Common name: Japanese fluvial sculpin, Japanese sculpin

Japanese name: Kajika (鰍、杜父魚、河鹿)

Chinese common name: 拇指杜父鱼

Scientific name: Cottus pollux Günther, 1873

Nigiri sushi detail: Japanese fluvial sculpin (Kajika) Nigiri sushi

Feature:

Japanese fluvial sculpin (Kajika) is distributed in Honshu, Shikoku, and northwestern Kyushu. It is a freshwater fish that inhabits the gravel bottom of rapids in the upper and middle reaches of rivers with clear water. Its body length is about 15 cm. The body surface is smooth and without scales. The season is autumn.

It rarely arrives at markets, and it is difficult to obtain live fish outside of its place of origin. It has many small bones, so it is deep-fried after the entrails are removed. It is also suitable for Kanroni (sweetened boiled fish) and soup.

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