【Reading】くえ

【English Name】Longtooth Grouper

Kue (longtooth grouper) is a large white-fleshed fish classified in the family Serranidae, with the scientific name Epinephelus bruneus. It inhabits coastal rocky reef areas from western Japan to the East China Sea and South China Sea, favoring rocky grounds and coral reefs down to depths of about 50 m. Adults can exceed 120 cm in length and 50 kg in weight, making it the largest grouper species in Japan after the kelp grouper (tamakai). As for lifespan, a record of up to 41 years remains.

As a sushi ingredient, in recent years it has come to be handled nationwide along with the expanded distribution of farmed individuals. Despite being white-fleshed, it has rich fat and a powerful umami, and its appeal is said to be a flavor with depth amid its lightness. It is also prized for sashimi and hot pots.

Wild catch is markedly small, and its price per kilogram can reach 10,000 yen or more. Even farmed fish are in the expensive category at around 3,000 yen per kilogram. Aquaculture is actively carried out in Wakayama, Nagasaki, and Saga Prefectures and elsewhere. In Kyushu it is called "ara," but care is needed to avoid confusion, since it is a different species from the ara (of the genus Niphon, order Perciformes). In the world of sumo it has long been prized as an ingredient in chanko cuisine.