Fish
Katsuwonus pelamis ・ Scombridae (Mackerels, Tunas, and Bonitos)
Two different fish in one: the early-summer run heading north on the warm current, and the autumn fish coming back south. The first is lean and fragrant, the second heavy with fat. The party boats run mainly from summer to late autumn.
A spindle-shaped fish whose fins, apart from the tail, are all small; the back is deep indigo and the belly silvery white. After death several dark stripes run lengthwise along the belly, while a living, excited fish instead shows dark bars across the body. It migrates along the Kuroshio current, and the early-summer hatsu-gatsuo and autumn modori-gatsuo differ in fattiness. It is the raw material for katsuobushi.
Fished mainly from party boats in waters such as Sagami Bay, where chumming with krill is combined with casting jigs and plugs. The season runs from summer to late autumn.
Cast ahead of where the working birds and the boiling bait are heading. Either retrieve fast at the surface or drop the jig and wind it up hard from the bottom. Bleed each fish and ice it the moment it is aboard: skip that and it becomes a cause of histamine poisoning, which cooking does not prevent.
Waters: Southern Pacific coast, East China Sea & western Kyushu, Okinawa & Nansei Islands
Shore jigging kit ・ Kit total ¥40,000–100,000
You will often be on rocks or the tip of a breakwater at dawn, where safety gear matters more than results. Do not go alone.
Product links may be affiliate links. Prices move, so treat the ranges as a guide.
This fish is dangerous to handle bare-handed.
Histamine
The dark red muscle is high in histidine, which turns to histamine as freshness drops. Thirty minutes to an hour after eating, the face and ears flush and hives and headache follow. Histamine survives cooking, so searing it as tataki is no protection. Bleed and ice the fish immediately and never let it stand at ambient temperature. If your ice will not stretch to the catch, keep fewer fish.
Killing and carrying your catch — the taste is decided at the pier, not the kitchen
Parasite
Anisakis larvae occur in this species and raw consumption is a known cause of severe abdominal pain; in 2018 cases traced to bonito taken near the Izu Islands rose sharply across Japan. Gut and chill the fish at once, inspect the flesh closely if you intend to eat it raw, and check the freezing and heating conditions published by Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.
Killing and carrying your catch — the taste is decided at the pier, not the kitchen
Seared as tataki, raw as sashimi, or simmered. Char the skin over a fierce flame and chill it straight away to bring out the aroma. The bloodline turns quickly, so eat it the same day.
Best eating: May, June, September–November
On a party boat, follow the skipper's instructions on depth and on when to drop and retrieve. Check the prefectural fishery regulation as well.
Closed seasons and size limits — how to find the numbers, which differ by prefecture
This article organises general information and is not legal advice. Rules differ by municipality and by fishery cooperative, and they change. Always check the current rules for where you are going.
Seasons, sizes and eating quality are general guides. Rules change, so check the latest prefectural, fishery-cooperative and site rules before fishing. This app provides general information, not legal advice.