【Reading】かすご

【English Name】Young Sea Bream

Kasugo is a collective term for the juveniles of fish in the sea bream family (Sparidae), such as red sea bream (madai), crimson sea bream (chidai), and yellowback sea bream (kidai); it is not the name of a specific species. Individuals about 10–15 cm long and weighing under 100 g are treated as kasugo, and it takes about a year to grow to this size.

One explanation for the name relates to the custom of offering small sea bream to Kasuga Shrine; "haru-kodai" (spring small sea bream) is said to have shifted into "kasugo-dai."

In Edomae sushi, while mature sea bream is classified as white fish, a distinctive point is that kasugo is treated as a "hikarimono" (shiny-skinned fish). The traditional preparation is basically "su-jime" (curing with salt and vinegar), and in recent years kombu-jime (kelp-curing) is also used. For nigiri, minced shrimp (shiba-ebi oboro) is often placed on top and finished with nikiri soy sauce, and it is typically served early in an omakase course. The flesh has a soft, juicy texture, and its pale pink skin evokes cherry blossoms, giving it an elegant appearance. Although it has a strong image as a spring delicacy, the season varies by production area, and it is in fact a fish available year-round.