【Reading】まいわし

【English Name】Japanese Sardine

Ma-iwashi (Japanese sardine) is a saltwater fish of the family Clupeidae in the order Clupeiformes, with a body length of up to about 30 cm and typically around 20 cm. The upper surface of the body is blue-green and the belly side is silvery white, and because a row of black spots lines the side of the body it also bears the alias nanatsuboshi (seven stars). Its range is the East Asian coast from Sakhalin to the South China Sea, and it is a migratory fish that moves north in spring and summer and south in autumn and winter. Its lifespan is roughly 5-6 years. As a sushi topping it is classified as hikarimono (silver-skinned fish), and when the fat is on, a rich umami can be enjoyed. Its freshness drops easily, and being able to eat it as nigiri is something only a shop with thorough freshness management can offer. Ginger is the standard condiment. It is rich in DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and vitamin D. It was once a representative common fish, recording about 4.5 million tons annually in 1988, but it is also known as a fish with sharply fluctuating catches.