【Reading】はけ

【English Name】Basting Brush

Hake (brush) is a general term for a tool used to apply liquid thinly and spread it; in the world of sushi it is mainly used when applying nikiri shoyu or tsume (sweet sauce) to the surface of a topping.

In general a hake is a tool used for a wide range of purposes such as painting and cooking, and at sushi restaurants the scene of giving a single brushstroke as a finishing touch to a piece of nigiri, using a small brush, is often seen. By applying nikiri, an appropriate amount of seasoning is given without using a soy-sauce dish, offering the advantage of serving with the balance of flavor the artisan intended.

As for materials, natural hair such as goat hair and horse hair has traditionally been used, but in recent years some establishments adopt silicone ones from the standpoint of hygiene management. As for care, the basics are to wash it carefully after use, arrange the bristle tips, and dry it.

Incidentally, "hake" also has the meaning of a cliff or terrace slope in the dialect of the Musashino region, but as a sushi term it refers to a brush.