KATSUO – Bonito
Bonito produced in the sea near the coast of Japan is completely different from your usual bonito. Its excellent taste will definitely satisfy your customers. In Japan, spring and autumn are the best seasons for this fish.
抜群の舌触りがお客様の心を満足させます。 春と秋が季節で春には「のぼり鰹」、秋には「戻り鰹」として知られています。
SAYORI – HALFBEAK
Known as the “beautiful fish that tells of the arrival of Spring,” Halfbeak are a high-quality white fish that are in their peak season from late-Fall through Spring.
They can also be enjoyed in early Fall. Perfect for preparing in thin slices that showcase the translucent meat, of course, you can enjoy it as a sushi topping in the silver-skin variety.
「春を告げる美しい魚」といわれ、秋冬から春にかけて旬になる白身の高級魚ですが、この時期秋にも美味しく召し上がれます。細造りや糸造りが美しい半透明の身に似合います。もちろん光り物寿司種としてもお使いください。
HOTARU IKA – Firefly squid
It has been enjoyed as a seasonal food to eat during spring in Toyama and Hyogo Prefectures. Please enjoy as “okizuke” which is a type of seasoned and pickled dish, marinated with vinegared miso, or as tempura.
「春の風物詩」として日本海側の富山県や兵庫県で賞味されてきました。酢味噌和え、天ぷら、寿司だねなどにお使いください。
KEGANI – Horsehair crab
In the Sea of Okhotsk, the best season for hairy crab is from March to August which is when the floating sea ice leaves. During this season, young crab is more affordable than hard-shelled crab, and although there is less meat, the sweet taste of its flesh is more concentrated in the young crab.
オホーツク海ものは流氷が去るこれからの８月までが季節です。今の時期の若ガニは堅ガニに比べて値段がお手頃なだけでなく、身が少ない分だけ栄養と甘味が一層凝縮されています。
SHIRAUO – Icefish
Spring is the best season for Shirauo, which is when they come back up to the river during spawning season between February and April. Fresh shirauo is best eaten as sashimi with wasabi soy sauce, marinated with vinegared miso, or gunkan-maki roll.
春が季語の魚で、産卵期に川に上ってくる春の２～４月が旬と言われます。生のものはワサビ醤油や、酢味噌和え、軍艦巻きのなどにいかがでしょうか。
KISU – Smelt
The most delicious season for Kisu is generally said to start in June, but in the Kyushu region, the best season begins in April. Some of the best ways to eat this fish include the “yakishimo” method where you grill the skin with a burner then drop it in ice water, as well as the “konbujime” method where you lightly salt and wrap it in kelp.
産卵のため岸近くに回遊してきたキスを獲るそうごち網・流しさし網漁業が5月に解禁されて、新鮮なキスが店頭にならびます。きれいな砂の海底を好む魚で、特に福岡市志賀島は良質なキスが良く穫れる漁場として知られています。
HOUBOU – Sea robin
Houbou is a tasty fish year-round.
The white meat has a rich umami taste. It’s good for simmered fish, grilled and sashimi.
年間通して美味しい魚です。白身ですが淡白さをそれほど感じさせないほどに旨みがあり、煮付け、焼き魚、刺身など様々な調理法に合う美味しい魚です。
AKAMUTSU – Blackthroat
“Benihitomi” is brand name of akamutsu that fish caught in Tsushima and Iki Island area sea by “Jigokunawa” fishing style. “Benihitomi” is called “King of Akamutsu”.
対馬、壱岐の地獄縄という漁法でとれたアカムツを紅瞳と呼びます。最高の鮮度と脂ののりでアカムツの王様です。
ANAGO – Sea eel
Anago that is raised on the western offshore of Tsushima with abundant, high quality food, has a larger body than the common anago with better fat content as well. It really is the golden anago like its name says.
対馬の西沖でとれたアナゴは良質な餌を食べているために魚体が大きく、脂がよく乗っている黄金のあなごです。
KURODAI – Black bream
In Fukuoka, Kurodai is called “Meita” or “Chinu”, depending on its size. When it is over 11 inches, they call it “Chinu”.
During its best season, the taste of Kurodai is said to be as good as Madai, if not better.
福岡ではクロダイのことをその大きさに応じてメイタあるいはチヌと呼びます。大体３０cmを超えるとチヌとよびます。旬を迎えるクロダイはマダイに匹敵する美味しさです。
HIRAMASA – Yellowtail amberjack
This fish doesn’t have as much fat as Buri, but has more fat and “umami” content compared to kanpachi.
