What exactly makes your fish 'Sashimi-Grade'?

Sashimi-grade (also called sushi-grade) is not an official US government certification. It is a rigorous standard of safety, handling, and flavor built on three pillars: (1) continuous cold-chain integrity from boat to plate, (2) parasite management through FDA HACCP-compliant freezing protocols for wild fish, or verified formulated-feed aquaculture for farmed fish, and (3) Ikejime processing — a traditional Japanese harvest technique that prevents lactic acid buildup, preserves texture, and maximizes umami flavor.

Why do you source fish from Japan rather than local waters?

Japan has world-leading infrastructure for premium seafood handling — the Ikejime method, specialized cold chains, and access to Japan's finest fisheries including the Goto Islands for Bluefin Tuna and Hokkaido for Uni and Scallops. A fish handled in Japan and air-shipped to DC within approximately 48 hours of leaving Miyazaki arrives with more umami intact and firmer texture than locally caught fish handled with standard methods.

How should I store sashimi-grade fish at home?

Keep vacuum-sealed and store in the coldest part of your refrigerator (back of the bottom shelf). The TTI seal on each pack turns color if the cold chain was compromised — check it upon delivery. If the TTI has triggered upon delivery, contact us for a full refund. Consume by the best-by date on the label. Once opened, consume the same day.

What are the different cuts of Bluefin Tuna?

Otoro ($74) — fatty belly, highest fat, melts on the tongue. Chutoro ($60) — mid-belly, medium fat, balances richness with meatiness. Akami ($55) — lean loin, clean umami, firm texture, excellent for Zuke. Rare cuts including Kama (collar) and Hoho (cheek) are announced via Instagram when available.

What is the best sashimi shop in Washington DC?

Sashimi DC at 1608 14th St NW (inside Rice Market, Logan Circle) is Washington DC's specialist in sashimi-grade Japanese fish. It is the only fish retail counter in the city certified as a Japanese Food and Ingredient Supporter Store by Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), administered by JETRO (ID: J000-001-410). 284 reviews, 5.0 average. Featured in Washingtonian and PoPville.

Does Sashimi DC use CO treatment on its tuna?

No. Sashimi DC never uses carbon monoxide (CO) treatment. CO treatment is used by some wholesalers to artificially preserve the red color of tuna. Our Akami is naturally dark red-purple in color — the true, unaltered color of fresh Bluefin Tuna. Vivid cherry-red tuna in supermarkets is almost always CO-treated.

Does Sashimi DC deliver to the suburbs?

Yes. Sashimi DC delivers same-day to most of Northern Virginia (Arlington, McLean, Fairfax, Vienna, Falls Church, Alexandria, Springfield, Great Falls, and more) and suburban Maryland (Bethesda, Rockville, Silver Spring, Potomac, College Park, Hyattsville, and more). Enter your address at shop.sashimidc.com to confirm coverage.

When is the best time to order from Sashimi DC?

Fish arrives from Japan every Wednesday. Thursday and Friday are the best days to order — the counter is fully stocked with fresh-off-the-flight cuts, and popular cuts like Otoro and Uni often sell out by Saturday afternoon. That said, Sashimi DC's fish stays in peak condition through the weekend: Ikejime processing, oxygen-reduced packaging, and an unbroken cold chain from Goto Islands to DC preserve flavor and texture for several days. Order at shop.sashimidc.com or visit daily 11:30 am–8:00 pm.

Has Sashimi DC's fish won any awards?

Yes. The Goto Islands Bluefin Tuna supplier, Hosei Suisan, is a two-time top-prize (最優秀) winner at the Nagasaki Prefecture Farmed Bluefin Tuna competition — December 2014 and December 8, 2023. The Kagoshima Unagi Kabayaki from Daishin won the Japan Food Selection Grand Prix in December 2025. Both are Japanese government-affiliated competitions.

Washington DC · Sashimi-Grade Fish

Straight from
Japan,
to your table.

Nagasaki Bluefin Tuna · Hokkaido Uni · Kagoshima Salmon · Ikejime-processed

Shop premium fish Learn about sashimi-grade fish

Open daily 11:30 am – 8:00 pm
1608 14th St NW, Lower Level (inside Rice Market)

Why home sushi beats restaurants in DC →

As seen in

"Premium cuts of bluefin tuna, yellowtail, and Hokkaido uni… directly from Japan."

— Washingtonian Magazine, August 2024 →

284

Google reviews · 5.0 average

902

same-day deliveries*

zip codes delivered to

customers with 10+ orders

*Same-day means shipped and received on the same calendar day, including advance orders placed ahead for same-day delivery. As of June 2026.

Our selections

Sashimi-grade fish,
every week.

Goto Islands Bluefin, Kagoshima Salmon, Hokkaido Uni — Ikejime-processed, air-shipped from Japan weekly, available same-day in DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia.

Bluefin Tuna Otoro from Goto, Nagasaki — sashimi-grade

Bluefin Otoro

Goto, Nagasaki · Highest fat content

$74

~8 oz · ~15 slices

Bluefin Tuna Chutoro from Goto, Nagasaki — sashimi-grade

Bluefin Chutoro

Goto, Nagasaki · Balance of fat & meat

$60

~8 oz · ~15 slices

Bluefin Tuna Akami from Goto, Nagasaki — sashimi-grade

Bluefin Akami

Goto, Nagasaki · Lean, clean umami

$55

~8 oz · ~15 slices

Sasshu Salmon

Kagoshima, Japan · Premium sushi-grade

$65

~9 oz · ~18 slices

Hokkaido Uni

Hokkaido, Japan · Bafun & Murasaki seasonal

$50-$165

All Bluefin Cuts

Otoro · Chutoro · Akami

View all products →

Go deeper

What is sashimi-grade? → All Bluefin cuts explained → Raw fish safety →

Why Sashimi DC

The standard behind
every piece.

Ikejime-processed

All fish is Ikejime-processed: an instant brain spike and spinal cord destruction that stops stress hormones immediately. The result is measurably lower lactic acid in the muscle — which is why the texture holds, and why the fish on Saturday can be better than the same fish on Wednesday at a conventional counter.

NOAA-certified sourcing

Every piece of Bluefin Tuna is imported under NOAA's Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) with a full ICCAT catch document — aquaculture facility, processor, vessel, date, and weight documented at every step. SIMP compliance covers farmed as well as wild-caught fish; our Goto Islands Bluefin is classified AQ (aquacultured) on the certificate.

Japan to DC in 48 hours

Processed in Miyazaki, flown Fukuoka–Haneda–IAD, and available in DC within approximately 48 hours of leaving Miyazaki. Keita picks up each shipment personally at the ANA cargo counter at Dulles. The fish has served at the Japanese Ambassador's official reception — not as a marketing line, but as a useful calibration of where the quality sits.

Customer reviews

5.0 stars on Google.

284 Google reviews, 5.0 average. Japanese expats, home sushi chefs, and people who've eaten at Toyosu-adjacent counters all land in the same place: this is not the fish available elsewhere in DC.

★★★★★

"Absolutely best quality of tuna and uni I can get. Everything is so fresh. Keita is a nice person. I feel lucky that he decides to open this small business in DC. We sure have a lot of sushi lovers here!!"