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Herring roe (Kazunoko)

【Nigiri sushi: Gyoran】
What is Kazunoko and what does kazunoko sushi taste like?
The Japanese “Kazunoko,” refers to Herring roe. Kazunoko has been eaten to pray for the prosperity of descendants. The ingredient requires much time since dried kazunoko will be rehydrated and immersed in the marinade for a while. Slight salty taste and fine texture, best eaten with shari. Around March, Herring rush to the shores of Hokkaido to spawn. These fresh "spring kazunoko" are a rare delicacy outside of Hokkaido.

【Kazunoko ingredients】
The herring used as raw material for Kazunoko comes from two species: Pacific herring, which is distributed in the North Atlantic Ocean and Arctic Ocean, and Atlantic herring, which is distributed in the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan. Atlantic herring is extremely similar to Pacific herring, with the only noticeable difference being the shape of the scales on the abdomen. There are also no significant differences in ecology or meat quality.

However, when it comes to Kazunoko, the texture is completely different, so Pacific herring Kazunoko is definitely more delicious.

The reason is that Pacific herring lay their eggs on floating seaweed such as eelgrass and kelp.　They have a high adhesive strength to prevent the eggs from being dislodged by the seaweed moving freely in the water.　On the other hand, Atlantic herring lay their eggs on rocks or sandy bottoms. Since they do not need the same adhesive strength as seaweed, the eggs are less firmly attached to each other.

In other words, thanks to its adhesive strength, Pacific herring kazunoko has a very firm texture and a crisp, crunchy mouthfeel.


【Related contents】
List of Nimono, Gyoran and Others

(Revision date: August 1, 2025)