166 Most Popular Japanese Seafood Dishes to Try in 2024
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Japanese food features many delicious seafood dishes that are worth trying.
That is why this guide looks at 166 of the most popular Japanese seafood dishes. It includes tasty tuna sushi bowls, juicy grilled mackerel, hearty cod dishes with miso, and briny octopus takoyaki. Both favorite and little-known local specialties are included to showcase the range of Japanese seafood.
Each dish has a short but appetizing description so readers know exactly what it is and what to expect. From light appetizers to hearty rice bowls, there are all kinds of taste adventures for any occasion.
For anyone looking to explore the incredible fish meals Japan has to offer, this is an essential guide. Get your chopsticks ready to be amazed by the wonderful world of Japanese seafood. The iconic fish dishes of this cuisine are waiting to be discovered!
Japanese Seafood Dishes
A
Aburi Salmon Sushi (炙りサーモン寿司)
- Seared salmon sushi
Agedashi Tofu (揚げ出し豆腐)
- Deep fried tofu in broth
Aji Sashimi (鯵刺身)
- Horse mackerel sashimi
Aji no Tataki (鯵のたたき)
- Chopped horse mackerel
Aka Miso Yaki (赤味噌焼き)
- Red miso glazed fish
Ama Ebi Sushi (甘海老寿司)
- Raw sweet shrimp sushi
Anago Sushi (穴子寿司)
- Saltwater eel sushi
Ankimo Yaki (安肝焼き)
- Monkfish liver with ponzu
Aori Ika Hitoyaki (青姜烏賊帆立焼き)
- Squid and scallop sauté
Aori Ika Sushi (青姜いか寿司)
- Squid sushi with green ginger
Assorted Sashimi (造里)
- Assorted raw fish
Awabi Sushi (鮑寿司)
- Abalone sushi
Ayu no Shioyaki (アユの塩焼き)
- Grilled sweetfish with salt
B
Bafun Uni (馬糞雲丹)
- Sea urchin on horse manure
Botan Ebi (牡丹海老)
- Botan shrimp sashimi
Buri Daikon (ブリ大根)
- Simmered yellowtail and daikon radish
Buri Kama (ブリカマ)
- Grilled yellowtail collar
Buri no Teriyaki (ブリのテリヤキ)
- Yellowtail glazed with teriyaki sauce
Buri Sashimi (鰤刺身)
- Yellowtail sashimi
C
Chawanmushi (茶碗蒸し)
- Savory steamed egg custard with seafood
D
Dobin Mushi (土瓶蒸し)
- Seafood and vegetables in a teapot broth
E
Ebi Furai (エビフライ)
- Breaded and fried shrimp
Ebi Mayo (海老マヨネーズ)
- Shrimp with mayonnaise
Ebi Tempura (海老天ぷら)
- Shrimp tempura
Ebiko Gunkan (エビ子軍艦)
- Shrimp roe battleship sushi
Engawa (エンガワ)
- Halibut fins braised in sweet soy
Engawa Sushi (エンガワ寿司)
- Halibut fin sushi
F
Fugu Karaage (河豚唐揚げ)
- Deep fried pufferfish
- Thinly sliced pufferfish sashimi
G
Gari (ガリ)
- Pickled ginger for sushi
Gindara Misoyaki (銀鱈味噌焼き)
- Cod marinated in miso
Gindara Saikyo-Yaki (銀鱈西京焼き)
- Marinated black cod in miso
Gyoza (ギョーザ)
- Pan-fried dumplings stuffed with seafood
H
Hamo no Teriyaki (鱧の照り焼き)
- Teriyaki glazed pike eel
Hamo Sashi (鱧刺し)
- Cutlassfish sashimi
Hamo Sushi (鱧寿司)
- Pike eel sushi
Hamachi Kama (はまちカマ)
- Grilled yellowtail collar
Hamachi Sashimi (はまち刺身)
- Raw yellowtail sashimi
Hamachi Sushi (はまち寿司)
