Common name: Crimson sea bream, Yellow seabream, Yellowback seabream, Golden tai 

Japanese name: Chidai (血鯛)

Taiwan common name: 黃鋤齒鯛、黃鯛、赤章、赤鯮

Scientific name: Evynnis tumifrons (Temminck & Schlegel, 1843)

Nigiri sushi detail: Young crimson sea bream (Kasugo) Nigiri sushi

Characteristics:

Crimson sea bream (Chidai) is distributed throughout Japan south of Hokkaido, excluding the Ryukyu Islands, and in the southern Korean Peninsula. It inhabits sand and gravel bottoms in the shallow waters of the continental shelf.

It is similar to the Red seabream (Madai), but is smaller, with a maximum length of 40 cm. The body color is generally red, with a light red belly. The edges of the gill covers are red as if blood has been spilled. In winter, they overwinter at a depth of 60~80m, but during the spawning season, they gather at a depth of 40~60m.

The season is early summer, and it is a substitute for Madai, which loses its flavor in summer. In Niigata and Toyama, it is more highly prized than sea bream. In the market, it is cheaper than Red seabream, partly due to its size, but it is an essential topping in Edomae sushi and is a mainstay in the Kanto region. It is also suitable for sashimi and grilled fish.

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