minutes, they must prepare the fugu, separating the poisonous organs from those that are edible. Then, within three minutes, they must identify five species of the dozen or so fugu that are marketed. Next, they take a twohour written examination. To qualify, applicants must first have served an apprenticeship of at least two years under a licensed fugu chef. The traces of exhaustion were understandable since the fugu season, from October through March, had just begun, which meant that the rigorous battery of tests given to hundreds of aspiring fugu chefs each year had just been completed. Muraki looked a bit worn as he fingered the abacus in front of him while sharing his knowledge of fugu. ''So a layman can purchase fugu and prepare it - sometimes not so well.''Īt his desk in a crowded office, Mr. ''But in some other areas, there are no such restrictions,'' Mr. One must have a license even to buy fugu in Tokyo. He once worked in the city's Tsukiji fish market. In Tokyo, the guardian of the fugu-eating public's safety is Keizo Muraki, chief of the Metropolitan Government's Milk, Meat and Seafood Public Health Bureau and a man who knows his way around a fugu. The testing and licensing of fugu chefs is handled at local government level, and Japan's two main tourist centers, Tokyo and Kyoto, are in areas known to have the strictest regulations. Indeed, eating fugu prepared by a licensed fugu chef is completely safe. There is an old Japanese folk song that goes, ''I want to eat fugu, but I don't want to die.'' But these days, there's no reason to equivocate. Most of the deaths involve fishermen who catch fugu, prepare the fish themselves and never live long enough to regret it. However, the death toll has shrunk in recent years from a peak of 176 in 1958 to 10 in 1979, the most recent year for which national statistics are available. Each year, a few dozen fugu eaters in Japan are poisoned, some fatally. One of the best-known cases occurred a few years ago when a leading Kabuki actor, Mitsugoro Bando, died after eating fugu at a posh restaurant. In Japan, the long and impressive roll call of fugu martyrs includes several hulking Sumo wrestlers and other notables. For fugu is among the most toxic of marine creatures.Ī single fugu contains enough poison to kill 30 adults and there is no known antidote, although people often survive the milder cases of fugu poisoning. But it is the third aspect, the thrill-seeker's adventure, that makes fugu truly distinctive. They are high in protein and low in calories, a weight-watchers dream. To enthusiasts, the paper-thin slices of fugu flesh, eaten raw, have a matchless delicate flavor. Fugu, the blowfish or globefish, offers taste, health and adventure in every bite. By STEVE LOHRĪmong the epicurean pleasures of the world, eating fugu is something unique. STEVE LOHR is a correspondent in the Tokyo bureau of The Times.
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