【Reading】びんとろ

【English Name】Bintoro (Albacore Toro)

Bintoro, which spread as a standard topping at conveyor-belt sushi (kaitenzushi), is a name referring to the fat-rich portions of binnaga tuna (binchou tuna / albacore).

Binnaga (scientific name Thunnus alalunga) is a species of the genus Thunnus in the family Scombridae, widely inhabiting seas from the tropics to the temperate zone. Among the genus Thunnus it is a relatively small species, with an upper limit of about 140 cm in body length and a maximum of around 60 kg in weight. However, most of the catch consists of individuals around 50–100 cm.

Although the flesh is classified as red meat, its color appears almost white—a pale pink—and it is extremely soft. While its umami is considered mild for a tuna, individuals raised in cold-water regions store abundant fat, producing a melt-in-the-mouth flavor. This fat-rich portion is precisely the "bintoro," and because it offers a taste experience similar to the toro of bluefin tuna at a substantially lower price, it has explosively spread at conveyor-belt sushi chains.

The Japanese name derives from the length of the pectoral fins. It was named because the figure observed from the front evokes sideburns (bin). In the Kansai and Kochi regions, because the shape of the pectoral fins resembles a dragonfly, the alternative name "tombo-maguro" (dragonfly tuna) has become established.