Bluefin Tuna
Washington DC

Ikejime (活け締め) is a Japanese slaughter technique: the fish is instantly dispatched via a brain spike, then exsanguinated (bled out), then the spinal cord is destroyed (shinkei jime). This stops stress hormones and lactic acid buildup immediately, preserves umami and firm texture significantly longer than conventional slaughter, and produces cleaner, more complex flavor. Without ikejime, passive suffocation stresses the fish — stress has a smell, and that smell stinks. Learn more at the Ikejime Federation.

No. Sashimi DC never uses CO treatment. CO reacts with myoglobin to form a permanently bright cherry-red or pink color — making tuna look fresh for weeks regardless of actual condition. CO treatment is banned in Japan, the EU, and Canada; permitted in the US. The same practice is used on beef, pork, and poultry via Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP). Our Akami is naturally dark red-purple — the true, unaltered color of fresh Bluefin Tuna. Vivid cherry-red tuna is a warning sign, not a quality signal.

Yes. In the US, beef, pork, and poultry are widely packaged using Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP), which includes up to 0.4% carbon monoxide. CO binds to myoglobin and locks in a bright red color for 20–30 days, regardless of actual freshness. The EU, Canada, and Japan have banned this practice. The FDA permits it and does not require front-of-pack labeling.

Conventional fish slaughter means suffocation — the fish is removed from water and left to die. Stress hormones degrade flesh quality and cause lactic acid buildup. Ikejime is an instant brain spike followed by exsanguination and spinal cord destruction (shinkei jime). It eliminates stress entirely, stops ATP consumption in the muscle, and produces superior texture, cleaner flavor, and longer shelf quality. All Bluefin Tuna at Sashimi DC is ikejime-processed at the source in Nagasaki.

Never frozen at any stage. Our Bluefin Tuna is processed Ikejime at the farm, super-chilled during air shipment, and arrives at our shop within approximately 48 hours of processing. We do not freeze it — slow domestic freezing creates ice crystals that rupture the cell walls and destroy the texture that makes sashimi-grade Bluefin worth eating.

Fish arrives from Japan on Wednesdays. Thursday and Friday are the best days to order — stock is at peak freshness and selection is widest. Popular cuts like Otoro can sell out by Saturday afternoon. Follow @keita_sashimi_dc on Instagram for weekly arrival announcements.

Bluefin Tuna (本鮪, Hon-Maguro) is the most prized tuna species in Japanese cuisine. Sashimi DC sources Nagasaki Bluefin from the Goto Islands — farm-raised from wild-caught seed stock (天然種苗), Ikejime-processed, and imported directly to Washington DC. It is the species used in high-end omakase and at Tokyo's Toyosu Market auctions. Never CO-treated. Never frozen.

All three come from different sections of the same fish. Otoro (大トロ) is the fatty lower belly — the richest, most marbled cut, with a buttery texture that melts at body temperature ($74 / 7–9 oz). Chutoro (中トロ) is the mid-belly — medium fat, balancing richness with clean tuna flavor ($60 / 7–9 oz). Akami (赤身) is the lean red loin — deepest umami, firm texture, and the cut sushi chefs use to judge a fish's true quality ($55 / 7–9 oz).

Beyond the standard three, we offer rare cuts when available: Hohoniku (頬肉 — cheek meat, only two small medallions per fish), Kama (鎌 — collar, exceptionally fatty), Nakaochi (中落ち — meat scraped from the backbone), and Zuniku (頭肉 — head meat). These cuts are listed on the shop when in stock and sell out quickly.

Yes. All Bluefin Tuna at Sashimi DC is imported under NOAA's Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) with full catch certificates — 100% traceable from vessel to our shop. SIMP requires documentation at every step: vessel name, fishing area, gear type, catch date. Every piece we carry meets these requirements.

As a main course: 150–200g per person. As part of a multi-fish spread: 80–100g per variety per person. For a tasting across multiple cuts (Otoro + Chutoro + Akami), one standard portion covers two people comfortably. When in doubt, order more — Bluefin holds well vacuum-sealed in the fridge for 1–2 days.

Keep vacuum-sealed and store in the coldest part of your refrigerator (back of the bottom shelf, 1–2°C). The TTI seal on each pack turns color if the cold chain is broken — a green TTI means the fish is within safe temperature range. Consume within 1–2 days of receipt. Do not freeze — it irreversibly damages the texture of never-frozen Ikejime fish.

Fish arrives at Dulles Airport on Wednesdays and is available for pickup or delivery daily while supplies last. Thursday and Friday are the best days to order — stock is at peak freshness right after Wednesday arrival. Popular cuts (especially Otoro) can sell out by Saturday afternoon. Order online at shop.sashimidc.com to reserve your portion.

Regular cuts: Akami (lean loin) $55 / 7–9 oz, Chutoro (mid-belly) $60 / 7–9 oz, Otoro (fatty belly) $74 / 7–9 oz. Rare cuts (Kama, Hohoniku, Nakaochi, Zuniku) are priced separately and listed on the shop when available. Prices reflect direct import costs — no wholesale middleman.

Yes. Order online at shop.sashimidc.com for same-day delivery across Washington DC and parts of Maryland and Northern Virginia. Delivery runs 1:00 pm – 8:00 pm daily, $30 minimum. Pickup is also available daily at Rice Market, 1608 14th St NW, Lower Level.

Ikejime-processed Bluefin Tuna keeps well vacuum-sealed at 1–2°C — the best-by date is set 15 days from processing at Miyazaki, accounting for transit time. Once at home, consume within 1–2 days of receipt for peak quality. The TTI seal indicates if the cold chain was maintained during delivery.