Taste & Texture
Rich umami and fat typical of blue-backed fish. Versatile — hand-split sashimi, salt-grilled, simmered with ume, oil sardines. Rainy-season 'nyubai iwashi' is especially fatty
Season
How to Choose
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Clear, non-cloudy eyes and metallic blue sheen still on the body.
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Belly should be intact; flesh should feel resilient to the touch.
How to Store
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Spoils quickly — cook the same or next day.
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Refrigerate 1 day; cleaned and frozen, keeps 2-3 weeks.
Nutrition Facts
ENERGY CONTENT
156
KCAL
Source: Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan (8th ed.) 2020
Monthly Supply Volume
Supply Peak
Source: MAFF Seafood Distribution Survey (monthly cold-storage inflow) (2024). Monthly cold-storage inflow — used as a supply-signal proxy when national monthly wholesale prices are not published.
Retail Price
Price Trend
Annual Average
¥99/100g
Source: Statistics Bureau Retail Price Survey (2026)
Top Landing Prefectures
Map data: National Land Numerical Information (MLIT Japan)
Source: MAFF Marine Fisheries Production Statistics (wild catch) (2023)
Top 5 Prefecture Production Trends (2018-2023)
Consumption Ranking
National Average (annual spending per household)
Source: Statistics Bureau Family Income and Expenditure Survey (2024, two-or-more-person households, prefectural capital cities)