A longstanding staple of Japanese cuisine, sushi represents the connection between the nation’s people and the sea, and it is often considered one of the symbols of Japan’s identity. Sushi’s preparation is considered an art form: the skillful, meticulous process of slicing the fish, arranging it on top of rice, and presenting the dish with the appropriate sides or accents can only be done by highly trained, expert chefs!
It will probably come as no surprise that there is a wider, and more diverse selection of sushi options when dining in Japan than you might find overseas. While the classic selections will always be available, there are some delicious, specialty sushi items that depend on seasonal availability!
Want something other than just salmon or maguro sushi? If you’re a seasoned sushi connoisseur looking to up your game, here’s 10 kinds of next-level sushi to try during the next of your Japan food tours!
Also Read: Love Sushi? Here’s 10 Types of Sushi To Have on Your Next Japan Trip!
1. Hotate (Hotate-gai) – Scallop
Hotate sushi are large, raw scallops that are split down the middle (“butterflied”) and served over rice as a type of nigiri sushi. Scallops are available in Japan year-round, but they are usually best in winter, since the tastiest scallops are caught in the cold waters around Hokkaido, Aomori, and Miyagi Prefectures, far to the north. Hotate sushi boasts a sweet flavor and a soft, creamy texture, and sometimes you will find them served broiled with a blowtorch! Paired with shoyu (soy sauce) and grated wasabi, the salt from the shoyu complements the sweetness of the scallop, making this a must-try on your next visit!
2. Hokkigai – Surf Clams
Hokkigai sushi (Arctic surf clam) has a firm texture with a slightly briny flavor that gradually becomes sweeter as you chew it. The clams are often blanched in boiling water to enhance their natural sweetness, and to make the meat more tender. This sushi has a visually striking, rose-and-white-colored appearance, and, like the scallops above, these clams are also caught in the cold, northern waters of Japan, near Hokkaido. You can catch this sushi from the late fall until early spring, when its flavor is at its peak!
3. Tsubugai – Whelk
Tsubugai sushi (Japanese whelk) is known for its combination of crunchy and smooth textures, and its flavor is sweet, with a slightly savory aftertaste. Rich in umami, it pairs well with shoyu and wasabi, and some restaurants even lightly sear a part of the whelk to add more dimensions to its flavor profile! Tsubugai season is from spring to summer, and you can find this sushi featured in omakase dining experiences (where the courses in the guests’ meals are hand-picked by the chef) throughout Japan!
4. Uni – Sea Urchin
Uni is the roe of the sea urchin, and it has a creamy, buttery, and light, briny flavor. Fresh uni tastes sweet, and the fresher it is, the sweeter it will be! Uni can be very expensive because it is difficult to catch, and due to its fragile nature, chefs also have to carefully scoop it out from its shell and handle it with lots of care. If you missed out on this one during your last trip to the Land of the Rising Sun, make sure one of your next Japan food tours takes you by a sushi place sometime in the winter (December to February), when the uni is at its richest, and at their peak sizes.
5. Hotaru-ika – Firefly Squid
Hotaru-ika (firefly squid) can only be found in Toyama Bay, where they are fished from the deep, cold waters of the Sea of Japan. As deep-sea dwellers, they emit a pale, blue light in the dark ocean, which is how they came to be known as firefly squid. They only ascend to shallow waters to breed, and they can only be caught during a short window from February to May – making it a rare, seasonal item in sushi restaurants throughout the country! Hotaru-ika has a soft texture, a bold flavor, and is uniquely sweet. You can often find it served as nigiri sushi or as gunkan-maki (warship style).
6. Shiro-Ebi – Glass shrimp
Shiro-ebi (glass shrimp) can also only be found in the deep, cold waters of Toyama Bay, in the Sea of Japan. Because of their characteristically transparent bodies, the shiro-ebi are known as “the jewel of Toyama!” They are best enjoyed from April to November, and the fresher they are, the more translucent and glassier they appear. As they are so small, they are commonly served gunkan-maki style, with several shrimp atop each piece of sushi! With a delicate mouthfeel, shiro-ebi has a slight briny quality that’s reminiscent of the ocean, as well as a subtly sweet finish that pairs excellently with shoyu and wasabi—not to mention a chilled glass of sake (Japanese rice wine). This delicacy is definitely worth a search ahead of the next of your planned Japan food tours!
7. Botan-Ebi – Botan Shrimp
Botan-ebi is found in the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean, from Miyagi Prefecture (close to Sendai) all the way up to the waters around southern Hokkaido. This shrimp is considered a rare and expensive seafood that is best enjoyed as sushi or sashimi. The botan-ebi has a firm initial texture, but is sweet, and simply melts in your mouth! It is sometimes served with its head intact so diners can enjoy a small crunch alongside the shrimp’s roe, which is uniquely blue-green in color. The roe has a buttery consistency with a sweet finish; paired with shoyu and wasabi, this is definitely a rare sushi item that is not to be missed!
8. Shirako – Cod Milt
Shirako is the milt (or sperm sacs) taken from cod and is a seasonal item that only available in the winter months, from December to February. It has a milky, creamy, and velvety texture that is often compared to oysters, or burrata cheese. It has a mild, slightly sweet and briny taste, and is often served on its own in ponzu (a citrusy, vinegary, soy-based sauce), garnished with chopped chives and grated ginger. Sometimes, though, you may find shirako served as gunkan-maki style sushi, and at some restaurants, they broil it briefly with a blowtorch, adding more depths to its flavor!
9. Kani Miso – Crab Paste
Kani miso is creamy, sweet, and rich in umami flavors. Made with crab innards and miso, kani miso is not raw – the crab innards are first boiled in sake, then ground into a paste and flavored with miso. As sushi, it is often served gunkan-maki style with a slice of fresh cucumber! The fresh crispness of the cucumber adds some contrast to the creamy, salty, and sweet body of the kani miso, making it a delight for the senses. You can also find kani miso in izakaya restaurants, where it is sometimes barbecued in the top shell of the crab and served piping hot! This is also a seasonal delicacy that is only available during the winter months, when crabs are in season in Japan.
10. Ankimo – Monkfish Liver
Known as the foie gras of the sea, ankimo is a delicacy made from the liver of a monkfish. Ankimo is usually served cooked – it is first seasoned with salt and sake, steamed, and then served with grated ginger, chopped scallions, and ponzu sauce. Soft and light, ankimo has a rich, creamy, and velvety texture that melts in your mouth. It can be found as gunkan-maki or as nigiri sushi at most restaurants, but you can also find it at izakaya restaurants served on its own, without the rice! Like most seafood in Japan, ankimo is in season during the winter months.
Tasting the local cuisine is one of the ways to fully immerse yourself in the local culture’s delights when travelling abroad. The options and variety of sushi in Japan are boundless, and we have just barely scratched the surface with this list! If you are open to trying various kinds of sushi while on your next trip to Japan, one of the ways is to tell the restaurant that you would like to have an omakase dining experience. The chef will then curate a course of the best sushi they offer for you to try, based on the specialties of the season, and what they personally think is best!
If you’re in Tokyo, the experienced local tour guides at Best Experience Japan will be more than happy to show you around and take you on a Japan food tour for the best gastronomical experience that Tokyo has to offer!