SushiUniversity®

Slender sprat (Kibinago)

【Nigiri sushi: Hikarimono】
Slender sprat (Kibinago) is distributed from central Honshu southward and throughout the Indo-West Pacific region. They form large schools in the surface waters of coastal areas facing the open ocean and offshore. They are particularly abundant in the Kuroshio Current region of western Japan. They reach a length of 8 to 10 cm. Their body shape is slender and elongated, like sardines. Its body color is overall yellowish-white, with a bluish tint on the back and a broad silver-white vertical stripe along the sides. This silver band remains beautifully intact even after the skin is removed when prepared as sashimi.

Once considered a regional specialty (with Kagoshima Prefecture establishing the kibinago culinary culture) due to its tendency to lose freshness quickly, advances in transportation technology now allow it to be enjoyed even in major cities.

Arranged beautifully in a style called Kikka-zukuri (菊花造り), Kibinago sashimi is visually stunning and appetizing. When served as nigiri sushi in Kagoshima, it is commonly enjoyed with vinegar miso or ginger soy sauce. The flesh is tender, characterized by a subtle sweetness and umami, creating an elegant taste when paired with the refreshing vinegar. Since it's rarely offered at Tokyo sushi restaurants, be sure to try it if you see it.

Common cooking methods include salt-grilling, frying, tempura, and simmering.

It is also called Silver-stripe round herring.

【Related contents】
List of Silver-skinned fish (Hikarimono)