【Reading】いなだ

【English Name】Young Yellowtail

Inada is the Kanto-region name given to the young of the buri (Japanese amberjack), referring to the growth stage of roughly 35-60 cm in body length. The buri is a representative "shusse-uo" (promotion fish) whose name changes with size; in Kanto it is called wakashi → inada → warasa → buri. In Kansai the same size range is generally called "hamachi."

Taxonomically it belongs to the genus Seriola in the family Carangidae of the order Carangiformes, scientifically named Seriola quinqueradiata. A migratory fish living over a wide range of the northwestern Pacific, it has the habit of approaching the coast and moving north from spring to summer, then moving south offshore in winter. Its growth rate is about 32 cm at age 1 and about 50 cm at age 2, and those called inada correspond roughly to individuals aged 1-2 years.

As a sushi topping, compared with the adult buri its fat is gentler and the mouthfeel light and brisk. Because it is landed in quantity along the coast in summer, it offers a refreshing flavor in contrast to the fatty buri of winter. Besides nigiri, it is served as sashimi or zuke (marinated).

Major catch areas vary by year; in the 2021 statistics, Hokkaido, Chiba, and Nagasaki rank at the top.