Toro salmon, Toro Katsuo, Toro Sawara, Toro saba, Buri toro, Beni toro, and Toro, the original maguro, have all been added to the list, and the number of fish calling themselves Toro, other than maguro, is increasing.
In other words, the word Toro is becoming increasingly generic.
Anyone who has endured the advertising onslaught of the modern era knows that word “toro” always seems to make its way into marketing materials. The word is meant to convey a luxury ingredient, and the “gotta-eat-it” mentality that drives sales.
For example, Toro saba (Saba means ‘mackerel’) is a fatty mackerel. Speaking of fatty mackerel in Japan, the first thing that comes to mind is Norwegian mackerel (Atlantic mackerel). It was once criticized for being too fatty for some unintelligible reason.
In Norway, the amount of mackerel that can be caught in a year is strictly regulated by each fishing boat, so they only catch mackerel when it is fatty and the price is high. Japanese chub mackerel has a peak fat content of 20-25%, while Norwegian mackerel has a peak fat content of 25-30%.
When we looked at the Norwegian Seafood Council’s website to confirm this fact, strangely enough, they do not use a single word Toro mackerel.
The term “fatty” is often used to describe the meat and taste of the fish. This term, of course, implies a high fat content, but the real message we wanted to convey was supposed to be “tasty”. This is because fat contains many flavor compounds. However, literally fatty fish is appreciated and it has become a first-class citizen.
The increase in fatty farmed fish and imported fish such as Northern mackerel may have played a role in this trend, and at the bottom of it all, as with the Toro worship of tuna, there has been a major shift in Japanese eating habits in the postwar period.
In this naming, we cannot help but feel the commercial spirit and skill of the company, which has successfully turned what could be a disadvantage into an advantage by combining changing tastes with the sense of luxury that the word “Toro” possesses.
At sushi restaurants, sushi toppings are classified as Akami (Aka means ‘red’ and mi means ‘flesh’), Shiromi (Shiro means ‘white’), Hikarimono (Hikari means ‘silver’), and so on. These names are derived from the color of the flesh and the appearance of the fish. However, since there is no clear definition, different sushi chefs have different classifications. For example, if the fish has shiny skin, it is called Hikarimono, and if the skin is removed, it is called Shiromi.
Basically, if the flesh is white, it is called Shiromi. If it is red, it is Akami, but if it is beige, it is called Iromono (Iro means ‘colored’). It may be an obsolete term nowadays, but among older sushi chefs, it makes sense.
The fish that fall into this Iromono category include Hiramasa, Kanpachi, Buri, and Shima-aji. Sawara should also be classified as Iromono, but since Sawara is a newcomer to the Edomae sushi category, it is not classified as Iromono.
It is difficult for the ordinary person to understand what is going on. To add to the confusion, Hiramasa, Kanpachi, Buri, and Shima-aji are called Aomono (Ao means ‘blue’) because they are blue-back fish. This is used primarily as a fishing term.
Shiokara broadly refers to seafood fermented in their own viscera, salted and seasoned.
Generally, Shiokara (salted fish guts) is a food product made by maturing salted seafood meat and offal. This maturing is a chemical process in which proteins are converted into free amino acids by the digestive action of proteolytic enzymes contained in the offal, creating a rich umami, while the high salt content prevents spoilage. As maturing progresses, the taste becomes less salty and mellower.
Today, shiokara is rarely found in any other food than seafood, but in the past, it was also made from animal meat. As evidence, shiokara made from rabbit and deer meat is mentioned in documents (倭名類聚鈔) dating from 905 to 967.
In the Edo period (1603-1867), eating animal flesh became anathema, and shiokara made from animal flesh gradually declined, leaving only shiokara made from fish and shellfish.
In the Edo period, shiokara was called nashimono (なし物) or natsushimono (なつし物) or nanshimo (なんし物) and included fish and shellfish such as Red seabream (Tai), Horse mackerel (Aji), Pacific cod (Tara), Ark shell (Akagai), Orient clam (Hamaguri), Abalone (Awabi), Prawn (Ebi), and Crab (Kani), as well as birds such as Lark and Quail.
