A 10-year-old girl from Japan has achieved the remarkable feat of becoming the youngest person authorized to prepare fugu pufferfish, a delicacy that can be deadly if not handled correctly. Karin Tabira, a fifth grader, passed a test this summer that certifies her ability to slice and gut the fish for consumption. She recently put her newfound skills to use by serving a platter of paper-thin slices of fugu sashimi to the governor of southern Kumamoto region, where she resides. The governor praised her culinary skills by saying “oishi,” which means delicious in Japanese.
Tabira was one of 60 individuals who successfully passed the test in Yamaguchi region this summer, out of a total of 93 participants. While most test-takers were professional chefs, Tabira’s achievement stands out due to her young age. For her, clearing this hurdle was an enjoyable part of her summer break.
Fugu is often served raw at high-end restaurants in Japan but requires skilled chefs who possess licenses proving their ability to safely handle and remove its poisonous parts. Occasionally, unlicensed individuals consume fugu caught in the sea and tragically lose their lives as a result.
Although Yamaguchi does not impose an age limit for taking the fugu test, Kumamoto has specific regulations requiring Kimura (Tabira’s guardian) to accompany Tabira when preparing fugu dishes due to her age. Tabira’s interest in pursuing this skill was sparked by news that another sixth grader had passed the same test in another region. Since February, she trained at Fukunari—a farm and wholesaler based in Kumamoto—using tools such as hammers and butcher knives under adult supervision.
Yuki Hirao from Fukunari expressed astonishment at Tabira’s accomplishment: “Even our adult staff members can fail the test. For a 10-year-old girl like Karin to pass it on her first attempt is truly amazing.”