The peeler that Japanese people imagine and the peeler that Finnish people imagine are actually different in shape. There are two types of peelers: the Y-shaped and the I-shaped, depending on the vegetables commonly eaten in each country.
Y-shaped in Japan

Think about the movement of this peeler. Place the blade against the vegetable, and move your whole arm to pull the peeler and peel it straight. This is ideal for processing long root vegetables such as Daikon radishes and carrots.
I-shaped in Finland




The movement of this peeler is very similar to that of a small knife. You hold the handle and use your wrist to move it, so you can keep it fitting on curved surfaces.So, it is suitable for peeling round vegetables such as potatoes and turnips.
Depends on the Major Vegetable
The Y-shaped peeler, which is a major tool in Japan, is not suitable for ball-shaped vegetables such as potatoes. This is probably the reason why people in Japan say that potatoes should be peeled with a knife.
However, if you use an I-shaped peeler, you can easily peel potatoes.
I-shaped Peeler with Moving Blade




An I-shaped peeler with a moving blade is somewhere between a Y-shaped peeler and an I-shaped peeler with a fixed blade. When peeling daikon radish with an I-shaped peeler with a moving blade, it is easier to peel if you move it from the front to the back, away from your body. In Japan, I also used this I-shaped peeler.
However, when peeling potatoes, the I-shaped peeler with fixed blade is by far the easiest to use.
So Many Countries, So Many Customs
It is very interesting to see how each country’s diet is reflected in even a single peeler.







About the ingredients available in Finland, and what we use. Where and when you can buy them, and how they are.
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