It is said that the term shiokara, which is still used today, took root around the end of the Edo period, and literature from that time describes shiokara being sold as Katsuo, Ami, Ebi, Ika, and others.
These days, shiokara is considered more of a luxury food than a side dish, and many shiokara products cannot be stored without refrigeration because the salt content has been reduced to less than 10% due to low-salt preference. Also, some products are seen with the addition of mirin or rice malt to suppress the salty taste.
And what I must tell you is that there are various delicacies not only in Japan but also in other countries, some of which are characterized by their odd smell and strange appearance, but are also very flavorful.
One of the most typical examples is the shiokara introduced here. It can be said that it is the top 5 stinky food in Japan.
We are fairly sure that Shiokara isn’t the type of dish that will have you coming back for more. But rest assured, Japanese cuisine has so much more to offer.
Types of shiokara in Japan
Ika-no-shiokara (salted squid guts)
Generally, Japanese common squid (Surume-ika) is used, and it is the most in-demand shiokara.
The process is to mix squid liver, commonly called “goro,” with shredded squid meat in a ratio of 1:15 to 20, add 10 to 20% salt, and allow the mixture to stand for about half a month, stirring occasionally, until the meat is broken down by enzymes to produce the characteristic umami, which is then ready to eat. There are three types of shiokara: shiro (shiro means ‘white’)-zukuri, in which the skin is removed; aka (aka means ‘red’)-zukuri, in which the skin is left on; and kuro (kuro means ‘black’)-zukuri, in which squid ink is added.
Tsubu-uni (salted and preserved sea urchin)
Tsubu-uni is a food product processed from fresh sea urchin to make it last longer.
Tsubu-uni is a specialty of Yamaguchi Prefecture and was invented around 1887, using Bafun uni, Aka uni, and Murasaki uni as ingredients.
The process begins by rinsing the gonads removed from the sea urchin. The product is then sprinkled with about 10% salt, packed in a bottle containing about 20% alcohol, shaken well, and aged for about half a month. The resulting product has a low salt content of about 8%, but can be stored at room temperature for about a year because of its alcohol content of about 9%.
Shuto (salted bonito guts)
Shuto (酒盗) is a shiokara made from bonito entrails. It is a specialty of Kochi Prefecture and is said to have been named by Yamauchi Toyosuke. Fatty bonito that has been frozen for a long time will become discolored, so bonito caught from spring to summer, when it has less fat, is the best material for shuto.
Among the removed internal organs, the pyloric appendage, stomach, and intestines are rinsed and aged with 30% salt. The one made with meat and offal is called “Tataki”, while the one made with only the stomach and intestines is called “Hantou (飯盗)”. It is also called Japanese anchovy and has a distinctive smell.
Konowata (salted sea cucumber guts)
Konowata is salted sea cucumber intestines and is one of the three major delicacies in Japan.
When making dried or pickled sea cucumbers, the digestive tract is removed, washed, and soaked in 30% salt. The value of konowata is diminished when it is torn off and the yield is only about 1%, making konowata especially expensive among shiokara. The moment you put it in your mouth, you can smell the mellow aroma of the sea, and it is characterized by its unique sticky texture.
Mefun (salted salmon guts)
Mefun is a shiokara made from Salmon’s kidney.
The removed kidneys are washed in salt water, sprinkled with salt, hardened, then washed in thin salt water to reduce the salt content to about 12% and dried in the shade. The fish is then packed in containers and aged for about six months before being made into a product. The product has a maturing smell peculiar to salted fish.
Uruka (salted ayu guts)
Uruka is the shiokara of ayufish entrails. There are ko-uruka made with ayu fish ovaries, shiro-uruka made with testes, kiri-uruka made with chopped meat mixed with the entrails, and shibu-uruka made with entrails other than ovaries and testes.
