When you go to a restaurant that serves fresh wasabi, you usually see them using a grater to grate the fresh wasabi.
But did you know that there are different types of graters that can produce dramatically different grated results depending on which grater is used? Let me introduce to you some commonly used graters in the market and explain the difference.
Common Grater
Features: low cost, commonly found in Japanese households, usually used to grate many different things such as ginger and fruits
This is the most common grater you would find in a traditional Japanese household and also in many sushi restaurants. This grater is usually used to grate everyday items that are used for every meals such as ginger, daikon radish and fruits. This grater is relatively inexpensive and is a handy tool to use when you just need to grate something for dinner. Many restaurants use this grater to grate fresh wasabi because it does the job at a relatively low cost.
Shark Skin Grater
Features: uses real shark skin, traditional grater when it comes to grating wasabi, expensive, not eco friendly
The more traditional grater used in many traditional sushi restaurants in Japan is the shark skin grater. This grater has a long history and has been used for many years as the iconic grater for fresh wasabi. The shark skin is used to grate the fresh wasabi to give a unique texture loved by many. However, since this uses shark skin, over time, the grater will wear out forcing the user to purchase a new grater. Due to the nature of this grater, this grater comes as a higher expense than the common grater but allows a more traditional feel for many sushi restaurants.
Kinjirushi Haganezame Grater
Features: stainless steel grater which allows for sustainability, very creamy texture, expensive, researched for use especially for wasabi, can be used for many other fruits and vegetables
Our Kinjirushi Haganezame is a stainless steel grater that has the words “Wasabi” as the design of the grater. The specific 「わさび] lettering was found to help produce a rich and creamy texture that maximizes the wasabi flavor and aroma. Although this grater comes at a higher price point than other graters on the market, the results are superior and will last a long time as opposed to the shark skin grater. Try it with ginger, garlic and even fruits! Its a new kind of grater unique in the market.
