【Reading】さわら

【English Name】Japanese Spanish Mackerel

Sawara (Japanese Spanish mackerel) is a large fish of the family Scombridae inhabiting the temperate and subtropical waters of East Asia. It reaches a maximum total length of 115 cm and a weight of 12 kg. It is a shusse-uo that changes its name as it grows: 40 to 50 cm individuals are called sagoshi, 50 to 60 cm nagi, and those over 60 cm sawara. The character 鰆 (combining "fish" and "spring") derives from its habit of approaching the coast during the spring spawning season, but in terms of taste its peak is autumn to winter, when it is prized as kan-zawara (cold-season sawara). Though its flesh is white in color, it is classified as a red-fleshed fish. As a sushi ingredient, searing (aburi) and vinegar-curing (sujime) are mainstream, and around Okayama Prefecture there is also a culture of eating it as sashimi. Saikyo miso marinade and tatsuta-age are also standard preparations. The main landing ports are on the Sea of Japan side, such as Hakata, Nagasaki, Hamada, and Maizuru.