What is namazu in sushi?鯰
This time, I looked into the various names and seasons for sushi namazu.
How to call namazu
【namazu】catfish ナマズ 鯰
Catfish is a type of freshwater fish that lives not only in Japan but also in China, Taiwan, and East Asia. It is popularly called “Hekoki” around Lake Biwa in Japan. It is also sometimes called “Japanese catfish” to avoid confusion with channel catfish (American catfish). It is commonly known as “manamazu,” and there are about four species of catfish that live in Japan. Other names include chinkoro,”namada,” and “namanzu,” which vary depending on the region of Japan.
The peak season for namazu
Catfish season is mainly during the warm season from spring to summer. It is said that catfish in the fall after spawning have lost their flavor and cannot be caught in the winter because they are hibernating. Additionally, you can catch catfish from mid-March to late November, with the best season being from May to August.
Catfish live in East Asia, including Japan and China. In Japan, they hide in the shadows of a wide range of water sources, including rivers, rice field canals, ponds, and lakes from southern Hokkaido to Kyushu.
