List of White flesh fish (Shiromi)

The first item recommended to taste is white-flesh fish. Because of its subtle flavor, it doesn’t influence the following topping. Serving it for the very first piece of sushi is a standard move. However, absolute umami in the lightness can be taken as the details Japanese love and no other sushi toppings can offer.

Shiromi refers to white-colored fish meat. The fat content in Shiromi is generally low at about 1.2% in flounder and 4.7% in sea bream. Almost all white fish have a subtle and elegant taste. Furthermore, the rigor mortis takes over slowly and lasts for a long time, so it maintains the crunchy texture longer. Unlike Akami, the Shiromi fish don’t really migrate. You can call yourself a sushi expert if you’re able to recognize which fish it is just by looking at the cut.

Contrary to appearance, Salmon is classified as Shiromi. The salmon is originally grey, and the pink color comes from the pigments of the shrimp and crab on which it preys. We also think that Buri and Shima aji meat looks more beige than white. To be more specific, these are classified as Iromono, but there are relatively few chefs who actually know this term so we will refer to them as Shiromi. Once you’re able to speak knowledgeably on Shiromi, you’ll be a true Sushi Foodie.

What you should keep in mind is that most Shiromi fish used at sushi restaurants is sold as live fish. The broker implements Ikejime according to the instructions of the purchasing shop and then it is delivered. Basically, the chef calculates backward from the time he will make the sushi, aiming to maximize the umami. Furthermore, the price is at least 50% higher, considering the cost to transport from the fishing port to Toyosu Market, etc. This is one of the reasons Shiromi is so expensive at sushi restaurants.

Of course, only white fish that can be used for nigiri sushi is listed. Many varieties of Fugu exist, but with the exception of Torafugu (Japanese puffer fish), they are mainly used in conveyor belt sushi.

*Japanese terms will be italicized on sushi ingredients page. Parentheses after the English name indicate the scientific name.

<Shiromi－White flesh fish>

Aburabouzu－Skilfish

Aburagarei－Kamchatka flounder, Arrow-toothed halibut

Ainame－Green ling

Akahata－Blacktip grouper

Akaisaki－Schlegel red bass

Akakasago－Red deepwater scorpionfish

Akamanbo (Mandai)－Sunfish (Lampris megalopsis Underkoffler, Luers, Hyde and Craig, 2018)

Akamefugu－Globefish, Blowfish, Puffer

Akamekasago－Yellowbarred red rockfish

Akauo (Arasukamenuke)－Pacific ocean perch (Sebastes alutus (Gilbert, 1890))

Akayagara－Redcornetfish

Akodai－Matsubara’s red rockfish

Aodai－Blue fusilier

Amadai－Horsehead tilefish

Amerikanamazu－Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque, 1818))

Ara－Rock-cod

Arotsunasu－Slender tuna (Allothunnus fallaii Serventy, 1948)

Azukihata－Slender grouper

Bebizake－Red salmon

Biwamasu－Lake biwa trout

Bora－Flathead gray mullet

Budai－Japanese parrotfish

Burakkubasu (Ookuchibasu)－Black bass (Micropterus salmoides (Lacepède,1802))

Buri－Japanese amberjack

Chairomaruhata－Orange spotted grouper

Comonfugu－Globefish, Blowfish, Puffer

Ebotai (Ibodai)－Butterfish

Ebisudai－Japanese soldierfish

Engawa－Thin muscle of the dorsal fin of Japanese flounder, Marbled sole, etc.

Fedai －Red snapper, Starsnapper

Fugu (Torafugu)－Globefish, Blowfish, Puffer

Ginhirasu－Silver warehou (Seriolella punctata (Forster, 1801))

Ginmutus (Mazeranainame)－Mero, Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides Smith)

Ginmutus (Raigyodamashi)－Mero, Antarctic toothfish (Dissostichus mawsoni Norman)

Ginzake－Silver salmon

Gomafugu－Globefish, Blowfish, Puffer

Hachibiki－Japanese rubyfish (Erythrocles schlegelii (Richardson, 1846))

Hakkaku (Tokubire)－Sailfin poacher

Hakofugu－Black-spotted boxfish

Hamadai (Onaga)－Deepwater longtail red snapper

Hamafuefukidai (Taman)－Spangled emperor

Harisenbon－Longspined porcupinefish

Hedai－Goldlined seabream

Higanfugu－Globefish, Blowfish, Puffer

Himedai－Lavender jobfish

Hiramasa－Amberjack

Hirame－Japanese flounder (Olive flounder)

Hirasuzuki－Blackfin seabass

Hitozuraharisenbon－Black-blotched porcupinefish

Hoki－Blue haki, Blue grenadier, Whiptail (Macruronus novaezelandiae (Hector, 1871))

Hokke－Okhotsk atka mackerel

Hoshigarei－Spotted halibut

Houbou－Bluefin searobin

Houkihata－Broom grouper

Ikanago－Pacific sand lance

Inada－Japanese amberjack (30〜40cm)