The process is the same for all ingredients: add about 30% salt, remove the leaching liquid, repeat the process of adding more salt, and let the product mature for about one year.
Sukugarasu (salted orange-spotted spinefoot)
In Okinawa, shiokara is called karasu. Kara means spicy and su means salt. Suku refers to the juvenile orange-spotted spinefoot, which are caught around the new moon of the sixth lunar month, when they gather in large schools on coral reefs.
The fish is matured in a dark place with 30% salt added to the fish. The fish is ready to eat within 2 to 3 days after being marinated, but the longer maturing fish is considered tastier. In Okinawa, shiokara of bonito entrails is called Watagarasu, shiokara of squid is called Ichagarasu, and shiokara of sea urchin is called Gashagarasu.
Ganzuke (salted fiddler crab)
A specialty of the Ariake Sea coast of Saga Prefecture, it is mainly made from fiddler crab and is said to have been invented around the 18th century by the lord of the Nabeshima feudal lord at that time.
The process involves removing the abdomen, mashing the fiddler crab with a mortar, adding about 30% salt, chili peppers, and other seasonings, and maturing the mixture for about three months.
Types of shiokara in Southeast Asia
Jeotgal (젓갈)
On the Korean peninsula, shiokara is called jeotgal or jeot, and there are over 40 varieties. Among them, 새우젓 made with small shrimp and 멸치젓 made with half mouth sardine are consumed in large quantities because they are essential for kimchi (김치) production.
鮭
The Fujian Han Chinese in Taiwan refer to the shiokara as 鮭 or 鹸鮭. Ingredients include shrimp, small fish, and crab.
Mắm
In Vietnam, shiokara, fish sauce, and narezushi are collectively called mắm, all of which are produced with the main purpose of flavoring dishes.
For example, mắm tôm, a shiokara paste of small shrimp, is made by adding about 20-30% salt to freshly caught shrimp, grinding them in a blender, and then spreading them on winnows and drying them in the sun for 2-3 days before maturing them in a container. It will be ready to eat in about a month, but those that have been around for more than a year are considered tasty.
the general practice for small fish is to kill them all together with cold seawater using Korijime.
When it comes to large volumes of small fish like Aji and Iwashi, it’s impossible to use Ikejime for each individual fish. Therefore, the general practice for small fish is to kill them all together with cold seawater using Korijime (“kori” is the Japanese word for “ice”).
Here we will explain the important points of Korijime (氷締め).
The ice is important to maintain freshness. However, this does not mean that more ice is better. The amount of ice used must be adjusted depending on the state of the fish. When Ikejime is performed on live fish and then the fish is put directly on ice, it is killed too early. Also, if ice is only applied to certain parts, only that part will cool, changing the color of the meat. So, rather than directly cooling fish that haven’t yet reached rigor mortis after death, the environment around the fish is cooled.
On the other hand, the fish that have been killed lose their freshness quickly so plenty of ice is applied then in order to prevent changes in the temperature of the fish’s body. Although plenty of ice is necessary, ice is heavy so using so much that it would leave indentations on the fish’s body would be inexcusable. You can tell whether the fisherman is used to handling the fish depending on how much ice is used.
Sashimi (刺身) is a Japanese dish made by removing the inedible head, bones, skin, fins, and tail from seafood such as fish, squid, octopus, or shellfish, and in some regions from meats like whale, horse, or chicken, and then slicing it into small, easy-to-eat pieces.
Sashimi is sometimes mistaken for sushi without the rice, but the two are considered distinct dishes in Japanese cuisine. Sushi refers to vinegared rice combined with seafood or other toppings, while sashimi focuses solely on the sliced seafood (or other ingredients) itself, served without rice.
It is considered the ultimate washoku dish, but why is such a simple and uncooked dish regarded so highly? Although sashimi is often described as “raw,” it does not always mean completely uncooked. Some varieties are lightly seared on the surface (aburi) or briefly blanched in hot water (yubiki) to enhance flavor, aroma, or texture while keeping the interior mostly raw.
