Red cornetfish nigiri

Red cornetfish (Akayagara)

【Nigiri sushi: Shiromi】
In the waters around Japan, two species of cornetfish are consumed as food: the red cornetfish (akayagara, Fistularia petimba) and the blue cornetfish (aoyagara, Fistularia commersonii), with the red cornetfish accounting for the larger share of the catch.

Despite its unusual appearance, akayagara is prized for its excellent flavor. It is in season during the summer, when relatively few other fish are in season. It has a mild flavor and firmer, springier flesh than many other white-fleshed fish. Unlike some fish, its flesh does not become tough or dense when cooked and flakes easily, making it well suited to steamed dishes served in kaiseki cuisine. Its delicate, flavorful white flesh is also served as sashimi in high-end restaurants and makes excellent nigiri sushi.

Akayagara has an elongated body, with an exceptionally long snout that accounts for a considerable proportion of its overall length. Its head is also long, leaving very little edible flesh relative to the fish's total size. Consequently, its low yield makes it an exceptionally expensive, premium fish.

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

(First post on October 30, 2026)