Japanese mitten lobster (Zouriebi) is distributed along the Pacific coast from Chiba Prefecture to Kyushu, and from the Amami Islands to the Okinawa Islands and Taiwan. It lives in shallow rocky and coral reef zones at depths of 10 to 30 meters. The body of an adult is about 15 to 20 cm long, and its body is flattened as if squashed from above, and its overall shape when viewed from above is oval-shaped. Its body color is brown. The season for eating it is from autumn to spring.

The flesh of Zouriebi is a clear white, and it is very delicious with a strong umami and sweetness. Also, because it does not become too tough even when cooked, it goes well with cooking methods that involve heating, and miso soup made by boiling the whole shell and head is a standard cooking method. Even if you simply grill or boil them, the unique flavor of the shrimp becomes richer and they are very delicious to eat. However, because wild-caught Zouriebi is eaten in the area where it is caught, it is extremely rare to find it in markets, and you would not normally see it in supermarkets.

Common name: Japanese mitten lobster, Flathead lobster

Japanese name: Zouriebi (草履蝦、草履海老)

Taiwan common name: －

Chinese common name: 日本岩礁扇蝦

Korean common name: －

Scientific name: Pariibacus japonicus Holthuis,1960

Nigiri sushi detail: Japanese mitten lobster (Zouriebi) Nigiri sushi