In Japan, ingredients that are fresh enough to eat raw are considered more valuable, and sashimi preparation in particular requires substantial labor and technique. Seafood served as sashimi must meet strict hygiene and safety standards. Depending on the species, it may be flash-frozen at −20°C (−4°F) or lower for a set period to eliminate parasites, as required by food safety guidelines. From the moment it is caught, the fish is handled to minimize bacterial growth, often using the ikejime method to stop nerve activity and preserve texture. It is then transported under strict temperature control, prepared with sterilized knives and cutting boards, and served immediately to maintain peak freshness and flavor. These measures ensure that sashimi is both safe to eat and of the highest possible quality.
Its preparation begins when the fish is first taken out of the sea. The fishermen perform Ikejime, a technique that shuts off the fish’s neurotransmission in order to preserve freshness and texture while the fish matures.
Each fish has its peak, which is referred to as shun (season), and chefs train for years to develop their ability to determine whether a fish is fresh and its peak. The carefully selected fish is cut into smaller pieces in one stroke with a sashimi boucho (knife), which creates a smooth surface. If the meat is cut with an unsharp knife, it will be crushed and the result will be watery and tasteless.
The chefs pursue pleasing texture, ease of eating, and delicious flavors by varying the thickness of cuts and cutting techniques, depending on the type of seafood they work with.
It is popularly served with soy sauce and condiments such as wasabi, and such garnishes asshiso and shredded daikon radish.
As an aside, sushi restaurants offer a variety of sashimi cuisine. You can order them as assortments, not to mention as single dishes of tuna, sea bream, squid, horse mackerel, or shellfish among others. If the shop has seasonal fish in stock, it might be a good idea to leave your order to the chef.
Origin of the Word “Sashimi” There are several theories about the origin of the term sashimi, but one of the most widely accepted and convincing explanations is as follows.
The Japanese have been eating fish since ancient times, but sashimi as a distinct dish became popular after the invention of soy sauce. Soy sauce was developed in the late Muromachi period (14th–16th century) in the Kishu region and later introduced to Edo (present-day Tokyo). At first, it was extremely expensive and only accessible to the wealthy, but over time it became more affordable and spread among the general public. As soy sauce became a common seasoning, sashimi also gained popularity among ordinary people.
In preparing sashimi, the head, tail, skin, and bones are removed, and the flesh is sliced into small, bite-sized pieces. This makes it difficult to tell what kind of fish it is just by looking at the plate. In the past, to identify the fish, chefs would cut off one of its fins and place or “stick” it beside the slices as a garnish. In Japanese, the word sasu (刺す) means “to stab” or “to stick,” and mi (身) means “flesh” or “meat,” so this practice is believed to have given rise to the name sashimi (刺身).
Himokyumaki (Hosomaki) using the mantle of ark shell and cucumber as fillings.
Edomae sushi rolls are made with grilled nori. In Tokyo, this is called nori-maki. Himokyu-maki (ひもきゅう巻) is norimaki filled with Akagai mantle wrapped in. The mantle has a stronger sea smell and slight bitterness than the Akagai body itself, and some people actually prefer the mantle. The crunchy texture and umami bring out maximum harmony with the refreshing fragrance and texture of the cucumber. This is a true nori-maki masterpiece. Make sure to give it a try when Akagai is in season.
In general, Tazuna-maki (手綱巻き) refers to thinly sliced sayori, shrimp, kohada, and omelets, arranged diagonally and rolled with sushi rice. It is called Tazunamaki because the surface of the diagonally arranged finished product looks like the pattern of a horse’s reins.
The ingredients used for Tazuna-maki are almost always fixed, and the four main colors are: red from the shrimp, silvery white from the sayori or kohada, green from the cucumber, and yellow from the omelet. As a precaution in preparation, the sayori should be used after a quick wash in salted water, or furthermore, it should be kobujime (salted or vinegared fish marinated between sheets of kelp). Cucumbers should also be slightly wilted in salted water to help them adhere to the sushi rice.
