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“Lost” Winter Bonito: A New Delicacy of Japanese Cuisine

  • Left: A bonito pole-and-line fishing vessel docked at Meitsu Port in Nichinan, Miyazaki Prefecture. Right: Fishermen unload their bonito catch. (© Jiji Press)

    Left: A bonito pole-and-line fishing vessel docked at Meitsu Port in Nichinan, Miyazaki Prefecture. Right: Fishermen unload their bonito catch. (© Jiji Press)

  • Clockwise from top: dried bonito fillets, delicate hanagatsuo flakes, and thick bonito flakes. (© Pixta)

    Clockwise from top: dried bonito fillets, delicate hanagatsuo flakes, and thick bonito flakes. (© Pixta)

  • Seared bonito from Kōchi used to be a rare delicacy only enjoyed by a few, but today can be purchased at supermarkets throughout Japan. (© Jiji Press)

    Seared bonito from Kōchi used to be a rare delicacy only enjoyed by a few, but today can be purchased at supermarkets throughout Japan. (© Jiji Press)

  • High-grade winter bonito from the Sea of Japan at the Toyosu Market. December 2019. (Photo by the author)

    High-grade winter bonito from the Sea of Japan at the Toyosu Market. December 2019. (Photo by the author)

  • Sushi Ryūjirō’s Nakamura has high praise for winter bonito sashimi. (Photo by the author)

    Sushi Ryūjirō’s Nakamura has high praise for winter bonito sashimi. (Photo by the author)

  • Six slices of freshly prepared winter bonito sold at the Nezu Matsumoto fish shop for around ¥3,000 in December 2019. (Photo by the author)

    Six slices of freshly prepared winter bonito sold at the Nezu Matsumoto fish shop for around ¥3,000 in December 2019. (Photo by the author)

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