ブリほど脂は多くなくカンパチよりも脂や旨みが多い魚です。鮮度の良い物は刺身でこりこりした食感をお楽しみください。また一日ほど寝かしたものはまったりとした旨みを味わえます。
SUZUKI – Japanese Sea perch
In Japan, Suzuki (sea perch) is one of the major white fish. Mainly, it is used for “Arai” style sashimi or broiled fish, but this fish is good for French dishes, too. The taste is mild but rich.
白身魚の代表格です。和食の洗いや奉書焼などに合いますが、フレンチ料理にも良く使われる素材です。クセの無い白身は納得の美味しさです。
KASAGO – Marbled rockfish
In Japan, the haiku seasonal word (kigo), of kasago is spring. However, in the present day, it is available year-round in the fish market. In Fukuoka, it’s called arakabu and is a very popular fish in this area.
It has refined white flesh and is quite perishable. However, we ship it very fresh to the U.S. market, maintaining its good quality.
季語で言えば春の魚ですが、１年を通して水揚げがあり季節を問わず美味しい魚です。福岡ではアラカブと呼ばれ煮つけなどに大変親しまれている魚です。非常に上品な味わいの白身は鮮度が落ちやすいのですが、産地の福岡市場から新鮮なままお届けします。
SAWARA – Spanish mackerel
The sawara season is recognized as spring. The fatty meat before spawning season is favored in eastern Japan.
Fresh quality sawara is good for sashimi as well as other cooking styles such as saikyozuke and yuanyaki.
鰆は字のごとく春の魚。西日本ではこれからの春がサワラの旬といわれています。、西京漬けや幽庵焼きなどが‘有名ですが、新鮮なものは刺身にもお使いいただけます。
KIBINAGO – Silver-stripe round herring
Kibinago is a must-have local food in the Kagoshima prefecture, and is used in many different dishes. Please try the sashimi in Kagoshima style which is with vinegared miso instead of soy sauce. We provide both the pre-filleted type used for sashimi and the whole fish used for tempura.
鹿児島県ではなくてはならない郷土食材で、様々な料理に活躍します。お刺身も鹿児島流に醤油ではなく酢味噌でお試しください。刺身用の開きのパックと天麩羅用の丸の両方とも出荷します。
KIJIHATA – Red spotted grouper
This fish is also known as Akou. It is treated as a high class fish on the fish market, and therefore rarely eaten in the common home. It is mostly used in dishes served at high-class restaurants. Thinly sliced sashimi with citrus based soy sauce mixed with wasabi is superb.
アコウという通名で知られた魚です。市場ではかなりの高級魚として扱われており、一般の食卓に並ぶことはほとんどありません。飲食店でも料亭など敷居の高いお店が中心となっています。薄造りを柑橘類とわさびしょうゆに合わせると絶品です。
GENCHAN AJI – GENCHAN brand horse mackerel
“GENCHAN AJI” is the brand name of horse mackerel which is rubbed by the rough waves of the Genkai Sea. “GENCHAN AJI” is the over 26cm fish caught by pole‐and‐line fishing. In order to keep fresh, it will be shipped without touching by human hands. It is a gem that has firm flesh due to the rough waves of the Genkai Sea.
玄ちゃんアジとは玄界灘の荒波にもまれ育ったブランド鯵です。
26cm以上の一本釣りのもので、鮮度を保つために発送までの間は手で触れる事なく出荷されます。
玄海灘の荒波にもまれた身が引き締まった逸品です。
MADAI – Sea bream
This is a fish that has been favored by Japanese from long ago. It can be enjoyed by preparing it as shimokawa zukuri or marbling the skin by torching or pouring hot water so that the flavor of the fat beneath the skin can be showcased for sushi or sashimi. Although farm raised varieties have become popular lately, it is said that wild red sea bream is of another world.
日本人に昔から愛されてきた魚です。お刺身や寿司には皮下の脂の美味いしさを活かすために霜皮造りにしたり、皮目を炙るなどします。最近は養殖物も普及しましたが、天然真鯛の美味しさは別格のようです。
KINMEDAI – Alfonsino
The north-flowing “Kuroshio” ocean current brings a rich ocean harvest to Tosashimizu City in the southeastern part of Kochi, Japan. Fishermen on small boats catch kinmedai one by one with fly fishing gear. The fish are handled very carefully, and in the evening of the same day they are packed for shipping to cities in the USA.
