LIVE FUGU PUFFERFISH: Japanese Street Food Puffer Fish

The Japanese word for pufferfish, fugu, refers to both the fish itself and the dish made from it. Fugu can refer to species of Takifugu, Lagocephalus, Sphoeroides, or porcupinefish of the genus Diodon. Fugu must be carefully prepared to remove harmful components and to prevent contaminating the meat because of its tetrodotoxin, which has the potential to be lethally dangerous.

In Japan and numerous other nations, the preparation of fugu in restaurants is carefully regulated by law, and only chefs who have passed a rigorous training program that lasted three or more years are permitted to cook the fish. On occasion, cooking causes unintentional deaths.

Fugu is offered as chirinabe and sashimi. Although some people believe the liver to be the most delicious component, it is also the most deadly, hence it is rarely served in restaurants.