Common name: Moonfish, Razor moonfish, Razor trevally

Japanese name: Ginkagami (銀鏡)

Chinese common name: 眼眶鱼、眼镜鱼、皮刀鱼

Korean common name: 배불뚝치

Scientific name: Mene maculata (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)

Nigiri sushi detail: Moonfish (Ginkagami) Nigiri sushi

Feature:

Moonfish (Ginkagami) is widely distributed south of Aomori Prefecture on the Sea of Japan side, south of Ibaraki Prefecture on the Pacific side, and in the warm waters of the Indo-West Pacific. Ginkagami has a silvery body and a very lateral flattened body. There are small black spots on the upper side of the body. The total length is 25-30 cm. The Ginkagami family has a very long history and is also called a “living fossil” because it has hardly changed its appearance since 60 million years ago and is still alive today. It is a rare fish, with only one family, one genus, and one species in the world.

The dark red meat (Chiai) is large and slightly reddish, but the flesh is clear and beautiful. Its flavor is similar to that of the horse mackerel. However, it is not suitable for sushi toppings because of its flat body and fairly low yield. It should be made into sashimi, grilled with salt, fried, or dried overnight.