Striped jack nigiri

Striped jack (Shima aji)

【Nigiri sushi: Shiromi or Iromono】
The striped jack (shima aji, Pseudocaranx dentex) is considered one of the most delicious fish in the family Carangidae and is a premium fish that is indispensable for summer sushi and sashimi. It is not commonly found in regular supermarkets and is primarily consumed at sushi restaurants and traditional Japanese restaurants.

Wild shima aji caught in summer has a light, high-quality fat and a wonderfully firm texture. Rather than having the light flavor typical of common horse mackerel, its flesh has a pronounced umami and sweetness, with a flavor reminiscent of yellowtail. Both its appearance and flavor are refreshing, making it a fish that epitomizes summer. Large ones can reach 1 meter in length and weigh 10 kg; at this size, they are also known as “Ookami” (Wolf). However, ones weighing around 1 to 2 kg are generally considered the most delicious. A single fish can sometimes fetch 10,000 to 20,000 yen.

At sushi restaurants in Tokyo, particularly those serving Edomae sushi, shima aji is considered one of the most highly regarded premium sushi toppings, alongside buri, kanpachi, and hiramasa. This high regard stems from multiple factors, including not only its flavor but also its origin, distribution conditions, flesh quality, and seasonality, all of which are highly valued in Edomae sushi.

One of the key factors is that the Izu Islands, including Hachijojima, Kozushima, and Miyakejima, are among Japan’s premier fishing grounds for wild shima aji, and a well-established distribution system ensures that the catch is delivered fresh to Toyosu Market. In addition, when aged to the right degree, shima aji develops greater umami, allowing diners to enjoy a more refined flavor while retaining its firm texture.

Because its fat content and flesh quality improve from early summer through summer, shima aji has established itself as a “premium summer fish,” in contrast to winter buri.

On the other hand, while buri is considered a top-grade fish in winter, its reputation is concentrated mainly in this season, making it a highly seasonal fish. Kanpachi has a high proportion of farmed fish in circulation and offers consistent quality throughout the year; however, it does not match shima aji in terms of the rarity of wild-caught fish.

Hiramasa is characterized by its firm texture, but generally, as a sushi topping, it is less fatty than shima aji and has a slightly milder flavor.

Finally, unfortunately, 99% of the shima aji available on the market is farmed, mainly from Oita, Ehime, and other regions. Even at sushi restaurants in Tokyo other than high-end establishments, much of the shima aji served as wild-caught is likely to be farmed. On the other hand, while much of what is served as “shima aji” at conveyor-belt sushi restaurants is wild-caught fish airlifted from New Zealand, it actually consists of other species or closely related fish that are sometimes marketed as shima aji, such as Gingame aji, Kasumi aji, Onihira aji, Kogane shima aji, and Rounin aji. Compared with shima aji, these fish generally have less fat and a less pronounced flavor.

【Substitutes for striped jack (shima aji)】
・Bigeye trevally
・Giant trevally
・Bluefin trevally
・Golden trevally
・Brassy trevally

【Temperature of vinegared rice (shari) and sushi toppings】
36～38℃/20～22℃

【Origin of the name】
Many live around islands such as the Izu Islands, which is how it got the name “shimaaji,” because “島 (shima)” means “island” in Japanese. Its young also have a vertical yellow stripe running down the center of their bodies, so the “shima” may also be written as 縞, which means “stripe.”

【Trivia】
For hikarimono nigiri (silver-skinned fish), a bit of the silver skin is left on the back of the Striped jack, and when the skin is completely removed, it becomes a shiromi (white meat) sushi topping.

【Related contents】
What is Whitefin trevally (Kaiwari) sushi?

What is Iromono?

List of White flesh fish (Shiromi)

(Revision date: August 8, 2026)