【Reading】じざかな

【English Name】local fish

Jizakana refers to fish and shellfish caught in the nearby waters or along the coast of a given locality. Unlike fish species distributed in large quantities to the markets of major cities, its major characteristic is that it is mainly consumed and sold in the area around the port where it is landed.

It is said that more than 4,000 species of fish inhabit the waters around Japan, yet only about 400 species are said to circulate in the markets of Tokyo. Much of the rest corresponds to jizakana that circulate only in the vicinity of each region's fishing port; though their general recognition is low, their outstanding freshness and region-specific flavor are supported as their appeal.

On the other hand, there is a challenge in that even in regions where the fishing industry thrives, consumption tends to be skewed toward imported goods or specific fish species. It is quantitatively difficult to meet the demand of an entire region with jizakana alone, and the negative chain in which consumption stagnates because people do not know how to cook them is also regarded as a problem.

In response to such circumstances, the value of jizakana is drawing renewed attention from the standpoints of local production for local consumption and food mileage. As seen at Odawara Fishing Port, eateries advertising "jizakana shokudo" (local-fish diners) and "jizakana kaiten-zushi" line up around the port, and efforts to offer fish freshly landed to tourists and local residents are spreading. At sushi restaurants as well, jizakana toppings matched to that day's catch are highly popular as a pleasure unique to traveling.