【Reading】しび

【English Name】Shibi

Shibi is an old Japanese name referring to tuna. Written in kanji as "鮪," in modern times it is generally read "maguro," but in ancient times it was read "shibi."

There are several theories about its etymology. One holds that it derives from Shibi-no-Omi, who appears in the Kojiki being likened to a large fish. Another is the theory that it is written "宍魚," and because "宍" means edible animal meat, it was applied to tuna, whose red meat resembles animal meat.

From the Kamakura period to the mid-Edo period, because the sound of "shibi" evoked "shi-bi" (day of death) and was considered unlucky, the designation "maguro" is said to have gradually spread.

It still remains as a regional name today, and the fish species it refers to differs by region.

• Kuromaguro (Pacific bluefin tuna) — mainly the Tohoku and Hokuriku regions
• Kihada-maguro (yellowfin tuna) — Osaka, Kochi, Iki, Tanegashima, Okinawa, etc.
• Binnaga-maguro (albacore) — Mie Prefecture, Wakayama Prefecture, Iki, Okinawa
• Mebachi-maguro (bigeye tuna) — Okinawa

Also, its traces can be seen in place names across the country, such as "Shibitachi" in Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, "Shibiura" on the Izu Peninsula of Shizuoka Prefecture, and "Shibi-no-misaki" in Hokkaido. Although it is now hardly used at sushi restaurants, it is an indispensable word for telling the history of tuna culture.