Common name: Brown-spotted Reef-cod, Brownspotted Rockcod

Japanese name: Housekihata (宝石羽太)

French common name: Mero Pintado

Spanish common name: Loche pintade, Mérou pintade

Scientific name: Epinephelus japonicus (Temminck and Schlegel, 1843)

 

Nigiri sushi detail: Brownspotted grouper (Housekihata) Nigiri sushi

Feature:

Brownspotted grouper (Housekihata) is distributed from southern Japan to the Indian and western Pacific Oceans. It primarily inhabits coastal rocky reefs. Its body length ranges from 40 to 60 cm. The body shape is oval and laterally compressed. The body color is dark brown with numerous small black-brown spots.

Housekihata remains tender even when cooked, making it commonly used in fish soup or hot pot dishes. Its white flesh is high-quality and has a refined taste, but the faint red color of the chiai (bloodline) makes it less visually appealing when used for nigiri sushi. However, aging enhances its umami, giving it a presence that holds its own against sushi rice despite being a white fish.