【Reading】いわし

【English Name】Sardine

Iwashi (sardine) is a sushi topping representative of the silver-skinned fish (hikari-mono). In Japan there are mainly three species: the Japanese sardine (ma-iwashi), the round herring (urume-iwashi), and the Japanese anchovy (katakuchi-iwashi), and at sushi shops the fat-rich Japanese sardine is mainstream. It spoils quickly and is prone to deterioration, but with the development of distribution technology, fresh nigiri has come to be widely enjoyed. The standard is to add grated ginger and green onion, and vinegar-curing is also common. Its peak season is the "nyubai iwashi" of June to July, when the fat stored before spawning produces a rich umami. It is abundant in DHA and EPA, and has long been familiar as a popular everyday fish (taishu-gyo).