What is hoya in sushi?ホヤ
This time, I looked into the various names and seasons for sushi hoya.
How to call hoya
【hoya】sea squirt ホヤ
Sea squirts are not considered shellfish, but a type of invertebrate. There are several types of sea squirt, and the species used in sushi and other dishes are called Maboya'' andAkahoya.” Maboya is also called “Totsui” in some regions of Japan. By the way, sea squirts have the common name “pineapple of the sea” because of their swollen appearance.
The peak season for hoya
The season for sea squirts is from May to August. During this period, as the water temperature rises, the sea squirt’s shell becomes harder and smaller, but it also becomes thicker and contains more glycogen. It is said that sea squirts when they are in season have a unique sweetness and umami flavor that makes them more delicious than those eaten at other times of the year.
The main producing areas and the top four production volumes of sea squirt are as follows.
Miyagi Prefecture: 12,326 tons
Hokkaido: 5,287 tons
Iwate Prefecture: 1,486 tons
Aomori prefecture: 540 tons
Miyagi Prefecture in particular is the birthplace of sea squirt farming, and boasts the highest production and consumption of sea squirts in the nation. However, depending on various conditions, there are some years when Hokkaido ranks first.
There are two types of sea squirts that are distributed as food: true sea squirts and red sea squirts, and true sea squirts are mainly farmed in Sanriku. On the other hand, red sea squirts are mainly caught in Hokkaido and are mainly natural products. True sea squirts are popular for their unique texture and flavor, and red sea squirts are less addictive and easier to eat than true sea squirts.
