Fukuoka Fish Market
September 2020
AKI-SAKE - Autumn Chum Salmon
In September, in Hokkaido and Tohoku regions, salmon go upstream to lay eggs. From Autumn to winter, they are representative of the northern province's taste. Do not miss the season!
KINMEDAI - Alfonsino
We will check the quality and quantity of the catch and price trends of Kochi, Izu, and Chiba, and send the best yield to our customers.
MADAI - Seabream
Japanese people simply love this fish. It has a long history of being served on celebration days in Japan. This fish has tasty fatty meat under the skin. "Shimokawa-tsukuri" is the best sashimi style to make use of tasty fatty parts. Roasting with some skin on also enhances the delicious taste. Recently, farm-raised sea bream has become more popular, but wild-caught sea bream is still a top-ranking fish in the Japanese seafood market.
KUE - Longtooth Grouper
As well known, in the Kyushu area markets, longtooth grouper is considered to be an extra-high-quality fish due to its flavor and sparse distribution. They have fluffy white meat while their skin is thick and full of collagen. Although they are a fatty fish, they are more subtle and lighter compared to fatty tuna, and when cooked in nabe soups, the collagen mixes with the stock to produce a delicate flavor. The translucent white meat has a firm texture that is pleasant when enjoyed as sashimi. Their plentiful marbling gives it a light, refined flavor.
AKAISAKI - Red Grunt
They are caught all year. Its bland white meat does not have much fat, and the taste does not change all year, just like other groupers. This fishes umami is under the skin, and Yakishimozukuri, which is sashimi prepared after burning its skin and ice-chilling, becomes an elegant dish. Other than that, boiled, sauteed, or broiled with salt is a good match.
MAHATA - Grouper
Many types of grouper can be enjoyed in Kyushu. Seven band grouper (Mahata) is recommended for this season. Although it is a fish that is not well-distributed among other markets, it is often found in the markets of Fukuoka. The firm texture of the fish is delectable enjoyed as thin-slices.
KIJIHATA - Red-spotted Grouper
They are caught all year. Its bland white meat does not have much fat, and the taste does not change all year just like other sea basses. This fishes' umami is under the skin, and Yakishimozukuri, which is sashimi prepared after burning its skin and ice-chilling, becomes an elegant dish. Other than that, boiled, sauteed, or broiled with salt is a good match too.
ISHIDAI – Striped Beakfish
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 skewers 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 sea bream) 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 incredibly delicious between the skin and flesh.
SUZUKI - Japanese SeaPerch
In the Japanese fish market, when this fish is compared to Madai (sea bream), the name value is lower, but the taste is just as good. Roasting with some skin left on enhances the delicious taste.
HIRAME - Fluke (Wild)
It is still a bit early for the KAN-HIRAME ('cold' season fluke) season, but better-quality catches start to flow in around September. By being a bit creative, such as kobujime by tying kombu around the flesh, fall-catch flounder can also be surprisingly delectable.
AMADAI - Japanese Tilefish
In the season from fall to early spring, amadai are incredibly rich in fat and have a delicious sweetness.
ITOYORI - Threadfin Bream
The bright pink of this fish adds the color and taste to the sashimi-dish. In Japan, it is a high-end fish. Sashimi, with firm skin, is ultimately tasty. This fish is good, not only for Japanese foods. It's good sauteed with butter or Meuniere.
KISU - Smelt/Whiting
Kisu, which migrate towards the shore to lay their eggs, are allowed to be caught from 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, fishermen learn the technique of releasing the hook from the fish without touching it.
OKOZE - Devil Stinger
There are mainly three types of devil stingers - red, black, and yellow. As for those sold in the markets, the red variety is ranked as the most expensive, then the black, and finally the yellow. Those that are large and above 500g are especially popular to be prepared as sashimi.
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 are known for quality far-exceeding the rest of the nation.
YAZU - Young Yellowtail
Yazu is a "Shusseuo" name of young yellowtail in the Fukuoka area market. It has less fatty meat compared to Buri. It has elegant sweetness and a satisfying texture.
KANPACHI - Amberjack (Wild)
There is a stable catch of wild-caught amberjack in Fukuoka, although a lot of aquaculture raised fish are on the market. Compared to hamachi, there is not much fat, and it has a robust, delicious taste. Wild-caught Kanpachi is treated as high-class fish at markets because the number of fish in the catch is less than hamachi and yellowtail amberjack.
ANAGO - Sea Eel
Anago is raised off the western shore of Tsushima. Its 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.
MANAGATSUO - Pompano
Excellent quality Managatsuo is caught in Fukuoka. They are perfect for sashimi! They are treated as high-grade fish with many ways to prepare them, such as teriyaki, yuan-yaki, miso-marinated grilled dishes, and so on.
SAWARA - Japanese Spanish Mackerel
Known as a mainstay Spring fish, 'cold' Japanese Spanish Mackerel caught in the fall and winter are delicious due to their marbling.They are very delicious as sashimi and exquisite when grilled. Vast styles of preparations such as Yuan Yaki with a hint of pumelo flavoring, Saikyo Zuke using sweet Kyoto miso, meuniere, and frying are popular, although, of course, especially fresh catches can be enjoyed as sushi or sashimi.
INA - SABA - Mackerel (Wild)
Ina-Saba is a brand of Japanese mackerel that is caught in the rich sea of the Tsushima area. Only selected pieces are picked for the Ina-Saba brand, according to the following strict standards: 1) caught by pole-and-line; 2) no scratches on the body; 3) more than 6 hours of cooling time immediately after harvest; and, 4) size.
AJI "IZUMI" - Horse Mackerel
Izumi is a nonmigratory-type yellow horse mackerel that grows up in coastal bays and attains a golden color and round form. This fish has a moderate fat content and very high-quality flesh with a delicious sweetness.
MODORIGATSUO - "Returning" Bonito
The delicious 'returning' bonito (bonito that is returning southward in the fall/winter after having gone north in the spring) season has arrived with the fall season upon us. Bonito of this season have had ample food to eat, offering plenty of fatty meat, otherwise called "torogatsuo" (fatty-bonito). Enjoy the different flavors bonito offers between the light, fresh early bonito (spring/summer season), as well as the rich, buttery flavor of returning bonito.
AWABI - Abalone
In the Chikuzen-sea, there are three subspecies for Awabi, but the Awabi most harvested is the Kuro-Awabi. (Saga, Nagasaki, and Fukuoka: large size is 300g and up).
SHIRO-IKA - Sward Squid
There are many names for swardtip squid, with some regions calling them "white squid" because their body is white. Yamaguchi prefecture coast is an area that they migrate to from Summer to Autumn because there are a lot of small fish that they feed on. White squid in Yamaguchi can be caught and kept in good quality because the fishing ground is nearby, so its fresh sashimi is recommended. Its beautiful transparent meat has an excellent crunchy texture and unique sweetness that can be enjoyed as well. It is perfect for dishes such as tempura, or grilled, boiled, or salted.