Deepwater longtail red snapper nigiri

Deepwater longtail red snapper (Hamadai)

【Nigiri sushi: Shiromi】
The Hamadai (Etelis coruscans) is a large, extremely expensive fish. It is characterized by its mild-tasting white flesh, strong umami flavor, and flesh that does not become tough even when cooked. Since even the fish scraps are delicious, it is a fish that can be used without waste. It is distinguished by its beautiful red coloration and long tail fin, and is also known as “Onaga” or “Onagadai.”

At sushi restaurants, it is sometimes aged before being prepared as “yakishimo-zukuri” on the back side, with the skin left on and lightly seared, while the skin is removed from the belly side before being made into nigiri. The pale pink flesh is beautiful and has a moderate fat content. In addition to the beauty and umami of its flesh, its good keeping quality is another notable characteristic.

Currently, it is not commonly served at sushi restaurants in Tokyo, but given its quality and suitability as a sushi topping, it may become more widely available at sushi restaurants in the future.

【What is Hamadai】
Deepwater longtail red snapper (Hamadai) is distributed from central Honshu southward and in the Indian and western Pacific Ocean regions. It inhabits deep waters at depths of 100 to 600 meters. Its body shape is spindle-shaped and elongated, slightly laterally compressed. Its body color is a uniform bright red. Its tail fin is distinctive, forked into two parts and thread-like in appearance. Its total length can reach 1 meter.

【Alternate names】
Ruby snapper

【Related contents】
List of White flesh fish (Shiromi)

(Revision date: October 1, 2026)