Fish of the Week: Farmed Kawahagi and Kimo-Joyu
We received a small amount of farmed Kawahagi (thread-sail filefish) this week. I have not checked the size of the liver yet. Either way, Kimo-Joyu (soy sauce mixed with the liver) is great, not only for Kawahagi sashimi itself but for other fish too. It is high in umami and works as a creamy dipping sauce.
Shipment Delayed One Day by Sports Day
Monday, October 12 was a national holiday in Japan, Sports Day (スポーツの日), so this week’s shipment was delayed by one day and arrived today, Thursday, October 15.
Market: High Tides, a Possible Typhoon No. 30, No Uni or Scallops
The tide is still high in the aftermath of the typhoons. A tropical cyclone near the Marshall Islands is expected to develop into Typhoon No. 30. If it does, 2026 will be the first calendar year with 30 typhoons in the past 13 years.
Because of these market conditions, we do not carry Hokkaido Uni or Hokkaido Scallops this week.
This Week’s Lineup
We received Bluefin Tuna and Sasshu Salmon, plus the small lot of Kawahagi described above.
Coming Soon: Sawara
Our supplier is working to ship Sawara (Japanese Spanish mackerel) as skin-on, boneless portions, frozen to meet the FDA guideline. Sawara gets fattier toward winter (see our guide to Japanese fish seasonality). Torched Sawara sashimi is my favorite, and I look forward to it later this month. The arrival date is not confirmed yet.
This Weekend: Fish Cooking and Wine Pairing Class
We offer our fish cooking and wine pairing class this weekend, on Saturday, October 17 and Sunday, October 18, 2:00–3:30 pm. We will cook Saba and Sasshu Salmon, paired with wines from Novella Wines: a Petit Manseng and a Rosé. The price is $70 for two dishes and two glasses of wine. See our wine and fish pairing guide for the science behind the pairings.