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Mutsu (Japanese bluefish)

【Nigiri sushi: Shiromi】
Mutsu (Japanese bluefish) inhabits the Pacific Ocean, Sea of Japan, and East China Sea from Hokkaido to Kyushu at depths of 200–700 meters. It grows to a maximum length of approximately 60 cm. Compared to Kuromutsu, another member of the Mutsu family, it has fewer lateral line scales.The body is spindle-shaped. The body color is yellowish-reddish-brown in juveniles and dark brown in adults. The eyes and mouth are relatively large, and the teeth are sharp. The peak season is winter, and the flavor declines from spring to summer. In the market, it is called Honmutsu to distinguish it from other fish with the name “mutsu.” In sushi restaurants, it seems that no distinction is made between Mutsu and Kuromutsu, and they are referred to as Kuromutsu.

＊English name (Japanese bluefish) is taken from the Japanese Fish Name Dictionary (日本産魚名大辞典). We believe that the Chinese name for Mutsu listed on Baidu probably refers to Kuromutsu.

＊＊The scientific name for Mutsu is Scombrops boops (Houttuyn, 1782), and the scientific name for Kuromutsu is Scombrops gilberti (Jordan and Snyder, 1901).