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【English Name】Neon flying squid

The neon flying squid (aka-ika) is a large oceanic squid belonging to the order Oegopsida, family Ommastrephidae. It was given this name because its body color takes on a reddish tinge. Distributed widely across oceanic waters from temperate to subtropical zones, in waters near Japan it is caught mainly on the Pacific side.

The mantle length reaches a maximum of around 50 cm, making it larger than the Japanese common squid (surume-ika). Characterized by thick, resilient flesh, as a sushi topping it is served as nigiri or sashimi. One can enjoy a texture that is sweet yet has a satisfying bite. Widely distributed as processed products as well, in places such as Yamagata Prefecture it is used along with surume-ika as material for geso-ten (deep-fried squid legs).

It is also known as a primary prey of the sperm whale and occupies an important position in the marine ecosystem. In terms of fishing, it is often caught by nighttime operations of squid-jigging vessels. Because its freshness deteriorates easily, it is common practice at sushi restaurants to apply freezing treatment before use.