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Mirugai (Geoduck Clam) SushiMirugai

Mirugai/Mirukui/Gaper Clam/Geoduck

Shellfish

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Order Veneroida, Family Mactridae, Genus Tresus (Mirukui)

Mirugai is distributed along the coasts of the Japanese archipelago and the Korean Peninsula. In Japan, it is mainly harvested by diving fishermen in Mikawa Bay, the Seto Inland Sea, and Tokyo Bay. Domestic production is extremely scarce, and most mirugai on the market comes from China and South Korea. It is considered one of the most premium shellfish available.

Mirugai is a large bivalve about 15 cm in size that lives in sandy shallows, extending its black siphon from a hole dug in the sand to filter-feed on plankton floating in the water. The name "mirukui" (literally "miru-eater") comes from the appearance of seaweed called "miru" attached to the siphon, making it look as if the clam is eating the seaweed. It is more commonly known simply as mirugai.

Domestic mirugai is extremely expensive, so Chinese, South Korean, and American varieties of closely related species are typically used instead. Additionally, Namigai (white geoduck), a somewhat distantly related species with a similar shape, is often used as a substitute. At conveyor belt sushi restaurants, Canadian geoduck (American Namigai) is commonly served. Namigai is called "shiro-miru" (white miru) due to its white shell, while mirugai is called "kuro-miru" (black miru) or "hon-miru" (true miru) to distinguish between the two.

The peak season for mirugai varies by region but is generally from winter to spring.
For sushi, only the siphon is used. Once the black skin is removed from the siphon, ivory-colored flesh is revealed, which is then lightly blanched before being placed on sushi rice. Mirugai sushi has an intense shellfish umami, a pleasantly firm texture, and an irresistible rich ocean aroma that goes straight to the nose.

Hon-Miru: A Premium Sushi Even More Luxurious Than Abalone

Mirugai was once abundant in Tokyo Bay and was a signature topping of Edomae sushi.
However, domestic hon-miru now costs 3,000 to 6,000 yen per kilogram (2 to 4 clams). Moreover, each mirugai yields only 3 to 4 pieces of sushi at most.
Because of this, only high-end sushi restaurants and upscale Japanese restaurants serve domestic hon-miru, and ordering mirugai at a high-end sushi bar takes considerable courage.
Despite its appearance, mirugai sashimi is exquisitely delicious Despite its appearance, mirugai sashimi is exquisitely delicious

Is Mirugai the Tongue of a Chinese Beauty?

In "Yamato Honzo," a natural history book written by Kaibara Ekiken during the Edo period, mirugai is said to be introduced as "Xishi's Tongue" (Seishi no Shita) in the Chinese text "Quanjun Zhi." However, in the Chinese-speaking world, a different clam of the Meretrix genus has long been known as Xishi's Tongue.
This clam's shell somewhat resembles that of the white mirugai, and when the shell is opened, the white flesh that peeks out looks like a woman's tongue, earning it the name "Xishi's Tongue" after Xi Shi, one of the Four Beauties of ancient China. Perhaps Kaibara Ekiken saw the sensual appearance of mirugai and assumed it was the same as Xishi's Tongue.

Xi Shi, one of the Four Beauties of ancient China

畫麗珠萃秀(吳西施)

In "Yamato Honzo," a natural history book written by Kaibara Ekiken during the Edo period, mirugai is said to be introduced as "Xishi's Tongue" (Seishi no Shita) in the Chinese text "Quanjun Zhi." However, in the Chinese-speaking world, a different clam of the Meretrix genus has long been known as Xishi's Tongue.
This clam's shell somewhat resembles that of the white mirugai, and when the shell is opened, the white flesh that peeks out looks like a woman's tongue, earning it the name "Xishi's Tongue" after Xi Shi, one of the Four Beauties of ancient China. Perhaps Kaibara Ekiken saw the sensual appearance of mirugai and assumed it was the same as Xishi's Tongue.

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