【Reading】ししゃも

【English Name】Shishamo (Willow Leaf Fish)

Shishamo is a species endemic to Japan in the family Osmeridae, inhabiting only the Pacific coast of Hokkaido. The name derives from the Ainu word "susuhamu" (willow leaf). It is a migratory fish that ascends rivers to spawn in autumn, and the fishing season is short, from October to November. Males are used as the sushi topping, characterized by a light yet refined umami and soft flesh texture. It is a rare topping for which freshness is important, and difficult to obtain outside the producing areas. The commercially sold "komochi shishamo" (roe-bearing shishamo) is a different species, capelin (karafuto shishamo). The representative producing area is the Mu River in Mukawa Town, Hokkaido, with an annual catch of about 1,000 tons, but poor catches have continued in the 2020s.