Can I buy Zuniku (rarest Bluefin Tuna cut) in Washington DC?
Yes — Sashimi DC carries Zuniku from Goto Islands, Nagasaki — forehead meat, only two per fish, dense and fat-rich, and rarely seen outside Japan. Ikejime-processed, never frozen, flown direct from Japan. Available in-store at 1608 14th St NW, DC (inside Rice Market) and same-day delivery across DC, Virginia, and Maryland.
What is Zuniku?
Zuniku (頭肉, "head meat") is taken from the frontal section of the Bluefin’s head. The yield per fish is extremely small, which is why Zuniku is rarely found even at premium Japanese fish markets.
The texture is unlike any other cut: dense and muscular, with a high fat content that is uniformly distributed — less marbled than Otoro, but consistently silky from edge to edge.
Availability: One of the most limited cuts on the fish. Available at market price when the weekly Bluefin allows — check the shop or ask in-store.
Why Zuniku is the rarest cut
Each Bluefin yields just two portions of Zuniku, taken from the frontal section of the head — a very small amount of meat from a whole fish. That is why it rarely appears even at premium fish markets in Japan, and why Sashimi DC offers it only when the weekly Bluefin allows. Follow @keita_sashimi_dc on Instagram or check the shop for availability.
How to eat it
Raw, sliced 8–10mm, with tamari. The texture is the experience — nothing more needed. A gentle sear (tataki) — 10 seconds per side over very high heat — is also exceptional: the exterior caramelizes while the interior remains raw. Do not overcook; Zuniku has no tolerance for more than a few seconds of heat. If you prefer a milder, cleaner-tasting fish, try our sashimi-grade salmon — Sasshu Salmon, raised in land-based tanks in Kagoshima and never frozen.
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: Hosei Suisan won the top prize (最優秀) at the Nagasaki Prefecture Farmed Bluefin Tuna competition twice — once in December 2014, and again on December 8, 2023 — showcasing the fish from Japan’s leading farmed Bluefin production prefecture.
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.
Sashimi DC is a MAFF-certified Japanese Food and Ingredient Supporter Store (ID J000-001-410) — the only certified fish retail counter in Washington DC. See the embassy’s list of certified businesses.