【Reading】じょうみ

【English Name】Jomi / Fillet

Uwami is a chef's term referring to the upper half of a fish when it is filleted. When a fish is placed on the cutting board, the flesh facing upward corresponds to this.

When filleting an ordinary fish into three pieces (sanmai-oroshi), it is divided into two pieces of flesh—the uwami and the shitami (lower flesh)—and the central bone. For flat fish such as hirame (olive flounder) and karei (righteye flounder), instead of three-piece filleting, five-piece filleting (gomai-oroshi) is used, dividing it into a total of five parts: the dorsal and ventral sides of the uwami, the dorsal and ventral sides of the shitami, and the central bone. There is also seven-piece filleting that separates out the engawa (fin muscle) as well.

In the case of hirame, the eyed side (the side with the eyes) becomes the uwami. At sushi restaurants, the distinction between uwami and shitami is used in procurement and preparation, and because the fat content and flesh quality differ by part, artisans are conscious of using them selectively.

Related terms include "shitami," "fushi," and "saku," all of which are names for parts in the process of dismantling a fish.