Living in the midwest all of my life has not prepared me for the wide variety of sea life that is available for consumption. Therefore, when I went to Japan and wandered around the supermarket, I was totally flabbergasted by the sheer variety of fish available. Now that I am back in the U.S., hopefully I can shed some light on what kinds of fish you might see in the markets if you are in Japan. Japanese to English translations of fish in Japan (as well as some interesting information about some of them):
マダイ:Red sea bream--Red sea bream is a name given to at least two species of fish of the family Sparidae, Pagrus major and Pagellus bogaraveo. Pagellus bogaraveo is also known as blackspot sea bream. In Japan, Pagrus major is known as madai (真鯛, or "genuine tai") and is prized both for its flavor and for its traditional use as an auspicious food often served at New Year's and festive occasions such as weddings. スズキ:鱸 Japanese sea perch (Lateolabrax japonicus, esp. referring to an adult); Japanese sea bass サワラ:鰆 Japanese Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus niphonius) カツオ:鰹 skipjack tuna; bonito (Katsuwonus pelamis) シロギス:白鱚 Japanese whiting (Sillago japonica) ニシン:鰊 Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii) ムロアジ:室鯵 mackerel scad (any fish of genus Decapterus) アユ:鮎 Ayu--The ayu or sweetfish, Plecoglossus altivelis, is an amphidromous fish, the only species in the genus Plecoglossus and in family Plecoglossidae. It is a relative of the smelts and is placed in the order Osmeriformes. Native to the Palearctic ecozone, it occurs in rivers, lakes, and coastal waters of western Hokkaidō in Japan southward to the Korean Peninsula, China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. The name "sweetfish" is due to the sweetness of its flesh. タチウオ:太刀魚 largehead hairtail (Trichiurus lepturus); scabbard fish; beltfish クロウシノシタ:黒牛の舌 black cow-tongue (species of tonguefish, Paraplagusia japonica) マガレイ:真鰈 Yellow striped flounder or brown sole (Pleuronectes herzensteini) ウナギ:鰻 eel (esp. the Japanese eel, Anguilla japonica) ドジョウ:泥鰌 loach (any fish of family Cobitidae) マイワシ:真鰯 Japanese pilchard; Japanese sardine (Sardinops melanostictus) サンマ:秋刀魚 Pacific saury (Cololabis saira); mackerel pike カタクチイワシ:片口鰯 Japanese anchovy (Engraulis japonica) ゴマサバ:胡麻鯖 blue mackerel (Scomber australasicus) マダラ:真鱈 Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus) キンメダイ:Splendid alfonsino--The splendid alfonsino, Beryx splendens, is an alfonsino of the genus Beryx, found around the world at depths of between 25 and 1,300 m. Their length is between 30 and 70 cm. It is known as kinmedai (金目鯛) in sushi and Japanese cuisine. キアンコウ:Angler、fishing-frog、frog-fish、sea-devil ホウボウ:魴鮄 red gurnard (Chelidonichthys spinosus); gurnet; sea robin ホッケ:𩸽 Okhotsk atka mackerel--The Okhotsk atka mackerel, Pleurogrammus azonus, commonly known as hokke in Japan, also known as the Arabesque greenling, is a mackerel-like species in the family Hexagrammidae. The primary population of the fish is found off of the Sea of Okhotsk. According to legend, it was discovered by Nichiji. ヒラメ:平目 bastard halibut; olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) ブリ:鰤 Japanese amberjack--The Japanese amberjack or yellowtail, Seriola quinqueradiata, is a bony fish in the family Carangidae. It is native to the northwest Pacific Ocean, from Japan to Hawaii. It is greatly appreciated in Japan, where it is called hamachi or buri. They are eaten either cooked or raw, and are a seasonal favourite in the colder months when the meat must have higher fat content. Some of the fish consumed are caught wild, but a substantial amount is farmed (about 120,000 tonnes per year). トラフグ:Takifugu is a genus of pufferfish, often better known by the Japanese name fugu . ワカサギ:公魚 Japanese pond smelt (Hypomesus nipponensis) コイ:鯉 common carp (Cyprinus carpio); koi carp Hope this helps you in your shopping excursions!! Also, in the pictures, it tells you (in Japanese) how best to eat the fish, whether it is sashimi or grilled with salt, etc. Happy eating!
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Myself
Video blogger and now a blogger as well. My life in Japan has changed me for the better. However, it wasn't easy... Archives
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