Japanese Seafoods

Ikura (also known as salmon roe) are round, almost transparent salmon eggs, an unusual ingredient which is especially popular in Japan. After they have been removed from the sack, creating individual plump orbs, the eggs undergo the curin... READ MORE

Fugu is the Japanese word for a fish known as pufferfish, blowfish, or globefish. The fish is infamous for its poisonous parts that contain the lethal poison tetrodotoxin, highly concentrated in the liver, ovaries, eyes, and skin. Trained... READ MORE

Unagi is the Japanese word referring to the freshwater eel, commonly used in Japanese cuisine. It is mainly consumed in the form of fillets, which are always grilled due to the presence of harmful toxins. The fillets are then spread with ... READ MORE

One of the essential ingredients in Japanese cuisine, katsuobushi or okaka refers to dried, fermented, and wood-smoked skipjack tuna. It is typically available pre-packaged in the form of delicate shavings which are used for impa... READ MORE

Uni is a Japanese name for sea urchin gonads, an organ which produces the animal's roe. It is the only edible part of the sea urchin, commonly consumed in various European, South American, and Asian countries. The texture of uni should be... READ MORE

Surimi, meaning ground meat in Japanese, is a Japanese fish product made by grinding the meat of gutted, filleted, and cleaned fish to a smooth paste, which is then treated with cryoprotectants before it is frozen. A staple of tr... READ MORE

Readily available across the country, these colorful Japanese fish cakes are made with puréed white seawater fish meat called surimi which is typically formed into a loaf-like shape, steamed on wooden boards until fully cooked, and... READ MORE

Mentaiko or myeongnanjeot a term describing whole sacks of marinated Alaskan pollock roe, commonly eaten in Japan and South Korea. Quite often, it is mistaken for tarako (salted version), and since Alaska pollock is clos... READ MORE

Tobiko is a Japanese term for flying fish roe. The natural color of this roe is bright orange, but sometimes other ingredients, such as squid ink or yuzu, can be added to impart the roe with various colors and slightly alter its flavor. T... READ MORE

Narutomaki or naruto is a traditional type of fish cake and a type of kamaboko (cured fish surimi) that’s most commonly used as ramen topping. It’s made by wrapping white fish paste (surimi) that’s been colored ... READ MORE

Akami is a part of bluefin tuna that refers to lean red meat. This is the main part of the fish, so it's more readily available than the other parts, called chūtoro and otoro. It has the least fat out of the whole tuna, which mak... READ MORE

Shirako is a Japanese specialty consisting of cod's milt, or sperm sacs. It is characterized by its unusual visual appearance and a creamy, buttery flavor. Traditionally, shirako is served either raw or slightly grilled, and it is recomme... READ MORE

Tarako is a type of roe mostly harvested from Alaska pollock, but since the fish is closely related to cod, it is often labeled as cod roe. It is a type of salted roe with a light pink color, incredibly tender texture, and a mild and neut... READ MORE

Masago is a Japanese term for the capelin roe (Mallotus villosus). The roe usually has small, pale-colored beads, and producers frequently dye it red, black, green (wasabi), or yellow (yuzu). Masago is usually cheaper than similar roe var... READ MORE

Matsumaezuke is a Japanese pickle which consists of thin slices of dry squid and konbu seaweed, diced herring roe, and julienned carrots. The ingredients are pickled in a mixture of sake, soy sauce, and mirin until they turn light amber in color a... READ MORE

Kazunoko is a Japanese term for salted herring roe that is typically marinated in dashi stock. This yellow roe is slightly elongated and filled with tiny round eggs that pop and release their briny flavor when eaten. In Japan, herring roe... READ MORE

Otoro is a part of bluefin tuna that is the most desirable. It comes from the inside of the belly and it's the fattiest part of the fish. The texture is often described as intensely rich, marbled, and having melt-in-the-mouth properties. Due to th... READ MORE

Niboshi (Tokyo area) or iriko (Osaka area) is a traditional product consisting of dried sardines. The baby sardines are boiled in salt water, then dried. The flavor is strong and fishy, while the aromas are bold, making niboshi o... READ MORE

Chūtoro is a part of bluefin tuna that refers to medium fatty cuts when served as a part of nigiri or sashimi. The tuna yields otoro (fatty parts from the belly), akami (red meat), and chūtoro, which is a combination of ... READ MORE

Kusaya is a Japanese fish delicacy made by brining, fermenting, and sun-drying mackerel or flying fish. The preparation of this specialty is a centuries-old tradition that is believed to hail from the Japanese region of Kanto, dating back... READ MORE

Nigorobuna or round crucian carp is a wild goldfish that's native to Japan. The fish swim in Lake Biwa in the Shiga Prefecture. They're traditionally used for the preparation of funazushi, where whole nigorobuna are salted and fe... READ MORE

Hokkaido hairy crab or kegani is a prized crab that's found in the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan. The crabs have spiky hairs that cover their entire body. The texture of their flesh is dense and firm, while the flavor is sweet. The c... READ MORE

Konka saba is a traditional ingredient originating from Ishikawa Prefecture. It consists of mackerel fish that’s fermented for up to 5 years. The fermented mackerel is usually broken into tiny chunks, then sprinkled over rice. The dish is kn... READ MORE