What is Akami?
Akami (赤身, "red body") is the lean muscle of the Bluefin Tuna — the section furthest from the belly, where fat content is lowest and umami is most direct. On a properly Ikejime-processed fish that has been aged correctly, Akami develops an intensity of flavor that fatty cuts cannot match: clean, vivid, with a finish that lingers without heaviness.
The color is the first signal. Properly handled Akami should be a deep, almost translucent ruby-red. The color of Sashimi DC’s Akami reflects the actual condition of the fish — not CO treatment, not dye, not artificial preservation.
First time buying Bluefin? Akami is the clearest, most direct expression of the fish. If you find the intensity is what you want, Akami every time. If you want richness, Chutoro next — then Otoro.
How to eat it
Sliced 10–12mm against the grain, a small amount of tamari, real wasabi. Nothing else. The flavor needs no assistance. For Zuke — marinating briefly in soy and mirin — Akami is the traditional cut. See the recipes page for video guidance.
Where this fish comes from
Every piece of Bluefin Tuna at Sashimi DC comes from Hosei Suisan (宝生水産), a farm in the Kamishima Wakamatsu area of the Goto Islands, Nagasaki Prefecture — the westernmost islands of Kyushu, where the Pacific and East China Sea converge.
The Goto Islands maintain water temperatures that never fall below 13°C in winter and rarely exceed 29°C in summer — the stable, narrow range that Bluefin Tuna require for consistent growth and quality. Hosei Suisan operates in the Kamishima Wakamatsu area, one of the most environmentally favored zones for marine aquaculture within the islands.
Hosei Suisan uses wild-caught seed stock (天然種苗) rather than hatchery-bred fish. Feed is sourced fresh and locally, centered on fresh mackerel (生サバ) bought directly by their own trucks from local fishermen. Director Tsuneya Yamashita explains the choice: mackerel produces better fat marbling and color than sardines. As mackerel catches have declined and prices risen in recent years, they secured dedicated year-round supply agreements with their fishing partners to maintain the standard. Post-harvest handling — the initial processing and preparation after the fish is landed — is also a focus: Ikejime is performed in Nagasaki, at source.
Two-time award winner: At the Nagasaki Prefecture Farmed Bluefin Tuna competition on December 8, 2023 — showcasing the fish from Japan’s leading farmed Bluefin production prefecture — Hosei Suisan was awarded the top prize (最優秀) for the second time.
After Ikejime processing in Nagasaki, the fish is transported to a specialist Miyazaki processor where it is broken down into saku blocks, then flown Fukuoka → Haneda → IAD.