【Reading】つばす

【English Name】Young Yellowtail (Tsubasu)

Tsubasu is a name for the young fish of buri (Japanese amberjack/yellowtail; scientific name: Seriola quinqueradiata), used mainly centered on the Kansai region. Buri is known as a shusse-uo (a fish whose name changes according to body size), and in the Kansai system the stage at a body length of roughly 40 cm or less is called tsubasu. As it grows further, its name changes to hamachi (40–60 cm) and mejiro (60–80 cm), and it becomes buri once it exceeds 80 cm.

The name tsubasu can be confirmed not only in Kansai but across a wide area of western Japan, including Hokuriku, Kyoto Prefecture, Shimane Prefecture, and Kagawa Prefecture. In Kanto, a young fish of the same size is called "wakashi," so the regional differences in naming are conspicuous.

As a sushi neta, compared to the adult buri it has milder fat and a light flavor. Its flesh is soft with a pale color, and it is favored as a refreshing nigiri in summer. The season is mainly when it is caught in coastal areas from summer to early autumn. In addition to sashimi and nigiri, it is also used for salt-grilling and simmered dishes.