Common name: Fourspine sculpin

Japanese name: Ayukake (アユカケ), Kamakiri (鎌切)

Scientific name: Rheopresbe kazika (Jordan and Starks, 1904)

Nigiri sushi detail: Fourspine sculpin (Ayukake) Nigiri sushi

Feature:

Fourspine sculpin (Ayukake) is endemic to Japan and is distributed throughout Japan except Hokkaido, Aomori and Akita prefectures, the Korean Peninsula and northern China. It inhabits sand and gravel bottoms in rivers and lakes where the water is clear. The total length is about 25 cm. Its body color is yellowish-gray with darker coloration on its sides and dorsal surface. As its name suggests, it catches and feeds on Ayu.

Ayukake is cooked after being made to swim in the water and spit out mud. It is often cooked in sweetened soy sauce (Kanroni), but its light flavor also makes it suitable for tempura and frying.

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