- Yellowtail amberjack sushi
Hamaguri Sushi (はまぐり寿司)
- Clam sushi
Hamayaki (はま焼き)
- Grilled spring mackerel
Hiramasa Karaage (平政唐揚げ)
- Deep fried yellowtail amberjack
Hirame Sashimi (平目刺身)
- Halibut sashimi
Hirame Sushi (平目寿司)
- Halibut sushi
Hokkigai Sashimi (北寄貝刺身)
- Surf clam sashimi
Hokkigai Sushi (鮑貝寿司)
- Surf clam sushi
Hotate Gai (帆立貝)
- Steamed scallop shell
Hotate Sushi (帆立寿司)
- Scallop sushi
Hotategai Karaage (帆立貝唐揚げ)
- Deep fried scallops
Hotategai no Kinpira (帆立貝の金平)
- Sauteed scallop with burdock root
I
Ibodai Sushi (疣鯛寿司)
- Butterfish sushi
Ika Geso Karaage (烏賊下足唐揚げ)
- Fried squid legs
Ika no Shiokara (烏賊の塩辛)
- Heavily salted squid
Ika Somen (いか素麺)
- Somen noodles made from squid
Ikameshi (イカ飯)
- Squid cooked with rice
Ikura Donburi (イクラ丼)
- Salmon roe rice bowl
Ikura Gunkan Maki (イクラ軍艦巻き)
- Salmon roe sushi
Ikura Sushi (イクラ寿司)
- Salmon roe sushi
Iwana Sushi (イワナ寿司)
- Char sushi
Iwashi no Nitsuke (鰯の煮付け)
- Simmered sardine fish
Iwashi no Tsukudani (鰯の佃煮)
- Simmered sardine in soy sauce
Iwashi Sushi (鰯寿司)
- Sardine sushi
Ika Sushi (烏賊寿司)
- Squid sushi
K
Kaki Furai (牡蠣フライ)
- Breaded and fried oysters
Kaki Yaki (牡蠣焼き)
- Grilled oysters
Kampachi Sashimi (間八刺身)
- Amberjack sashimi
Kampachi Sushi (間八寿司)
- Amberjack sushi
Kani Cream Korokke (カニクリームコロッケ)
- Crab cream croquettes
Kani Miso Yaki (蟹味噌焼き)
- Baked crab in miso
Kani Sushi (蟹寿司)
- Crab sushi
Katsuo no Tataki (鰹のたたき)
- Seared skipjack tuna
Katsuo no Tataki Teishoku (鰹のタタキ定食)
- Seared skipjack set meal
Katsuo Sushi (鰹寿司)
- Skipjack tuna sushi
Katsuo Tataki (鰹のタタキ)
- Seared skipjack tuna
Katsuo Tataki Don (鰹のタタキ丼)
- Seared skipjack tuna rice bowl
Kohada Gunkan Maki (小鰭軍艦巻き)
- Gizzard shad sushi
Kohada Shioyaki (小鰭塩焼き)
- Salted and grilled gizzard shad
Kohada Sushi (小鰭寿司)
- Gizzard shad sushi
Koi Koku (鯉の子)
- Carp steeped in sweet soy sauce
Kuruma Ebi Sushi (車海老寿司)
- Prawn sushi
L
Lobster Miso Yaki (ロブスター味噌焼き)
- Grilled lobster in miso
M
Maguro no Kama (鮪のカマ)
- Tuna collar
Maguro no Tataki (鮪のたたき)
- Seared tuna sashimi
Maguro Sashimi (マグロ刺身)
- Fresh raw tuna sashimi
Maguro Sushi (まぐろ寿司)
- Tuna sushi
Masago Sushi (真砂子寿司)
- Smelt roe sushi
Mejina Sushi (メジナ寿司)
- Large-eye snapper sushi
Mentaiko (メンタイコ)
- Spicy pollock roe
Mirugai Sushi (みる貝寿司)
- Geoduck sushi
Mizutaki (みずたき)
- Chicken hot pot with seafood
N
Nasu Miso Yaki (茄子味噌焼き)
- Eggplant stuffed with crab miso
O
Odori Don (踊り丼)
- Dancing squid on rice
- Savory Japanese pancake with seafood
Otoro Sashimi (大トロ)
- Extra fatty tuna sashimi
Owan (御椀)
- Seafood soup bowl
P
Pengui Sashimi (ペンギン刺身)
- Raw pengui fish sashimi
R
Roe (イクラ)
- Fish eggs eaten as delicacy
S
Saba no Misoni (鯖の味噌煮)
- Simmered mackerel in miso
Saba Shioyaki (鯖塩焼き)
- Salt grilled mackerel
Saba Sushi (鯖寿司)
- Mackerel sushi
Sake Sushi (鮭寿司)
- Salmon sushi
Sashimi (刺身)
- Fresh raw seafood slices
