Cuts

Japanese Fish & Sashimi Cuts

Usu-zukuri (Paper-Thin Slice — Fugu)

Also: usu-zukuri, usuzukuri, paper-thin cut, fugu slice

Translucent slices so thin the blue-and-white porcelain plate beneath shows through — the defining cut for fugu and the technical apex of Japanese fish butchery.

Usu-zukuri (薄造り, 'thin presentation') produces near-translucent slices of fish by combining a blade angled almost flat to the cutting board (15–20°) with a full wrist-draw stroke. The finished slice is 1–2 mm at most, broad and wide, revealing the fish's internal color gradations and, in the case of fugu, allowing the chrysanthemum plate beneath to show through the flesh — a visual performance integral to the dish. No other cut so directly links technical mastery to aesthetic effect.

In photos

Usu-zukuri (Paper-Thin Slice — Fugu) in its raw whole-cut form on a butcher's board — Usu-zukuri (薄造り, 'thin presentation') produces near-translucent slices of fish by combining a blade angled almost flat to the cutting board (15–20°) with a full wrist-draw stroke. Identifying traits: Translucent to semi-transparent; the plate surface is visible through the slice, Width of 5–8 cm, length up to 10 cm depending on fillet size — far wider than it is thick, Smooth, glassy cut face with no striations or blade marks.
Usu-zukuri (Paper-Thin Slice — Fugu) in its raw whole-cut form on a butcher's board — Usu-zukuri (薄造り, 'thin presentation') produces near-translucent slices of fish by combining a blade angled almost flat to the cutting board (15–20°) with a full wrist-draw stroke. Identifying traits: Translucent to semi-transparent; the plate surface is visible through the slice, Width of 5–8 cm, length up to 10 cm depending on fillet size — far wider than it is thick, Smooth, glassy cut face with no striations or blade marks.
Where the usu-zukuri (paper-thin slice — fugu) lives on the source. Classically performed on torafugu (tiger puffer, Takifugu rubripes) fillet — the firmest, whitest, most tonically neutral sashimi fish — and on hirame (Japanese flounder/halibut).
Where the usu-zukuri (paper-thin slice — fugu) lives on the source. Classically performed on torafugu (tiger puffer, Takifugu rubripes) fillet — the firmest, whitest, most tonically neutral sashimi fish — and on hirame (Japanese flounder/halibut).
Usu-zukuri (Paper-Thin Slice — Fugu) prepared the canonical way — Tessa (fugu sashimi). Work on a very cold, dry board — ideally marble or damp cedar; the board must not move
Usu-zukuri (Paper-Thin Slice — Fugu) prepared the canonical way — Tessa (fugu sashimi). Work on a very cold, dry board — ideally marble or damp cedar; the board must not move

Where it comes from

Classically performed on torafugu (tiger puffer, Takifugu rubripes) fillet — the firmest, whitest, most tonically neutral sashimi fish — and on hirame (Japanese flounder/halibut). Engawa (flounder fin muscle), karei (righteye flounder), and occasionally kampachi are also cut this way when their texture warrants it.

Translucent to semi-transparent; the plate surface is visible through the sliceWidth of 5–8 cm, length up to 10 cm depending on fillet size — far wider than it is thickSmooth, glassy cut face with no striations or blade marksArranged in chrysanthemum (kiku) or crane-fan patterns overlapping concentrically on round plattersExtremely fragile — tears with any tensile force; must be transferred on the blade flat

Best for

Fugu sashimi (tessa) — the canonical and legally mandated context in JapanHirame no usu-zukuri — flounder sashimi in the same paper-thin formatHigh-end kaiseki sashimi courses where visual performance is centralCold preparations only — the slice cannot survive any heat exposure

How to cook it

  1. 1Work on a very cold, dry board — ideally marble or damp cedar; the board must not move
  2. 2Hold the fillet down with flat fingertips; angle the yanagiba blade at 15–20° from horizontal, nearly parallel to the board surface
  3. 3Begin the stroke at the heel and draw the full blade length across the fillet in one smooth, continuous wrist-pull — no forward pressure, pure lateral draw
  4. 4The emerging slice should be nearly transparent; if not, flatten the blade angle further on the next stroke
  5. 5Transfer each slice immediately onto the plate using the flat of the blade — never lift with fingers or tongs
  6. 6Arrange concentrically in a chrysanthemum pattern; work from the outer ring inward, overlapping each slice by one-third
  7. 7The finished plate should reveal the porcelain pattern clearly through the assembled slices

Prep & butchery

  • Fugu must be prepared only by a licensed fugu chef (fugu-shi) in Japan — mishandling the tetrodotoxin-bearing organs is lethal
  • The fillet must be skinned and all membrane removed; any connective tissue catches the blade and causes tearing
  • The yanagiba must be ground to maximum sharpness — this cut is impossible with a blade that has any visible wire edge
  • Chill the fillet to 2–4°C before cutting; warmer flesh compresses and tears rather than shearing cleanly

Substitutes

  • Hiki-zukuri

    Standard pulling slice — appropriate for the same fish if the aesthetic of translucency is not required

  • Sogi-zukuri

    Angled slice of moderate thickness — provides delicacy without the extreme thinness of usu-zukuri

Related cuts

  • Hiki-zukuri

    The standard thick-pull cut — usu-zukuri is the extreme thin version of the same lateral drawing motion

  • Sogi-zukuri

    Angled diagonal slice — shares the blade-angle logic but stops well short of usu-zukuri's translucency

  • Ito-zukuri

    Thread cut — equal thinness but produces narrow filaments rather than wide sheets

Appears in

Tessa (fugu sashimi)Hirame no usu-zukuriKaiseki sashimi assortmentKarei sashimiEngawa sashimi

References

  1. 1.Sushi and the Art of the Japanese Knife — Hiromitsu Nozaki
  2. 2.The Japanese Kitchen — Hiroko Shimbo
  3. 3.Fugu: The World's Most Dangerous Delicacy — T.R. Reid (National Geographic)
  4. 4.Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art — Shizuo Tsuji

Confidence: high

Notes

The chrysanthemum plate

In traditional fugu presentation, the itamae uses a round blue-and-white Arita or Imari porcelain plate painted with chrysanthemums. The finished kiku (chrysanthemum) arrangement of overlapping fugu slices completes the visual pun — the cut fish echoing the plate's painted flower. Seeing the painted flowers through the translucent slices confirms the technique was executed correctly. Restaurants that specialize in fugu (fugu-ryori-ten) often invest in expensive antique plates precisely for this transparency test.

Blade angle is everything

The governing variable in usu-zukuri is blade angle relative to the board surface. At 45° (the sogi-zukuri position), slices are moderately thin but not translucent. As the angle flattens toward 15°, slices lengthen and thin dramatically. Most itamae work at 15–18° for fugu. Any angle below 12° risks the blade scraping the board surface and gouging the platter. The wrist must rotate progressively through the stroke to maintain constant geometry as the blade exits the fillet.