Sashimi DC为您呈现完整的风味光谱。">The Bluefin Tuna belly is not a single cut — it is a continuous gradation. From the outermost edge of the belly flap through to the border with Chutoro, fat content, texture, and flavor character shift progressively. What most counters label as a single "Otoro" product is one point on a spectrum. At Sashimi DC, we make that spectrum available.
Harakami (腹上) is the name of the belly block located adjacent to the collar and head — the forward section of the ventral belly. From a Harakami block, you might expect roughly 15% Akami, 15% Chutoro, and 70% Otoro by weight. Within that Otoro portion, the outermost belly edge is Jabara — with its distinctive fat architecture and pronounced sinews — and as you move inward toward the Chutoro border, the texture becomes progressively finer and more evenly marbled. We call this inner section marbling Otoro. There is no universal industry name for it; it is the quiet middle of the spectrum, and it is often the most nuanced of the three.
Understanding this gradation is what separates a knowledgeable fish buyer from someone simply paying an Otoro premium without knowing which part they are eating. If you have a preference — Jabara's fat architecture versus the finer marbling cuts — tell us at pickup.
Kamatoro
Coming soon · Not yet available
カマトロ
Kamatoro
Collar Otoro · Highest fat content on the fish
Cut from the Kama — the collar section immediately behind the head — Kamatoro is the fattiest meat on the entire Bluefin. Its fat content exceeds even the richest belly Otoro, and its texture is unlike any other cut: silky, almost spreadable, with a depth of umami that is felt as much as tasted.
Because there is only one collar per side of each fish, the quantity of Kamatoro from a single Bluefin is severely limited. Sashimi DC carries the full collars from each Nagasaki Bluefin. Currently the collar is sold as Kama for grilling (see the Kama page). We are working toward offering Kamatoro as a separate raw sashimi cut — cut directly from the collar by the Miyazaki processor. Not yet available, but coming.
Jabara
Weekly · Very limited
じゃばら
Jabara
Accordion Belly Flap · Outer ventral Otoro
Jabara — "accordion" or "bellows" in Japanese — is the outermost edge of the Harakami belly, where the fat layers undulate in visible folds perpendicular to the muscle fiber. It is the most structurally distinctive part of the Otoro zone: the accordion fat architecture is unmistakable on the cut face, and the sinews running through are more pronounced here than in the inner belly.
This is not a flaw — it is the character of the cut. Jabara is intensely fatty and slightly fibrous, with the sinew providing structure that the pure-fat inner Otoro does not have. Moving inward from Jabara, the sinews fade and the texture becomes progressively finer and more marbled — the transition toward what we call marbling Otoro and, beyond that, Chutoro.
How to slice Jabara: Slice cold — from refrigerator temperature. As Otoro warms toward room temperature, the fat softens and becomes harder to cut cleanly. A thick cut (8–10mm) preserves the accordion structure. Eat immediately after slicing — let it come up to room temperature for 2–3 minutes on the plate before consuming.
Torching: One of the best preparations for Jabara and other Otoro cuts. A brief pass with a kitchen torch over the cut surface caramelizes the fat — the aroma is extraordinary, and the texture of the just-seared edge contrasts with the raw interior. Try it.
Marbling Otoro
Weekly
霜降り
Marbling Otoro
Inner Harakami · Otoro–Chutoro Gradation
Moving inward from the Jabara edge of the Harakami belly block, the sinews fade and the fat distribution becomes progressively finer — evenly dispersed through the muscle in the intricate marbling pattern visible on the cut face. This is the section between Jabara and Chutoro, with no single established name in the industry. We call it marbling Otoro.
It is the most texturally refined part of the Otoro zone: the fat is present throughout but lacks Jabara's bold structure, yielding a melt that is smooth and uninterrupted. The lean muscle running through contributes umami that pure Jabara cannot — a balance that many find more complex than either extreme.
If you have a preference — Jabara's pronounced fat architecture versus the finer marbling of the inner belly — let us know at pickup and we will cut to your preference from the Harakami block.
Preparation note
Aburi — torching the surface
A brief pass of a kitchen torch over Otoro caramelizes the fat on the surface — the aroma is extraordinary and unlike anything you can produce from cooking alone. The exterior sears while the interior remains raw.
Works on any Otoro cut. Particularly striking on marbling Otoro and Kamatoro, where the fat content makes the caramelization most intense. Try it with a small amount of salt and a drop of Ponzu.