shishamo (a small saltwater fish, often grilled in Japanese cuisine; commonly capelin is served as a substitute)

Shishamo, a fish you often see at supermarkets. Although it’s native to Japan, its numbers are declining domestically, and most of the ones on store shelves are said to be imported. There’s an Ainu legend behind why shishamo is written with these characters. According to the legend, shishamo was made from willow leaves.

Sappa

Sappa is a fish in the herring family and can also be written with the kanji “鯯.” It is also known by the alternate name mamakari and is famous for being used in Okayama Prefecture’s local cuisine. Sappa looks similar to a fish called konoshiro, but they can apparently be distinguished by looking at the dorsal fin.

sand lance

It’s said that the kanji “玉筋魚” are used because the fish swim in schools and their appearance looks like lines or tendons. “玉” refers to the school. There are also the kanji forms “鮊子,” “如何児,” and “䱊.” This fish is also known for the regional dish called kugini (sweet-simmered preparation).

banded blue sprat

When it comes to fish essential to Kagoshima’s local cuisine, kibinago tops the list. Its body’s patterns are likened to a sash (obi), and the name is said to combine “kibi,” a Satsuma dialect word for sash, with “nago,” meaning a small fish. It can also be written with the kanji characters 「黍女子」「吉備女子」「𩸕」.

dace

The ugui is a member of the carp family (Cyprinidae). There are various theories about the origin of the name “ugui,” such as that its slender body resembles a sacred, cleansing stake, or that it is a fish frequently eaten by cormorants. It is also known for developing reddish lines on its body during the breeding season.

scorpionfish

Scorpionfish are very tasty when you eat them. But as everyone knows, they aren’t exactly beautiful to look at. The kanji “虎魚” (literally “tiger fish”) seems to be an ateji, while the name okoze itself comes from “oko,” meaning ugly, and “ze,” meaning fish—so the name literally means “an ugly fish.” It’s a bit pitiful, isn’t it?

pufferfish

The pufferfish, known as a poisonous fish and one that inflates. I hear it puffs up as a threat display, but it ends up looking kind of cute, doesn’t it? The kanji “河豚” literally means “river pig.” It’s said to have been named that because its swollen appearance resembled a pig.

ocean sunfish

The ocean sunfish you often see at aquariums. It has a distinctive, unique appearance, but in fact it’s a very sensitive fish. It’s also sometimes written as “曼波魚.” The word “翻車” refers to a waterwheel, and it can also mean an overturned wheel. It might indeed resemble the shape of a sunfish.

monkfish

In fact, anglerfish aren’t good at swimming. I’ve heard the kanji are ateji (phonetic characters). The fish radical was added to the characters for “peace” and “health,” inspired by the sound of ankō. There are various theories about the origin of the name, but it’s commonly said to come from angō, a dialect word for toad, which resembles it in appearance.

gurnard

The gurnard, known for its distinctive appearance with large pectoral fins and also regarded as a high-end fish. The origin of its kanji is unclear, but as for the name “hōbō,” there’s a theory that it comes from the sound of its call produced using its swim bladder. Another way to write it in kanji is 「魴鮄」.