Knowing the Japanese names of our sashimi & sushi

March 23, 2015 in Japanese by thywhaleliciousfay

I love my Japanese food. However, whenever the chefs introduced my sashimi and sushi in Japanese, there would be that awkward silence. I mean, excluding the more commonly used ones like uni. Till now, I haven’t quite familiarised myself with the Japanese names. Like what!

So I decided to put the effort to learn the Japanese names of my sashimi and sushi. I guess this is also pure politeness and respect. =)

And for this (lengthy) post, I used many photographs from @little_meg_siu_meg. Reason being, she has dined at some of the best places. And through her photographs, it allows us to see sashimi and sushi presented in the most authentic way. But she has more than 15,000 pictures (and counting), so I’ve only managed to scroll till March ’14. Additional photographs are supplemented by @felhuang and myself! =) I’ve also included the respective photographs’ link. @little_meg_siu_meg gives very detailed explanation in her instagram posts, so one may want click on the links to read her captions! I learnt a lot from reading her instagram posts.

List is arranged alphabetically to Japanese names. However, this list is non-exhaustive. I will continue to update this entry every now and then. If I made any mistake with my post, do leave a comment and let me know too! Or let me know what else I should add into this list. And for pictures, please scroll down further! =)

A

Aji 鯵 : Jack mackerel / Horse mackerel
Akagai 赤貝 : Ark shell clam
Amadai : Tile fish
   – Shirakawa : White amadai
Anago アナゴ : Sea eel
   – Hamo 穴子 : Conger pike eel
Ankimo : Monkfish liver
Asari : Japanese littleneck / Manila clam
Aoyagi : Orange clam
Awabi : Abalone
   – Awabi kimo : Abalone liver
Ayu : Sweet fish

E

Ebi : Prawn / Shrimp
   – Botan-ebi : Japanese spotted prawn
   – Kuruma-ebi 車海老 : Tiger prawn
   – Shima-ebi : Hokkai shrimp
   – Shiro-ebi 白海老 : Baby white shrimp

F

Fugu : Blow fish

G

Gani : Crab
   – Ke-gani 毛蟹 : Horsehair crab / Hairy crab
   – Zuwai-gani : Snow crab
         — Echizen-gani
         — Matsuba-gani
         — Taiza-gani

H

Hamachi : Yellowtail
   – Buri 鰤 : Adult yellowtail
Hamaguri ハマグリ : Clam
Hata-hata : Sand fish
Hirame 平目刺身 : Flounder / Helibut
   – Engawa : Flounder fin
Hokkigai 北寄貝 : Arctic surf clam
Hotate : Scallop
   – Chigai: Small scallop
Houbou : Sea robin fish

I

Ibodai: Pacific rudder fish / Butter fish
Ika : Squid
   – Hotaru ika 蛍烏賊 : Firefly squid
   – Sumi-ika 墨烏賊スミイカ : Ink squid
   – Yari ika : Spear squid
Ikura : Salmon roe
   – Sujiko : Salmon roe still in sac
Isaki : Grunt
Ise ebi 伊勢海老 : Spiny lobster
Ishidai : Striped beakfish
Iwashi : Sardine

K

Kajika : Stonefish
Kajiki : Swordfish
   – Makajiki : Blue marlin
   – Mekajiki : Big-eye marlin
Kamasu 魳 : Barracuda
Kanpachi : Greater amberjack
Karei : Flatfish
Katsuo 鰹 : Bonito / Skipjack tuna
Kawahagi : Threadsail file fish / Leather jacket fish
   – Usuba hagi : Unicorn leatherjacket
Kazunoko : Herring roe
Kibinago : Silver stripe round herring
Kisu : Sillago
Kobashira : Adductor muscles of clam
Kochi : Flathead fish
Kohada コハダ : Gizzard shad
   – Shinko : Baby gizzard shad
Kue : Long tooth grouper
Kuromutsu : Blue fish
Kurosoi : Black rock fish

M

Maguro : Tuna
   – Akami 赤身 : Lean tuna
   – Chiaigishi maguro 血合いぎし : Flesh right by the red muscle
   – Chutōro 中トロ : Medium fatty tuna
   – Ōtoro 大トロ : Premium fatty tuna
   – Meiji-maguro : Baby tuna
   – Shimofuri 霜降リ : Cut of otoro
   – Wakaremi : Dorsal fin of maguro (tuna)
   – Maguro zuke 漬け : Marinated tuna
Masu 鱒 : Sea trout
   – Sakura Masu : Cherry trout
Mategai : Razor clam
Mebaru : Rock fish
Mirugai みる貝 : Geoduck clam
   – Mirushita : Geoduck clam intestines

N

Nishin : Herring
Nodoguro : Black throat sea perch
Noresore : Baby sea eel

S

Saba 鯖 : Mackerel
   – Shime-saba 締め鯖 : Vinegar-marinated mackerel
Sake / Shake : Salmon
   – Keiji : Young salmon with immature ovaries or testes
Sanma : Pacific saury
Sawara 鰆 : Spanish mackerel
Sayori 細魚 : Needlefish / Halfbeak
Sazae : Turbo shell
Shako 蝦蛄 : Mentis shrimp
Shima-aji 縞あじ : Striped jack / White trevally
Shirako 鱈の白子 : Milt / Sperm sac
   – Tai shirako (snapper’s)
   – Tara shirako (cod’s)
   – Torafugu shirako (tiger blowfish’s)
Shirauo : Baby white anchovy
Shirobai: White Japanese ivory shell / babylon
Sudare-gai: Venus clam
Suzuki : Sea bass

T

Tai 鯛 / Madai : Snapper / Japanese sea bream
   – Kasugodai : Baby snapper/sea bream
   – Kurodai : Black sea bream
   – Kinmedai 金目鯛 : Big-eye snapper/sea bream
   – Shiokara : Salt-cured fermented snapper’s entrails
Tairagai : Penshell clam
Tako : Octopus
Torigai とり貝 : Japanese cockle
Tsbugai : Sea whelk