Sashimi Moriawase (刺身盛り合わせ)
- Assorted sashimi platter
Sayori Sushi (細魚寿司)
- Halfbeak sushi
Sea Bream Teriyaki (鯛のテリヤキ)
- Black sea bream glazed in teriyaki
Shako Gunkan Maki (蝦蛄軍艦巻き)
- Mantis shrimp sushi
Shima Aji no Saikyo-yaki (縞鯵の西京焼き)
- Saikyo miso marinated striped jack
Shima Aji Sushi (縞鯵寿司)
- Striped jack sushi
Shiokara (塩辛)
- Heavily salted squid innards
Shirasu no Goma-ae (白子の胡麻和え)
- Boiled whitebait with sesame
Shiromi Sushi (白身魚寿司)
- White fish sushi
Surf Clam Miso Soup (蜆の味噌汁)
- Miso soup with surf clams
- Vinegared rice with seafood toppings
Sushi Moriawase (寿司盛り合わせ)
- Assorted sushi platter
Suzuki Sashimi (鱸刺身)
- Sea bass sashimi
T
Tai Meshi (鯛飯)
- Red snapper cooked rice
Tai no Kama (鯛のカマ)
- Red seabream collar
Tai Sushi (鯛寿司)
- Sea bream sushi
Takoyaki (たこ焼き)
- Octopus dumplings
Tako Karaage (蛸唐揚げ)
- Fried octopus
Tako Sushi (蛸寿司)
- Octopus sushi
Tako Wasabi (たこわさび)
- Octopus with wasabi
Tako Yaki (たこ焼き)
- Grilled octopus
Tamagoyaki (玉子焼き)
- Japanese omelette, often with fish
Tamago Sushi (玉子寿司)
- Sweet egg sushi
Tataki Omakase (タタキおまかせ)
- Chef's choice seared fish
Tobiko Gunkan Maki (飛び魚軍艦巻き)
- Flying fish roe sushi
Tobiko Sushi (とびこ寿司)
- Flying fish roe sushi
Tobiuo Sushi (飛魚寿司)
- Flying fish sushi
Torigai Sushi (とり貝寿司)
- Cockle shell sushi
Tsukune (つくね)
- Fish meatballs
U
Unagi Donburi (うなぎ丼)
- Grilled eel rice bowl
Unagi Kabayaki (鰻の蒲焼)
- Grilled eel kabayaki
Unagi Sushi (鰻寿司)
- Eel sushi
Unaju (うな重)
- Grilled eel on rice
Uni (うに)
- Sea urchin roe
Uni Don (雲丹丼)
- Sea urchin rice bowl
Uni Ikura Don (雲丹イクラ丼)
- Sea urchin and salmon roe bowl
Uni Sushi (雲丹寿司)
- Sea urchin sushi
Uzaku (鱶鮓)
- Horse mackerel sashimi
W
Wakame Miso Soup (わかめ味噌汁)
- Seaweed and miso soup
Y
Yakizakana (焼き魚)
- Grilled fish
Getting the Most out of Japanese Seafood Dishes
When exploring the world of Japanese seafood cuisine, there are some key tips to enhance the experience:
First, pay close attention to seasonality - certain fish and shellfish taste best at different times of year. Asking what's in season helps guarantee freshness.
Dip sashimi and sushi pieces directly into soy sauce rather than pouring sauce all over. This avoids soaking the rice and keeps flavors clean.
When eating steamed and simmered dishes, enjoy the broth as it brings everything together. Sip it alongside each bite.
Chopsticks are ideal for Japanese seafood to get the right sized bites with each piece. But don't be afraid to use your hands too.
Order an array of seafood types and preparations to enjoy the diversity. From raw to grilled to steamed, try it all.
Say 'itadakimasu' before starting your meal to show gratitude for the food, a tradition in Japan.
Savoring seafood the Japanese way helps one gain a deeper appreciation of the cuisine and culture.
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