【Reading】あわび

【English Name】Abalone

A large sea snail of the family Haliotidae, one of sushi's most premium toppings. It is characterized by a crunchy bite and the aroma of the sea. Living on rocky reefs at depths of about 20 m from southern Hokkaido to Kyushu, it feeds mainly at night on brown algae such as wakame and kombu. It can live up to 30 years. Besides sashimi, it is served steamed in sake or as a steak. Dried abalone is prized in Chinese cuisine, with Aomori and Iwate products in particular traded at high prices in the Hong Kong market. From February to May, pyropheophorbide a accumulates in the midgut gland ("uro"), risking photosensitivity, so eat it with the viscera removed. Eaten since the Jomon period, it is also tied to faith, as in the noshi-awabi (dried abalone offering) of Ise Grand Shrine. The main Japanese species are classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List.