Ira－Wrasse, Tuskfish

Isaki－Striped pigfish

Ishidai－Barred knifejaw

Ishigakidai－Spotted knifejaw

Ishigakifugu－Spotfin burrfish

Ishigarei－Stone flounder

Ishimochi (Shiroguchi)－Sliver croaker

Izumidai (Chika)－Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus,1766))

Kagamidai (Ginmatou)－John dorey, Mirror dory

Kagokakidai－Footballer

Kajika－Japanese sculpin

Kamasu (Akakamasu)－Barracuda

Kanafugu－Smooth Blaasop

Kanpachi－Greater amberjack

Karafutomasu－Pink salmon

Karasu (Gatoro)－(Takifugu chinensis (Abe, 1949))

Karasugarei－Greenland halibut

Kasago－Marbled rockfish

Kawahagi－Filefish

Keiji－Chum salmon, Dog salmon, Keta salmon

Kichinu (Kibire)－Yellowfin sea-bream

Kijihata (Akou)－Redspotted Grouper

Kingklip－Pink cusk-eel (Genypterus blacodes  (Forster, 1801))

Kinki (Kichiji)－Thornhead

Kinmedai－Splendid alfonsino

Kintokidai－Red bigeye

Kitenhata－Duskytail grouper

Kochi (Magochi)－Bartail flathead

Korodai－Painted sweetlip

Koshodai－Crescent sweetlips

Kue－Longtooth grouper

Kurodai (Chinu)－Blackhead seabream

Kurosabafugu－Dark rough-backed puffer

Kurosoi－Black rockfish

Kurumadai－Japanese bigeye

Kusafugu－Globefish, Blowfish, Puffer

Kyusen－Wrasse

Mafugu－Globefish, Blowfish, Puffer

Mahata (Hata)－Grouper (Rock-cod, Seven band grouper)

Mahi-mahi (Shiira)－Common dolphinfish

Makogarei－Marbled sole

Masunosuke－King salmon

Matsukawagarei－Barfin flounder

Mebaru－Rockfish

Medai－Japanese butterfish

Megochi－Bigeyed flathead

Meichidai－Nakedhead

Meitagarei－Finespotted flounder, Ridged-eye flounder

Mejika－Chum salmon, Dog salmon, Keta salmon

Mejina－Greeenfish, Nibbler, Rudderfish

Merurusa (New Zealand heiku)－Southern haku, Haku, whiting (Merluccius australis  (Hutton, 1872))

Mutsu－Japanese bluefish

Nametagarei (Babagarei)－Slime flounder

Nashifugu－Purple puffer

Nezumifugu－Spot-fin porcupinefish

Nezumigochi (Megochi)－Richardson’s dragonet

Nijimasu－Rainbow trout

Nizadai－Scalpel sawtail

Nodoguro (Akamutsu)－Blackthroat seaperch

Ohyo－ Halibut

Ojisan－ Manybar goatfish

Okimebaru－ Goldeye rockfish

Okoze (Oniokoze)－Devil stinger

Oomematoudai－(Allocyttus verrucosus (Gilchrist,1906))

Peherei－(Odontesthes bonariensis (Valenciennes, 1835))

Sake －Salmon

Sakuramasu －Cherry salmon

Salmon trout －(Artificially created rainbow trout varieties)

Samegarei －Roughscale sole

Sawara－Japanese spanish mackerel

Sennen－Enperor red snapper

Shima aji－Crevalle jack (Trevally)

Shimafugu－Striped puffer

Shinshu salmon－(A crossbreed between a male brown trout and a female rainbow trout)

Shirohirasu－White warehou (Seriolella caerulea Guichenot, 1848)

Shirokurabera (Makubu)－Blackspot tuskfish

Shirosabafugu (Sabafugu)－Half-smooth golden pufferfish

Shirosuzuki －Nile perch (Lates niloticus (Linnaeus))

Shirozake (Shake)－Chum salmon

Shosaifugu－Globefish, Blowfish, Puffer

Sugi－Cobia (Rachycentron canadum (Linnaeus, 1766))

Sujiara－Leopard coralgrouper

Suzuki－Japanese seaperch

Tai (Madai)－Red sea-bream

Taiseiyosake－Atlantic salmon

Tara (Madara)－Pacific cod

Tobinumeri－(Repomucenus beniteguri (Jordan and Snyder, 1900))

Tokishirazu (Toki)－Chum salmon, Dog salmon, Keta salmon

Torafugu－Japanese pufferfish

Toujin－Hardhead grenadier (Coelorinchus japonicus (Temminck and Schlegel, 1846))

Tsumuburi－Rainbow runner

Umazurahagi－Leatherfish

Umeiro－Yellowtail blue snapper

Umeiromodoki－Yellow and blueback fusilier

Usubahagi－Unicorn leatherjacket filefish

Usumebaru－Goldeye rockfish

Yaitohata－Malabar grouper

Yanagi-no-mai－Yellow body rockfish

Yarinumeri－(Repomucenus huguenini (Bleeker, 1859))

Yoritofugu－Blunthead puffer

Yoroiitatiuo (Higedara)－Armoured cusk

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We hope this information will be helpful.

Revision date: January 24, 2023