Konoshiro (English spelling) dotted gizzard shad

Japanese: コノシロ - このしろ（英語表記）dotted gizzard shad

A marine fish of the Clupeidae family of the Osteichthyes class. It is found along the coasts of Honshu from the Chubu region southward, where it lives in areas with lush seaweed. It reaches a total length of 28 centimeters, with a significantly laterally compressed body and a ridge along the ventral edge. The back of the body is blue and the abdomen is silvery white. The last soft ray of the dorsal fin is thread-like. There is a clear black spot on the shoulder. It is a fish that lives in inland bays, feeding on small plankton and laying pelagic eggs in inland bays from April to June. It is caught with gill nets and purse seine nets. Its name changes as it grows; in the Tokyo area, juvenile fish are called jako or shinko, and those around 10 centimeters long are called kohada (tsunashi in parts of western Japan).

[Tadahiko Asami]

The medium-sized fish known as gizzard shad is highly valued as a sushi topping. Its rich umami comes from its high fat content, but it also has a heavy taste. For this reason, it is marinated in vinegar before being used as a sushi topping. It also has many small bones, so it is either cut into thin strips or used after removing the bones like conger eel.

The ones pickled in vinegar are used in sushi and vinegared dishes. Larger ones are used for simmering, salt-grilling and deep-frying. There is also a preserved dish called awazuke (pickled millet) for New Year's cooking. After removing the head and innards, the fish is lightly salted and then soaked in vinegar, sprinkled with steamed millet, packed into a box and lightly pressed. In the Hiroshima region, this is used to make shiro-jiru (shiro soup).

[Tomomi Kono and Midori Otaki]

Folklore

This fish was disliked because it gave off a stench of death when grilled, and samurai would avoid grilling it, saying "it would burn down this castle." It is also said that when samurai committed seppuku, they would bring this fish with them. The "Akita Fuzoku Monjodo" states that the placenta (the membrane and placenta that surrounds the fetus) at birth would be buried with this fish attached. In Okayama Prefecture, there is a superstition called "heishiyoke," in which death during childbirth is called oyaheishi, and the death of a child before the age of seven is called koheishi. To ward off heishi, it is said that if you place two gizzard shad in an earthenware pot, have a priest pray for it, and then bury it in the ground, the child will grow well.

[Oto Tokihiko]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

硬骨魚綱ニシン目ニシン科に属する海水魚。本州中部地方以南の沿岸に分布し、海藻の繁茂した所にすむ。全長は28センチメートルに達し、体は著しく側扁(そくへん)し、腹縁に稜線(りょうせん)を備える。体の背部は青色、腹部は銀白色。背びれの最後軟条は糸状。肩部に明瞭(めいりょう)な1黒斑(こくはん)がある。内湾性の魚で、小形プランクトンを捕食し、4～6月に内湾で浮性卵を産む。刺網、巻網などで漁獲される。成長につれて呼び名が変わり、東京地方で幼魚をジャコまたはシンコ、10センチメートル前後のものをコハダ（西日本の一部ではツナシ）とよぶ。

［浅見忠彦］

　コハダとよばれる中形のものは、すしの種として重用される。濃厚なうま味は、脂肪分が多いためであるが、一方でしつこさとなる。そのため、すし種(だね)にするときは酢でしめて用いる。また小骨が多いので身を細く切るか、ハモのように骨切りして使う。

　酢じめしたものは、すしのほか、酢の物にも使用する。大きいものは煮つけ、塩焼き、から揚げに用いられる。正月料理用として保存が効く粟漬け(あわづけ)がある。頭、内臓を除き、軽く塩漬けにしたあと酢につけ、蒸した粟をまぶし、箱に詰めて軽く押す。広島地方では、このしろ汁にする。

［河野友美・大滝　緑］

民俗

この魚は焼くと死臭がするといって嫌われ、武士はこれを焼くのを「この城を焼く」といって避けた。また武士が切腹するとき、この魚を出したという。『秋田風俗問状答』に、出産の胞衣(えな)（胎児を包んだ膜と胎盤）はこの魚を添えて埋めるとある。岡山県では「ヘイシヨケ」という俗信があり、産褥(さんじょく)で死ぬのをオヤヘイシ、七つまでに子の死ぬのをコヘイシという。このヘイシ除(よ)けには、コノシロ2尾を土器に入れ、祈祷師(きとうし)に祈ってもらったあと、これを土中に埋めると子がよく育つという。

［大藤時彦］

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