【Reading】こけびき/こけらびき/うろこびき

【English Name】Kokebiki / Kokerabiki / Urokobiki / removing scales

The uroko-hiki (scale remover) is a specialized tool made for removing the scales from fish, and it is indispensable in sushi restaurants and Japanese kitchens. It is also known as koke-hiki, since sushi artisans have a custom of calling scales koke.

In terms of shape, the mainstream types are board- or spatula-like, equipped with a metal blade or projections, and they peel off the scales by being drawn against the grain from the tail side toward the head of the fish. There is also a method of scraping off scales with the back (mine) of a knife, but using a dedicated scale remover allows the work to proceed efficiently while keeping splatter to a minimum.

The size and hardness of scales differ greatly by species, and this tool is especially effective on fish with hard, large scales such as sea bream (tai). On the other hand, fish with fine, easily removed scales, such as sardines (iwashi) and Pacific saury (sanma), often have their scales come off naturally during rinsing.

The spelling kokera-hiki is also occasionally seen, but kokera originally means a wood chip or wood shaving, and this spelling is presumed to have arisen from confusion with koke, which refers to fish scales. In the sushi trade, the term koke-hiki has become established whether referring to the tool itself or the technique.