On the other hand, Tazuna-maki made by sushi chefs, consists of kohada and kuruma prawns rolled alternately on a bed of sushi rice. This seems like Kansai’s oshizushi, but it is another old Edo-style work (Edomae shigoto).
The balance between the sweetness of the shiba shrimp oboro and the sourness of the kohada is wonderfully balanced, and the taste is so delicious that one can never get tired of it no matter how many times one eats it.
It is typically topped with Kamaboko, Shiitake mushrooms, Ginkgo nuts, and shrimp.
Chawan-mushi (Savory steamed egg custard) is made from eggs and dashi (soup stock) and garnished with shrimp and ginkgo nuts. It is steamed in a cup and often served as a cold or hot appetizer. It is a standard item at the sushi restaurant.
Unlike other egg custard, it is not sweet but it has a savory flavor packed with umami from dashi and topping ingredients. It is velvety feeling on the palate is irresistible.
Then why do sushi restaurants serve chawan-mushi?
That is because sushi is a cold dish, so they basically serve something warm as a garnish.
Another reason is that the ingredients used for chawan-mushi (茶碗蒸し), such as shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, eggs, and kamaboko, are either used daily at sushi restaurants or are readily available at market stores that sell sushi items.
A sushi meal is often completed with clear soup or miso soup. Interestingly, the ingredients in the soup differ depending on the sushi restaurant or the day.
Put all four fingers of your left hand under the bottom of the bowl and place your thumb, gently on the rim. The key is to smell the aroma first. Next hold the rim of the bowl right up to your mouth, and do not make any slurping noises. Then eat between the soup and the ingredients alternately.
Turn the lid over and place it on the right side of the bowl. Do not place the lids on top of each other as this may scratch them. Make sure to drop the water drops from the inside of the lid into the soup.
When asked “Could we serve you a soup bowl now?” at a high-class sushi restaurant, it sometimes is a sign that the Omakase course is about to end. If there are any additional sushi toppings you would like to eat, this is the right time to order. And occasions like having a client dinner imply that your meal has reached the budget you informed in advance.
Sushi made by spreading vinegared rice on a sheet of dried laver and rolling it up with ingredients is called “Makizushi” in Kansai and “Norimaki” in Kanto, and the two are basically the same.
In Kanto, sushi rolls are distinguished by their thickness as “Hosomaki (thin rolls),” “Nakamaki (medium rolls),” or “Futomaki (thick rolls),” but in Kansai, the term “Makizushi” often refers to “thick rolls.
Hosomaki, such as Kanpyomaki (Dried Gourd Shavings Sushi Roll), Tekkomaki (Tuna roll), and Kappamaki (Cucumber roll), generally contain only one type of ingredient, while Futomaki (太巻き) contains multiple ingredients such as kanpyo, tamagoyaki, shiitake mushrooms, and cucumbers.
The size of the nori used differs depending on the thickness of the roll. Hosomaki uses a sheet of nori cut in half, Nakamaki uses one half to one sheet of nori, and Futomaki uses one or more sheets of nori. The basic size of nori is 21 cm in length and 19 cm in width per sheet, and each sheet weighs about 3 g. This size is called “Zenkei”.
The filling and hearty Futomaki satisfies your appetite. It has a slight sweetness, intricate flavors, and pleasant textures. Everything appealing about sushi is packed into a roll of Futomaki.
There are eight types of tuna fished in the world: Pacific bluefin tuna (T. orientalis), Atlantic bluefin tuna (T. thynnus), Southern bluefin tuna (T. thynnus maccoyii), Bigeye tuna (T. obesus), Yellowfin tuna (T. albacares), Albacore (T. alalunga), Blackfin tuna (T. atlanticus) and Longtail tuna (T. tonggol).
