【Reading】めじろ

【English Name】Mejiro (Yellowtail)

Mejiro is a name given to the intermediate stage in the growth process of buri (Japanese amberjack/yellowtail), mainly in the Kansai and Shikoku regions. Buri is a representative shusse-uo (a fish whose name shifts with growth), and in Kansai the name changes in the order tsubasu → hamachi → mejiro → buri.

Although the standards for weight and body length differ by region, it is generally common to call individuals from roughly 60 cm to under 80 cm mejiro. Its fat is not fully matured like buri's, and its flesh quality has a somewhat firm impression. That is the reason it gathers deep-rooted popularity among people who prefer a refreshing flavor.

As a sushi neta, it is treated as a presence positioned between hamachi and buri, and its strength is the balance of moderate fat and bite. Serving it as nigiri or sashimi is the mainstream.

To add, in Aichi Prefecture there are cases where mejiro is used as an alternative name for ma-anago (common conger), so it should be kept in mind that the fish it refers to differs by region.