Yakizakana

01 / ABOUT THE DISH

About the dish

Yakizakana is a term denoting all Japanese-style grilled fish dishes, and the fish is always served whole. This simple dish is served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner in Japan, and the fish can be left as it is, salted, or marinated, usually in soy sauce or miso. If properly grilled, the flesh must remain firm, yet moist, while the skin should be crispy. The most popular fish that's used for yakizakana include horse mackerel, salmon, cod, and needlefish. Yakizakana is served as a main dish with a bowl of rice and a bowl of miso soup on the side, and in kaiseki ryori, a traditional Japanese meal that's served in courses, yakizakana is served as the sixth dish.