黒潮によって豊かに育ったキンメを一本づつ毛鉤で釣り上げました。小舟に乗った漁師さんが大切に扱ったキンメを夕競りで買い付け、そのままアメリカに向けて直送します。
MAKOGAREI – Marbled flounder
In Japan, the best season for flounder is winter, but the best season of Makogarei-Marbled Sole is from spring to the beginning of summer. It’s an all-rounded fish suited for any cooking methods.
カレイといえば冬が旬と言われますが、マコガレイは春から初夏が旬の魚です。どんな料理にも合うとても優等生な魚。味わい深い白身は絶品です。ぜひご堪能ください。
RENKODAI – Yellowback seabream
In the Japan fish market, when this fish is compared to Madai (sea-bream), the name value is lower but the taste is just as good. Roasting with some skin left on enhances the delicious taste.
マダイそっくりの美しい姿をしており、大きさも手頃であることからマダイのかわりに祝宴などで尾頭つきの塩焼きや煮つけに利用されます。酢締めも美味しく小鯛の笹漬は京都や兵庫の名物料理として知られてます。
UNI – Sea urchin (Hokkaido)
Ezobafun-UNI is a sea urchin harvested in the Hokkaido area. It has a beautiful orange color with a rich taste. This UNI is rare in the seafood market because of how little can be harvested from the ocean. It is a top-ranked UNI on the market because of its rich sweetness that cannot be compared to any other sea urchins.
北海道は棹前昆布などの高品質の昆布が多数生息する最高の雲丹の漁場です。そこで捕れるエゾバフンウニはオレンジ色で濃厚な味わいが特徴で、獲れる量がとても少ない希少な 雲丹です。バフンという名前のイメージとは違い、日本中で獲れる雲丹の中でも、他の追従を許さない濃厚で甘みのある最高級雲丹です。
SHAKO – Mantis crab
Found in the silt flats of the inner bay such as Hakata Bay, they are called Mantis Crab abroad due to their front feet that are shaped like those of a paying mantis. The female species, which carry eggs called katsubushi during the laying season between spring and summer, are especially delectable and adored by customers. They can be enjoyed as a boiled dish other than as sushi or tempura.
博多湾などの内湾の砂泥地でよく獲れます。前足の形がカマキリを連想させますので、海外ではカマキリエビの名があります。
産卵期の春～夏にカツブシと呼ばれる卵をもった雌が特に美味で、喜ばれています。寿司だね・てんぷらの他ゆでて食べます。
KO-IKA – Cuttlefish
A type of squid called Ko-Ika, also called “Sumi-Ika” in the Kantō region, is a very popular and crucial seafood used for Edomae-style sushi and tempura. Due to its popularity, the market price of Ko-Ika is very expensive and can cost up to $200/KG in the beginning of its best season. The baby squids, called Shin-Ika, reach their best season and get shipped into the market from around July. Later, Ko-Ika will have its best season from late Autumn to early Spring.
関東ではスミイカの名前で呼ばれ、江戸前の寿司や天ぷらに欠かせない食材です。たおやかな歯触りとねっとりとした甘みと旨みが魅力です。刺身はもちろん、天ぷらにしても非常に美味です。
AORI-IKA – Bigfin reef squid
Aoriika is known as the king of squids, and its sashimi is considered to be of the finest quality in the squid family. Its flesh is rich in sweetness and is very soft but also has a good amount of strength in texture. It is a very popular and crucial item used in Edomae style sushi and tempura.
「イカの王様」とも呼ばれ、イカ類の刺身の中では最上のものとされます。肉質は柔らかくも適度な弾力に富みんで極上の甘みがあり、江戸前の寿司や天ぷらの寿司種として欠かすことのできないものです。
YARI-IKA – Spear Squid
Large quantities of this squid are caught during their breeding season of winter to spring. The best tasting season is also winter to spring.
In Japan, if you like to eat squid, kensaki-ika is good for summer, yari-ika is good for winter, and kiomochi-yari-ika (with eggs inside) is very popular from winter to spring.
繁殖のため接岸してくる冬から春にかけて多く漁獲されます。ヤリイカの旬は冬から春にかけてとなり、「夏のケンサキイカ、冬のヤリイカ」と言われています。この冬から春に獲れる子持ちのヤリイカが大きく最も人気があります。