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Fukuoka Fish Market

August 2025

MEICHIDAI - Grey Large Eye Bream

Many white meat fishes, such as Madai, have less fat content in the summer, and this lowers its quality of taste. However, for Meichidai, summer is when it has the most fat and tastes the best. Meichidai is a rare fish on the market, but when it is available, we use the “Asajime” method the same morning and ship it.

HAMO - Pike Conger

Many rivers flow into the Shiranui Sea of Amakusa where pike eel, growing in a location with ample food thanks to the freshwater, are called golden pike eel and have excellent marbling. Fished by long-line, pike eel here is known for quality far-exceeding the rest of the nation.

ANAGO - Sea Eel

Anago that is raised on the western offshore of Tsushima with abundant, high quality food, has a larger body than the common anago with better fat content as well. It really is the golden anago like its name says.

TACHIUO - Beltfish

Beltfish are caught throughout the year and it is said that their texture and flavor do not vary much depending on the season.

However, its spawning period is between June and October, so it is generally considered most delicious around that time as well. We hope you will try out our very fresh beltfish as sashimi or sushi. While it has the fattiness like fatty tuna, it also has a plain and light flavor that we recommend having with ponzu sauce or other condiments. Lightly grilling it on the top will also bring out a new delicious flavor.

KAWAHAGI – Filefish 

Kawahagi and umazurahagi (horse-faced filefish, or “membo” in the local dialect) are available. This fish can be enjoyed as sashimi or simmered in a soy broth. It can also be cooked in a clay pot. Kawahagi’s liver is also prized as a rich-tast­ing delicacy.

ISAKI - Japanese Grunt Fish

The best season for Isaki comes around early summer, which is when Isaki ride the Tsushima current through the offshore area of Iki Island and arrive at the Chikuzen Sea to lay eggs. Isaki travel in flocks, and these flocks are often seen in places like artificial reefs. It is a white meat fish with a unique flavor and the perfect amount of fat, which can be enjoyed especially with the large-sized Isakis.

SUZUKI - Japanese Seabass

They are a light white fish which is ideal prepared as arai (a washing technique used to shed extra fat), grilled with salt, or in the French meuniere style.

ISHIDAI – Rock porgy 

Thinly sliced striped beakfish is translucent with a firm texture, an ever-delicate sweetness, and an “Umami” flavor. It has a much richer flavor than Japanese sea bass and flathead, the most notorious of summer fish. Ways to enjoy this fish include: “Arai” style slices, simmered fish, steaming, salt-grilling, meuniere, and “Ushiojiru” salt broth. Also good is to remove the skin, boil and make thin slices with a garnish of julienned ginger and scallions with lemon juice, or wrapping them on bamboo skewer and grilling until crisp, seared with soy sauce or salt and lemon juice.

ISHIGAKIDAI - Spotted Knifejaw

Sliced spotted knifejaw is a delicious white-fleshed fish very similar to madai (red seabream) with a tough and springy texture that makes it very chewy and gives it a light fragrance of the ocean when served as sashimi. When the white flesh is dry-aged, it becomes surprisingly fatty with strong umami, and tastes particularly delicious between the skin and flesh.

ISHIGAREI - Stone Flounder

Stone flounder in the summer is known for being very fatty and delicious. The transparent white flesh has just the right chewiness that makes the flavor spread throughout your mouth every time you chew.The firm and chewy texture is very fresh in your mouth, making it suitable for the summer. We hope you will give it a try.

MAGOCHI – Flathead 

This is a high-quality fish that is typically avail­able in the summer months. Magochi is sliced thinly as “tessanami” sashimi and is esteemed for having a fine flavor rivals blowfish (fugu). Mago­chi is perfect for tempura and hotpot.

MANAGATSUO - Pompano

Although normally they are swimming off the shores in schools between June and August, butterfish make their way to the inland sea and other inner-bay areas to lay their eggs. It is during this time, between the end of June and the middle of August, that butterfish are seen in the markets. Due to their habitat being south of Central Honshu, there is a tendency of them not being well-liked in Kanto, however they are an exquisite fish that is considered as a top-quality fish in exclusive Kyoto restaurants. If fresh, sashimi is the suggested way to enjoy them, however, teriyaki, yuan-yaki (a grilled preparation in soy/mirin with citrus rings), and grilling after miso-pickling are also popular preparations.

TOBIUO - Flying Fish

Tobiuo is in season. The market price of this fish is reasonable all year long. Tobiuo sashimi is very delicious. Other recommended cooking methods for this fish is to eat it as dried fish or as “Namerou” (a type of “tataki”).

KAMASU - Japanese Barracuda

Japanese barracudas used to be served as grilled or dried, and they had very few other ways of being cooked. But broader distribution networks in recent years have made it possible to serve them raw, such as in sashimi or aburi (partially grilled on the top) style. Barracudas have strong umami in the white flesh and an original flavor on the skin, so it tastes even better when partially grilled on the skin when served as sushi.

HIRAMASA - Yellowtail Amberjack

This fish doesn’t have as much fat as Buri, but has more fat and “umami” content compared to Kanpachi.

YAZU / INADA -  Young Yellowtail

Yazu is a “Shusseuo” name of young yellowtail in Fukuoka area market. It has less fatty meat compare to Buri. It has elegant sweetness and satisfying texture.

SHINKO - Young Gizzard Shad

As you may know, this is one of the most beloved dishes of Edomae sushi. Do not miss out on this season. We look forward to your order.

KISU - Smelt / Whiting

Kisu, which migrate toward towards the shore to lay their eggs, are allowed be caught beginning in May, and from that time you can see lots of fresh fish of this species in stores. Kisu prefers the clean sands at the bottom of the ocean. The beautiful waters around Shiga Island abound with high-qual­ity kisu. To maintain the freshness of this fish, fisher­man learn the technique of releasing the hook from the fish without touching it.

"OOITA" AJI - Horse Mackerel

The Bungo channel is located where the Kuroshio (the warm current flowing from South to North) meets Seto Inland Sea, has good water quality and has abundant plankton that is food for fish. Horse mackerel that grows up in the Bungo channel in ÅŒita have good reputation for its fat and good flavor.

SAZAE - Turbo Cornutus

Although turban shells have horns, those caught in the calm- waters of the inland sea have smaller one or have none at all, while those from the open seas have larger horns. In Fukuoka Prefecture, research is being conducted on mass- producing farm-raised spat in order to increase resources. Although shell-grilling is the most common way of enjoying turban shells, they can also be enjoyed as sashimi or marinated in vinegar.

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