Fuguhiki

Slicing sashimi is an art that calls for a specialised tool - you know the story. The long, keen blade of the sashimi-bocho enables a glistening cut for peak presentation and flavour. A trap for young players: the thickness of each little slab varies with the fish. Slicing your sashimi-quality fillet too thinly may offend your guests and make you look like a cheapskate.

This is never a risk with fugu, which is sliced into extraordinarily thin, translucent slices. It's a task made easier with the extraordinary blade of the fuguhiki.

Fugu comes with other risks, though. A powerful neurotoxin for one. Death can come quickly to the novice chef, or at least that chef's customer. The saying goes, Fugu ichi-bi ni mizu i-koku - one puffer fish, 180 litres of water. Fugu chefs know this kind of stuff.

Not to worry. You're reading this in English so it's highly doubtful you'll be bothering a fugu with a fuguhiki - not a game for amateurs - but when it comes to other proteins you'll value this high-performance slicer for its combination of length, sharpness and lack of weight. Also, for its inherent beauty.