According to 2019 statistics, approximately 2,280,000 tons of 8 types of tuna were caught that year. Of those, only 1.6 tons per year are Pacific bluefin tuna. Atlantic bluefin tuna only reaches 3.1 tons per year. Southern bluefin tuna is 1.7 tons per year. Yellowfin tuna is 1,579,000 tons per year. Bigeye tuna accounts for 392,000 tons per year. Albacore is 245,000 tons per year. There is some fluctuation from year to year, but the data has remained pretty stable over the past 20 years, except for the Yellowfin tuna. Blackfin tuna catch is extremely how and is not found at sushi restaurants as a topping except Florida. Longtail tuna is no more than a by-catch of other tuna and is the least caught species in the tuna genus.
Of these eight types, the six types used as Nigiri sushi toppings include Pacific bluefin tuna, Atlantic bluefin tuna, Southern bluefin tuna, Bigeye tuna, Yellowfin tuna and Albacore.
We have attempted to lay them out here in order of price. Incidentally, the unit price for Bluefin tuna is more than ten times that of Albacore.
Distribution map of Pacific bluefin tuna
The statistics categorize Pacific bluefin tuna and Atlantic bluefin tuna separately, but Japanese sushi restaurants do not distinguish the two. In other words, the menu does not read “Pacific bluefin tuna”. Not only that, the menu actually only lists “Tuna,” so in that case you can assume it is either Bluefin tuna, Southern bluefin tuna or Bigeye tuna.
Distribution map of Atlantic bluefin tuna
Those in the industry at the Toyosu Market refer to Atlantic bluefin tuna as “Jumbo”. This is the nickname for Tuna imported from Boston and Ireland into Japan. This also makes it clear that it is not the Pacific bluefin tuna fished in Japan’s local sea waters. Southern bluefin tuna is mainly caught in the Indian Ocean and flash-frozen to negative 60℃ before being distributed all over the world. The majority of Bigeye tuna, Yellowfin tuna and Albacore are also frozen and distributed.
When the Tuna a sushi restaurant is serving is Bluefin tuna, the chef wants to emphasize that, so he or she may drum up conversation with, “We got some good Bluefin tuna in today.” Incidentally, Bluefin tuna is also called “Hon-maguro”. In Japanese “Hon” is short for “Honto,” which means “Real.” In other words, this implies that other Tuna is not the real thing.
Yellowfin tuna in the fish market
Yellowfin tuna is generally served at Kansai sushi restaurants, but not at Tokyo sushi restaurants. This is due to differences in Kansai and Kanto food cultures. The Ahi often consumed in Hawaii is Yellowfin tuna. Tuna caught in the inshore waters of Micronesia is either Yellowfin tuna or Bigeye tuna.
Bigeye tuna in the fish market
Yellowfin tuna and Bigeye tuna are often used for take-out sushi. If Bluefin tuna is used, this will be indicated with a label on the package making it clear that it, “Includes Bluefin tuna.” That is how expensive and delicious Bluefin tuna is. However, in this case you can be sure that the Bluefin tuna came frozen and was farmed. Also, depending on when it was fished, the akami (red meat) of the Bigeye tuna caught in the inshore of Japan are nearly on-par with the akami Bluefin tuna. Bigeye tuna is the most-consumed Tuna as Sashimi in Japan.
Albacore in the fish market
Albacore is often served at conveyor belt sushi. Bintoro is especially popular. Bintoro is the name for the Toro part of Albacore. The meat is whiter than that of Bluefin tuna and the fat is known for being lighter.
In conclusion, you may have never been aware of the types of Tuna consumed at sushi restaurants. The types of Tuna that go better with spicy sauces are generally Yellowfin tuna and Albacore. For the same reason, Yellowfin tuna and Albacore are often used in Sushi rolls. But when made into Nigiri sushi, you can’t help but to be conscious of the type of tuna because the flavor and aroma are apparent. Also, when Bluefin tuna is served raw, you can expect top-level fragrance.
