Barfin flounder nigiri

Barfin flounder (Matsukawagarei)

【Nigiri sushi: Shiromi】
Barfin flounder (Matsukawagarei) is generally considered more flavorful when it is larger, and males are often preferred over females. Its flesh has a firm texture, and when fresh, it is well suited to thinly sliced sashimi. As with other flounders, its flavor develops further when the fish is aged for about two days. Matsukawagarei is traded as a high-end fish on a par with hoshigarei.

If asked which is tastier, matsukawagarei or hoshigarei, more people might choose hoshigarei. However, this may be because matsukawagarei is less familiar to many people. Although it is rarely seen at high-end sushi restaurants in Tokyo, it is not particularly uncommon at high-end restaurants in Sapporo.

Incidentally, “Oucho” (meaning “King of Flounder”) is a brand name for matsukawagarei measuring at least 35 cm in total length that are landed in the Pacific waters west of Erimo, an area extending from Erimo Town in Hokkaido to Minami-Kayabe in Hakodate. Oucho-branded fish may become more common at sushi restaurants in Tokyo in the future. It is certainly worth knowing about.

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

(First post on November 1, 2026)