Common name: Pacific needlefish, Reen gar, Houndfish, Green gar, Needlefish, Round-bodied garfish

Japanese name: Datsu (駄津)

Taiwan common name: 尖嘴圓尾鶴鱵、鶴鱵、青旗、學仔、白天青旗

Chinese common name: 尖嘴柱颌针鱼

Scientific name: Strongylura anastomella (Valenciennes, 1846)

Nigiri sushi detail: Pacific needlefish (Datsu) Nigiri sushi

Characteristics:

Pacific needlefish (Datsu) are distributed throughout Japan except for the Ryukyu Islands and Ogasawara Islands, the Korean Peninsula, and the coasts of the East China Sea. The length of the body is 70~100 cm. The body is laterally flattened and elongated. The dorsal area is dark blue and the abdomen is silvery white. It is similar to Sayori, but both jaws are elongated and protrude in a bill-like shape.

Its flesh is smelly and tasteless. Its bones have a complex structure and are long and slender, making it difficult to cook. Its blue bones are also a reason for its avoidance. Datsu is a low-fat fish, so it becomes dry when heated. Therefore, it tastes better when cooked in oil, such as deep-fried.

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