The “Mo” of “Moshio (藻塩)” means “seaweed (海藻)” and “shio” means “salt (塩).” The only ingredient in Moshio is Hondawara, a type of seawater and seaweed. It is also called Mojio.
The way it is made is extremely primitive. First, Hondawara (Gulfweed), etc. is soaked in seawater then wrung out and dried multiple times over 2 to 3 days. This creates a brown-colored seawater infused with the umami and color of Hondawara. In the end, Hondawara is dried and grilled, then the charcoal ash is mixed with the seawater infused with the umami and color. This is left for a day, where the ash naturally sinks to the bottom, completing the dark-brown seawater. Moshio is made by boiling down this seawater. This is said to be the origin of salt-making far longer ago than the manufacturing method of using salt farms.
According to a sushi chef at a Michelin Star restaurant, there are two types of Shari and each will either bring out the best of either Akami or the Shiromi. When pursuing ideal Shari to go well with a variety of toppings, this chef happened to come across Moshio. This led to a lot of trial and error, and eventually he came up with a fully universal type of Shari. Perhaps switching to Moshio is a good idea.
It is characteristic in that there is no sharp spiciness and it has a very mellow flavor, so it brings out the taste of the elements of seafood, etc. The color is a light beige and the salt can be called a concentration of umami made from nothing but seawater and seaweed.
As this is an extremely lethal toxin, there are reports of cases of poisoning in some types of oysters and Asari (short-necked clams). The source of the Venerupin is said to be the intake of toxic dinoflagellate. This only occurs in early Spring in Nagai, Kanagawa prefecture and Lake Hamana in Shizuoka prefecture and in one instance over 100 people died. However, as there have been no incidents of poisoning since 1950, it’s still not clear if the shellfish actually become toxic or not.
In most cases, the toxic symptoms appear within one to two days and start with abdominal pain, vomiting, constipation, etc., followed by blood spots on the skin and bleeding from the mouth and nose. Liver function also significantly decreases and the patient suffers from mental derangement. They then fall into a coma and die within a few days.
The reason squid arms came to be called “Geso” is that the shoes that are removed before entering the indoors in Japan are referred to as “Gesoku”. The name comes from a time when restaurants used to hold onto their customers geta (wooden clogs) and the cloak would tie them with a string in 10-pair units.
Geso can be lightly boiled or grilled. For large squid, a butcher knife is inserted at the tip of the arm to peel off the skin membrane, and then the tips of the arms are cut off so the sizes match. When Nitsume or other sauce is applied and it is made into Nigiri, it has an excellent springy texture and scent of the sea. It is also used as Tsumami when drinking alcohol. In my personal opinion, the Geso child of Sumiika is nice and soft and worlds above any others.
This is one of the sushi terms that even most of the general public in Japan knows well.
There are two types of Kaiseki Ryori (懐石料理・会席料理). Both are course meals and have the same reading, but they are expressed in different Chinese characters and the contents are quite different.
In this case, Kiseki (懐石) means a poor meal enough to survive hunger from the anecdote that a Zen priest held a warm stone in his robe to forget the cold and hunger during his training. It consists of soup, rice and three dishes to prepare your stomach before enjoying the strong tea served at the tea ceremony.
As explained earlier, the basis of Kaiseki Ryori at a tea ceremony is one soup and three dishes, but Japanese restaurants, where you are likely to go to eat in person, often have their own arrangements, such as increasing the number of items or changing the order. In a typical menu, oshiki (折敷), wanmono (椀盛), grilled dishes (焼き物), simmered dishes or vinegared dishes (強肴), suimono (吸い物), hasun (八寸), yuto・kouomono(湯桶・香の物), and omokashi・koicha (主菓子・濃茶) are served.
Originally, Kaiseki Ryori was not a sumptuous meal to be eaten with sake, but rather a dish to fill a small stomach before enjoying a more delicious cup of tea.
