Young bluefin tuna nigiri

Young bluefin tuna (Meji-maguro)

【Nigiri sushi: Akami】
Although there are no clear standards, young bluefin tuna weighing 20 kg or less are generally called “meji” or “meji maguro.” In the Kansai region, they are known as “yokowa.” The name “yokowa” is said to derive from the horizontal stripes on the fish’s body, which appear to form a ring-like pattern.

Bluefin tuna accumulate fat during the winter, but their fat content drops dramatically after the spawning season in early summer. At the Toyosu Market, bluefin tuna during this period are sometimes called “konnyaku (konjac) maguro” and are treated rather poorly as tuna. During this season, sushi restaurants that insist on using fresh tuna rely on Meji or “Jumbo Tuna” imported from places such as Boston.

Although Meji are juvenile bluefin tuna, their belly meat still contains a light layer of fat. Their flavor differs from that of mature bluefin tuna, offering a delicate and refined taste. Some people even find Meji far more delicious than lower-quality frozen tuna. In particular, young bluefin tuna caught in fixed nets are something you should definitely try at least once. While Meji weighing around 2 to 5 kg are commonly available at the market, larger specimens tend to have a richer fat content and are generally considered superior.

On the other hand, because the fat in Meji is relatively light, some people feel that it lacks the strong impact of fatty bluefin tuna. For this reason, Meji is often served as sashimi not only at sushi restaurants but also at Japanese restaurants in general, allowing its delicate flavor to be fully appreciated. When made into nigiri sushi, its delicate flavor can be overpowered by the strongly flavored sushi rice, making it difficult to appreciate Meji’s true qualities.

To address this, sushi chefs lightly char Meji over straw and then marinate it to enhance its flavor and achieve a better balance with the sushi rice. When you take a bite, the toasty aroma imparted by straw-grilling and the savory taste of soy sauce first fill your palate, followed by the natural flavor of Meji gradually emerging. This is just one example; to bring out the delicate characteristics of Meji, sushi chefs employ a variety of techniques in addition to straw-grilling and marinating.

Related contents:
What are Meji, Chubou and Maguro?

(Revision date: August 20, 2026)