Names of Sea Fish in Japanese (2)
Oct 23rd, 2008 by Ad Blankestijn
- Bera. Wrasse (Pseudolabrus japonicus). (Fishbase). [Dutch: Lipvis]
- Brightly colored fish, max. size 25 cm.
- Usually lives in shore waters near rocky coasts or coral reefs. Retires under rocky ledges at night. Feeds on small crustaceans, mollusks and sponges. Hibernates in the sand in winter.
- Central Japan to Okinawa; South Korea, southern China.
[Picture from Fishbase]In Japan, mainly used in kamaboko fish paste, but the inhabitants of the Kansai consider wrasse as a delicacy and eat it as nanbanzuke etc. Also popular in aquariums.
- Bora. Flathead mullet (Mugil cephalus cephalus). (Fishbase; FAO Species Factsheets). [Dutch: Harder]
- Grows to 80 cm in length. Stout, elongated body.
- Smelly as it burrows in schools in the mud of estuaries and feeds on larvae, detritus, and micro-algae.
- In coastal waters of the tropical, subtropical and temperate zones of all seas. Western Pacific: Japan to Australia.
[Picture from Wikipedia]Due to smelliness, unfit for sushi. Eaten as miso-yaki or saikyo-yaki (to take the smell away!) or as fish dengaku. It should be eaten soon after being caught.
[Picture from Wikipedia]The roe of the female bora is made into karasumi (botargo, dried and pickled mullet roe) and is considered a great - and expensive - delicacy. The taste of dried mullet roe is very intense. Used as appetizer with sake.
- Buri. Japanese amberjack (Seriola quinqueradiata). (Fishbase; FAO Species Factsheets). [Dutch: Geelstaartmakreel]
- Also called “Yellowtail,” because of golden stripe along the body.
- Can be 1.3 m in length and weigh up to 15 kg.
- Plankton feeder. Collection of young is the basis for a prosperous aquaculture in Japan (the oldest, already since 1928, and the largest). Highly commercial. Juveniles are found among floating seaweeds and called mojako.
- South Hokkaido to Kyushu, East China Sea, eastern shores of the Korean peninsula.
- Best December-February, often eaten with New Year in Kansai.
[Picture from FAO Species Factsheets]Popular and versatile fish, symbolic of winter. Has deep flavor, almost like red meat. Eaten as sashimi, on sushi, grilled or as teriyaki. The young fish is called hamachi in Western Japan, and inada elsewhere. This young fish is 40 cm long and best as sashimi or as topping on sushi.
The pictures used in this article have to my best knowledge been taken from open source websites allowing reuse with a link back. Please inform me if you do not want your picture used here.
In writing this post information has been used from Wikipedia (English, Japanese, Dutch) and Fishbase; as well as A Dictionary of Japanese Food by Richard Hosking (Tuttle), and World Food Japan by John Ashburn (Lonely Planet).
