【Reading】めひかり

【English Name】Greeneye

Mehikari is a small deep-sea fish whose standard Japanese name is aomeeso. It belongs to the family Chlorophthalmidae in the order Aulopiformes and reaches a body length of about 15 cm. It inhabits the area around the continental shelf at depths of roughly 150-600 m.

Its greatest feature is its large eyes, which shine emerald green when they catch the light, the origin of the name mehikari (shining eyes). The flesh is white and rich in fat, with a softness that seems to melt in the mouth. The skin is thin and soft as well, so it can be eaten whole.

Its main production areas spread along the Pacific coast, and the Joban waters off the area around Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, are known as a leading fishing ground. In Iwaki City it has been designated the city's fish and is one of the area's signature ingredients. Catches are also large in Miyazaki Prefecture, and both prefectures' mehikari are certified as Pride Fish by the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperative Associations (JF Zengyoren).

Note that what is distributed in the market as mehikari includes two species, aomeeso and maruaomeeso. In the north (Fukushima, Ibaraki, Chiba) maruaomeeso is common, while in Aichi, Shizuoka, Miyazaki, and elsewhere aomeeso is central.

The representative way to eat it is karaage (deep-fried), and because the bones are fine they become unnoticeable when fried. It is also enjoyed as ichiya-boshi (overnight-dried), tempura, and sashimi. As a sushi topping, the sweetness of its fat and its distinctive melt-in-the-mouth quality are highly regarded.